HB 24-1390: Healthy School Meals and Local Food Purchasing Programs

• Declares healthy school meals an essential component of student learning and eligible for State Education Fund support.

• Establishes a technical advisory group to maximize federal reimbursements, reduce program costs, and strengthen the Healthy School Meals for All cash fund, with reports due December 1, 2024.

• Creates a Healthy School Meals for All Program cash fund (effective July 1, 2024) funded by voter-approved tax revenue additions to federal taxable income, replacing the previous general fund exempt account.

• Establishes a Local School Food Purchasing Program to reimburse schools serving fewer than 2.15 million lunches in 2023-24 for Colorado-grown products at minimum 5 cents per lunch or $1,000, capped at $500,000 annually.

• Creates a Local School Food Purchasing Technical Assistance and Education Grant Program providing training, infrastructure support, and outreach to schools, growers, and food system organizations; Part 3 repeals July 1, 2026.