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Committee backs sending ballot questions to voters to retain and raise funding for Healthy School Meals program
Summary
The committee voted to send two ballot measures to voters: one to retain Prop FF revenue and a second to raise additional revenue and create a reserve for the Healthy School Meals for All program; the bill also clarifies local‑food and wage components for the program.
The House Finance Committee voted to send House Bill 12‑74 — a package of statutory changes and voter referral language tied to the Healthy School Meals for All program — to the Appropriations Committee with a favorable recommendation.
Representative Garcia, the sponsor, told the committee the bill does three things: (1) asks voters to retain Proposition FF funds (the measure that originally funded Healthy School Meals for All); (2) asks voters to approve an additional revenue adjustment to ensure the program’s sustainability given higher‑than‑expected costs and federal uncertainty; and (3) makes statutory changes to implement local‑food purchasing, technical assistance and wage‑boost provisions built into the program.
Representatives from the Colorado Fiscal Institute, Hunger Free Colorado, AARP and school nutrition directors testified in support, arguing the program reduces food insecurity, increases school participation and can expand local‑food purchases and workforce supports if fully funded. Witnesses said universal school meals can improve attendance, learning outcomes and reduce family food costs.
Opponents raised TABOR and taxpayer‑rights concerns; one witness, Natalie Menton, argued the proposal would change Colorado’s flat tax principles and divert funds that would otherwise be returned under the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights. Legislative counsel and fiscal staff briefed the committee on the bill’s ballot language and fiscal scenarios, and the sponsor offered two technical clarifying amendments the committee adopted.
The committee voted 7‑6 to send the bill to Appropriations with a favorable recommendation. Sponsor Garcia said the ballot titles required under TABOR will be explicit about the nature of the revenue question and that the bill includes conditional statutory changes that only take effect if the retention or raise questions win voter approval.
Ending: House Bill 12‑74 advances to Appropriations; it would place two ballot questions before voters and make several programmatic statutory changes to support local purchasing, technical assistance and wage boosts conditional on voter approval.
