HB19-1171 (Michaelson Jenet/Fields & Priola) Expand Child Nutrition School Lunch Protection Act
Summary
For students in high school, this bill would eliminate the reduced-price lunch copay and expand access to school lunches at no charge for students who would otherwise be eligible for reduced-price lunch. Colorado has already eliminated this copay for students in preschool through eighth grade.
Position
The Children’s Campaign strongly supports this bill. Students who eat healthy meals at school are better able to learn, and improving access to school meals improves academic performance and student behavior. Adolescence is a period of nutritional vulnerability, and children in high school require sufficient calories and a well-balanced diet for developmental growth. This policy would expand access to nutritious school lunches for thousands of high school students in Colorado.
Current Status
Signed by the governor at North High School.
Previous Statuses
February 8, 2019
Assigned to the House Education Committee where it is scheduled to be heard on Thurs., Feb. 21 at 1:30pm in HCR 0107.
February 22, 2019
Passed the House Education Committee on a vote of 9-3 and now heads to the House Appropriations Committee. Stephanie Perez-Carrillo, our Policy Analyst, testified in support of the bill.
April 19, 2019
Passed the House on a bipartisan vote of 45-19 and the Senate Education Committee on a vote of 3-2 and now heads to the Senate Appropriations. Stephanie Perez-Carrillo, Policy Analyst, testified in support of the bill.
April 26, 2019
Passed the Senate Education and Appropriations Committees on votes of 3-2 and now heads to the Senate floor for debate.
May 3, 2019
Passed the Senate on a bipartisan vote of 21-14 and now heads to the governor’s desk for signature.
