Colorado § 22-82.9-203 - Definitions.

§ 22-82.9-203. Definitions.

As used in this part 2, unless the context otherwise requires:

(1) "Colorado grown, raised, or processed products" means all fruits, vegetables, grains, meats, and dairy products, except liquid milk, grown, raised, or produced in Colorado and minimally processed products or value-added processed products that meet the standards for the Colorado proud designation, as established by the Colorado department of agriculture, even if the product does not have the Colorado proud designation.

(2) "Community eligibility provision" means the federal program created in 42 U.S.C. sec. 1759a (a)(1)(F) that allows school districts to choose to receive federal special assistance payments for school meals in exchange for providing free school meals to all students enrolled in all or selected schools of the school district.

(3) "Department" means the department of education created in section 24-1-115.

(4) "Eligible meal" means a lunch or breakfast that meets the nutritional requirements specified in 7 CFR 210.10, or successor regulations, for the national school lunch program or the national school breakfast program.

(5) "Federal free reimbursement rate" means the free reimbursement rate set by the United States department of agriculture for meals that qualify for reimbursement under the national school breakfast program and the national school lunch program.

(5.5) "Fund" means the healthy school meals for all program cash fund created in section 22-82.9-211.

(6) "Identified student percentage" means the percentage of a public school's or school district's student enrollment who are certified as eligible for free meals based on documentation of benefit receipt or categorical eligibility as described in 7 CFR 245.6, or successor regulations.

(7) "Minimally processed products" means raw or frozen fabricated products; products that retain their inherent character, such as shredded carrots or diced onions; and dried products, such as beans, but does not include any products that are heated, cooked, or canned.

(8) "National school breakfast program" means the federal school breakfast program created in 42 U.S.C. sec. 1773.

(9) "National school lunch program" means the federal school lunch program created in the "Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act", 42 U.S.C. sec. 1751 et seq.

(10) "Participating school food authority" means a school food authority that chooses to participate in the healthy school meals for all program.

(11) "Program" means the healthy school meals for all program created in section 22-82.9-204.

(11.5) "Provisional programs" means alternative options through the national school lunch program and national school breakfast program to improve access to free meals and to simplify meal counting and claims procedures.

(12) "School food authority" has the same meaning as provided in section 22-32-120 (8).

(13) "State board" means the state board of education created and existing pursuant to section 1 of article IX of the state constitution.

(14) "Value-added processed products" means products that are altered from their unprocessed or minimally processed state through preservation techniques, including cooking, baking, or canning.

Source: Referred 2022: Entire part added, Proposition FF, L. 2022, (HB 22-1414), ch. 509, p. 4279, § 1, effective upon proclamation of the Governor, December 27, 2022. L. 2024: (11.5) added, (HB 24-1390), ch. 133, p. 478, § 2, effective April 29. L. 2025: (5.5) added, (HB 25-1274), ch. 402, p. 2283, § 4, effective December 9, 2025, (see editor's note).

Editor's note: Section 20(6) of chapter 402 (HB 25-1274), Session Laws of Colorado 2025, provides that the act changing this section takes effect on the date of the governor's proclamation, only if, at the November 2025 statewide election, a majority of voters approve the ballot issue referred in accordance with § 22-82.9-213.The ballot issue, referred to voters as Proposition MM, was approved on November 4, 2025, and was proclaimed by the governor on December 9, 2025, see L. 2026, p. 3650. The vote count for the measure was as follows:

FOR: 1,010,644

AGAINST: 681,400

Cross references: For the legislative declaration in HB 25-1274, see section 1 of chapter 402, Session Laws of Colorado 2025.