A Bill for an Act
Page 1, Line 101Concerning the implementation of a restaurant meals
Page 1, Line 102program for certain recipients of the supplemental
Page 1, Line 103nutrition assistance program.
Bill Summary
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at http://leg.colorado.gov.)
No later than January 1, 2026, the bill requires the department of human services to submit an application to the United States department of agriculture food and nutrition service to implement a restaurant meals program that allows eligible supplemental nutrition assistance program recipients to purchase hot or prepared foods at participating restaurants.
Page 2, Line 1Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
Page 2, Line 2SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 26-2-310 as follows:
Page 2, Line 326-2-310. Restaurant meals program - federal approval -
Page 2, Line 4eligible SNAP recipients - report - rules - definitions. (1) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:
Page 2, Line 5(a) "Office" means the office of economic security in the department of human services.
Page 2, Line 6(b) "Program" means the restaurant meals program implemented pursuant to this section.
Page 2, Line 7(c) "SNAP" means the supplemental nutrition assistance program established pursuant to this part 3.
Page 2, Line 8(d) "SNAP recipient" means an individual in a household who is receiving benefits from SNAP.
Page 2, Line 9(e) "USDA" means the United States department of agriculture food and nutrition service.
Page 2, Line 10(2) (a) No later than January 1, 2026, the state department
Page 2, Line 11shall submit an application to the USDA to implement a
Page 2, Line 12restaurant meals program that allows SNAP recipients to purchase hot or prepared foods at participating restaurants.
Page 2, Line 13(b) A SNAP recipient is eligible for participation in the
Page 2, Line 14program if the SNAP recipient meets the USDA's eligibility criteria for the program.
Page 2, Line 15(c) No later than six months after receiving approval
Page 2, Line 16from the USDA to implement the program, the office shall
Page 2, Line 17develop and publish on its website an implementation plan for
Page 3, Line 1the program and the USDA's eligibility criteria for SNAP recipients.
Page 3, Line 2(3) (a) After developing and publishing the implementation
Page 3, Line 3plan pursuant to subsection (2)(c) of this section, the state
Page 3, Line 4department shall adopt rules for the administration and implementation of the program. At a minimum, the rules must:
Page 3, Line 5(I) Address how the state department will verify a SNAP
Page 3, Line 6recipient's eligibility pursuant to subsection (2) of this section; and
Page 3, Line 7(II) Establish the state-level application process and
Page 3, Line 8eligibility requirements for restaurants, including, at a minimum, that participating restaurants:
Page 3, Line 9(A) Are licensed by the department of public health and environment pursuant to section 25-4-1603; and
Page 3, Line 10(B) Are authorized by the food and nutrition services agency of the USDA to accept SNAP benefits.
Page 3, Line 11(b) The rules adopted pursuant to subsection (3)(a) of this section may encourage participating restaurants to:
Page 3, Line 12(I) Utilize practices of procuring locally produced foods for hot or prepared meals;
Page 3, Line 13(II) Serve foods that represent diverse cultural traditions;
Page 3, Line 14(III) Serve geographically diverse regions of the state; and
Page 3, Line 15(IV) Offer the option for a patron to choose how much to pay for their meal in underinvested communities.
Page 3, Line 16(4) In addition to technical assistance provided by the
Page 4, Line 1USDA, the office may provide technical assistance to
Page 4, Line 2restaurants applying to participate in the program as well as to
Page 4, Line 3participating restaurants. The state department may contract
Page 4, Line 4with a third-party vendor to provide additional outreach and technical assistance pursuant to this subsection (4).
Page 4, Line 5(5) In its 2027 annual report to the committees of
Page 4, Line 6reference made pursuant to section 2-7-203, the state
Page 4, Line 7department shall provide an update concerning the progress
Page 4, Line 8toward implementing the restaurant meals program. At a
Page 4, Line 9minimum, the update must include the names and addresses of all
Page 4, Line 10approved participating restaurants and the number of SNAP recipients eligible to participate in the program, by county.
Page 4, Line 11SECTION 2. Safety clause. The general assembly finds,
Page 4, Line 12determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate
Page 4, Line 13preservation of the public peace, health, or safety or for appropriations for
Page 4, Line 14the support and maintenance of the departments of the state and state institutions.