SB 25-3

Senate Bill 25-3, titled "Healthy School Meals For All," is a Colorado law that modifies how $95 million in annual tax revenue will be used. This money will support not just school meal programs but also help provide healthy food for kids and families across the state. The bill allows these funds to cover additional nutritional assistance programs starting July 1, 2026, after ensuring that all required funding is already secured. Governor Jared Polis signed this bill into law on August 26, 2025, meaning it will go into effect as planned.

Official Summary

The act amends the ballot title language for the ballot issue concerning increasing taxes annually by $95 million to support the healthy school meals for all program (program) that the secretary of state will submit to the voters at the November 2025 statewide election. The amended ballot title language allows the additional tax revenue authorized by the ballot issue to be spent on supporting access to not just the program but to healthy food for Colorado kids and families.The act also modifies the healthy school meals for all program cash fund (fund), as the fund would exist upon voters approving the ballot issue concerning increasing taxes annually by $95 million to support the program that the secretary of state will submit to the voters at the November 2025 statewide election. The act expands the permissible uses of money in the fund. Specifically, the act allows money in the fund to be used for, among other things, supporting the implementation of the supplemental nutritional assistance program, so long as the program is fully funded first. The act also modifies when money can be expended from the fund so that, beyond providing reimbursements to participating school food authorities and covering the costs of administering the program, money can only be expended from the fund beginning July 1, 2026.APPROVED by Governor August 26, 2025PORTIONS EFFECTIVE August 26, 2025(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

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