HB19-1132 Summary

• Creates a Local School Food Purchasing Program within the Department of Education to reimburse school districts, charter schools, and residential child care centers for purchasing Colorado-grown, raised, or processed products for student meals.

• Establishes a maximum annual reimbursement cap of $500,000, proportionately distributed among participating providers based on the number of lunches served, with value-added processed products limited to 25% of eligible purchases.

• Prioritizes program participation for schools demonstrating commitment to local purchasing, having kitchen capacity for local foods, and serving student populations where more than 25% are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch.

• Creates a separate Technical Assistance and Education Grant Program managed by a statewide nonprofit organization to provide training, infrastructure support, and marketing assistance to schools and producers participating in the program.

• Requires annual reporting to legislative committees on program outcomes including participating schools, spending amounts, product categories purchased, number of Colorado producers involved, and economic impact data; the entire program sunsets January 1, 2023.