First Regular Session
Seventy-fifth General Assembly
STATE OF COLORADO
INTRODUCED
LLS NO. 25-0716.01 Shelby Ross x4510
SENATE BILL 25-169
Senate Committees House Committees
Agriculture & Natural Resources
A BILL FOR AN ACT
C
ONCERNING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A RESTAURANT MEALS101
PROGRAM FOR CERTAIN RECIPIENTS OF THE SUPPLEMENTAL102
NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM .103
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.
SENATE SPONSORSHIP
Jodeh and Pelton R.,
HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
Zokaie,
Shading denotes HOUSE amendment. Double underlining denotes SENATE amendment.
Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material to be added to existing law.
Dashes through the words or numbers indicate deletions from existing law. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:1
SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 26-2-310 as2
follows:3
26-2-310. Restaurant meals program - federal approval -4
eligible SNAP recipients - report - rules - definitions. (1) A
S USED IN5
THIS SECTION, UNLESS THE CONTEXT OTHERWISE REQUIRES :6
(a) "O
FFICE" MEANS THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC SECURITY IN THE7
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES .8
(b) "P
ROGRAM" MEANS THE RESTAURANT MEALS PROGRAM9
IMPLEMENTED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION .10
(c) "SNAP"
MEANS THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE11
PROGRAM ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO THIS PART 3.12
(d) "SNAP
RECIPIENT" MEANS AN INDIVIDUAL IN A HOUSEHOLD13
WHO IS RECEIVING BENEFITS FROM SNAP.14
(e) "USDA"
MEANS THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF15
AGRICULTURE FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICE .16
(2) (a) N
O LATER THAN JANUARY 1, 2026, THE STATE DEPARTMENT17
SHALL SUBMIT AN APPLICATION TO THE USDA TO IMPLEMENT A18
RESTAURANT MEALS PROGRAM THAT ALLOWS SNAP RECIPIENTS TO19
PURCHASE HOT OR PREPARED FOODS AT PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS .20
(b) A
SNAP RECIPIENT IS ELIGIBLE FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE21
PROGRAM IF THE SNAP RECIPIENT MEETS THE USDA'S ELIGIBILITY22
CRITERIA FOR THE PROGRAM.23
(c) N
O LATER THAN SIX MONTHS AFTER RECEIVING APPROVAL24
FROM THE USDA TO IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM , THE OFFICE SHALL25
DEVELOP AND PUBLISH ON ITS WEBSITE AN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR26
SB25-169-2- THE PROGRAM AND THE USDA'S ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SNAP1
RECIPIENTS.2
(3) (a) A
FTER DEVELOPING AND PUBLISHING THE IMPLEMENTATION3
PLAN PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION (2)(c) OF THIS SECTION, THE STATE4
DEPARTMENT SHALL ADOPT RULES FOR THE ADMINISTRATION AND5
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAM . AT A MINIMUM, THE RULES MUST:6
(I) A
DDRESS HOW THE STATE DEPARTMENT WILL VERIFY A SNAP7
RECIPIENT'S ELIGIBILITY PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION (2) OF THIS SECTION;8
AND9
(II) E
STABLISH THE STATE-LEVEL APPLICATION PROCESS AND10
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR RESTAURANTS , INCLUDING, AT A11
MINIMUM, THAT PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS :12
(A) A
RE LICENSED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND13
ENVIRONMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 25-4-1603; AND14
(B) A
RE AUTHORIZED BY THE FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICES15
AGENCY OF THE USDA TO ACCEPT SNAP BENEFITS.16
(b) T
HE RULES ADOPTED PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION (3)(a) OF THIS17
SECTION MAY ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS TO :18
(I) U
TILIZE PRACTICES OF PROCURING LOCALLY PRODUCED FOODS19
FOR HOT OR PREPARED MEALS;20
(II) S
ERVE FOODS THAT REPRESENT DIVERSE CULTURAL21
TRADITIONS;22
(III) S
ERVE GEOGRAPHICALLY DIVERSE REGIONS OF THE STATE ;23
AND24
(IV) O
FFER THE OPTION FOR A PATRON TO CHOOSE HOW MUCH TO25
PAY FOR THEIR MEAL IN UNDERINVESTED COMMUNITIES .26
(4) I
N ADDITION TO TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BY THE27
SB25-169
-3- USDA, THE OFFICE MAY PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO1
RESTAURANTS APPLYING TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM AS WELL AS TO2
PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS. THE STATE DEPARTMENT MAY CONTRACT3
WITH A THIRD-PARTY VENDOR TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL OUTREACH AND4
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PURSUANT TO THIS SUBSECTION (4).5
(5) I
N ITS 2027 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE COMMITTEES OF6
REFERENCE MADE PURSUANT TO SECTION 2-7-203, THE STATE7
DEPARTMENT SHALL PROVIDE AN UPDATE CONCERNING THE PROGRESS8
TOWARD IMPLEMENTING THE RESTAURANT MEALS PROGRAM . AT A9
MINIMUM, THE UPDATE MUST INCLUDE THE NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF ALL10
APPROVED PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS AND THE NUMBER OF SNAP11
RECIPIENTS ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM , BY COUNTY.12
SECTION 2. Safety clause. The general assembly finds,13
determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate14
preservation of the public peace, health, or safety or for appropriations for15
the support and maintenance of the departments of the state and state16
institutions.17
SB25-169
-4-