1. (1) For the 2023-24 budget year and for each budget year thereafter, the general assembly shall appropriate to the department, by separate line items in the annual general appropriation bill, the amount necessary to implement the program, including the amount required to reimburse participating school food authorities for eligible meals provided to students pursuant to section 22-82.9-204, and including the amount distributed as local food purchasing grants pursuant to section 22-82.9-205, subject to available appropriations, and the amount distributed pursuant to section 22-82.9-206 to increase the wages or provide stipends for staff who prepare and serve school meals, subject to available appropriations. The department may expend not more than one and five-tenths percent of the total amount annually appropriated pursuant to this section to offset the direct and indirect costs incurred by the department in implementing this part 2.

2. (2)

   1. (a) For the 2023-24 budget year and the 2024-25 budget year, the general assembly shall appropriate money from the state education fund created in section 17 (4) of article IX of the state constitution to cover program costs for which there is not sufficient money in the healthy school meals for all cash fund.
   2. (b) For the 2025-26 budget year, the general assembly may appropriate money from the state education fund created in section 17 (4) of article IX of the state constitution to cover program costs for which there is not sufficient money in the healthy school meals for all cash fund.

Source: Referred 2022: Entire part added, Proposition FF, L. 2022, (HB 22-1414), ch. 509, p. 4287, § 1, effective upon proclamation of the Governor, December 27, 2022. L. 2023: Entire section amended, (SB 23-221), ch. 89, p. 338, § 2, effective April 20. L. 2024: Entire section amended, (HB 24-1390), ch. 133, p. 482, § 8, effective April 29. L. 2025: (2) amended, (SB 25-214), ch. 372, p. 2007, § 3, effective June 3.

Cross references: For the legislative declaration in SB 25-214, see section 1 of chapter 372, Session Laws of Colorado 2025.