The 2026 legislative session has come to a close and it brought decisions that will shape food access, how families meet their basic needs, and our daily lives.
This year’s session unfolded under the same pressures many Coloradans are feeling every day: rising costs and tight budgets. With a state budget facing a deficit of more than $1 billion, lawmakers faced difficult decisions on what to fund, what to protect, and where to make cuts. Those challenges also highlighted the importance of building a stronger and more sustainable future for Colorado communities – one where families can afford food, health care, childcare, and other essentials needed to thrive.
We’re taking a closer look at what these decisions mean for food access and communities across Colorado – where we saw progress, where we faced challenges, what comes next, and how you can take action, including through the Graduated Income Tax ballot measure.
Where We Saw Progress
In a tough budget year, food access was on the line – and we protected it.
This session, Hunger Free Colorado focused on fully implementing Healthy School Meals for All and worked closely with partners and community to keep SNAP strong. Together, these programs keep kids fed at school and help families put food on the table every day.
At the center of this work was the state budget process. For Healthy School Meals for All, that meant using voter-approved funding from Propositions LL and MM to not only continue free school meals, but fully implement the program as voters intended – with local purchasing, scratch cooking, family voice, wage boosts for school nutrition professionals, and long-term stability built in.
After fully funding Healthy School Meals for All, Hunger Free Colorado worked alongside partners at Provecho Collective, Nourish Colorado, and Feeding Colorado to direct remaining Proposition MM funds to keep SNAP strong. As federal policy changes and cuts under H.R. 1 take effect, the state must prepare for new costs while families face greater barriers to accessing and keeping benefits.
Together, we pushed to direct these funds where they were needed most to:
- Support SNAP administration so families receive benefits on time through reliable state and county operations and systems
- Invest in SNAP Outreach and community-based nutrition education, so families can get connected to the program, stretch their food dollars, and cook healthy meals on a budget
- Help cover future SNAP benefit costs as federal cost-share requirements are set to take effect
In a year defined by difficult budget decisions, voter-approved funding made the difference – making it possible to protect and strengthen these programs while preparing for what comes next.
While much of our work this session focused on SNAP and Healthy School Meals for All, partners also led efforts that strengthen our food system and improve how communities connect to support and resources.
- Metro Caring successfully expanded the Cottage Foods Act so that people can prepare and sell refrigerated and meat-containing foods—like tamales, burritos, and tortas—from home kitchens. This creates new opportunities for families and small food entrepreneurs to earn income while increasing access to culturally relevant foods.
- Feeding Colorado protected $2 million in funding for Community Food Grants, which help food banks and food pantries to purchase and distribute local, fresh, and culturally relevant foods in our communities while supporting Colorado farmers and ranchers.
- Colorado Center on Law and Policy and Colorado Children’s Campaign worked alongside state and county agencies on a bill that will help improve and streamline how people access SNAP, Medicaid, and child care assistance. The bill takes important steps toward reducing administrative barriers and building a more coordinated and responsive safety net for Colorado families.
Where We Faced Challenges
However, not every decision this session moved us in the right direction.
Lawmakers passed SB26-121, requiring many farmworkers to work longer hours before earning overtime and rolling back protections for the people who grow and harvest our food. This decision continues a pattern of inequity that asks those carrying the heaviest load to do more for less.
Just days after recognizing farmworkers during Farmworker Awareness Week, lawmakers voted to weaken their rights – a reminder that recognition without protection isn’t enough. We saw advocates across our network speak up and contact lawmakers, but this moment makes clear that we need to stay engaged in the decisions that impact workers and our food system.
Looking Ahead
Thank you to everyone who took action over the past 120 days of session, including the 35 advocates from across the state who came to the Capitol for lobby day – representing different parts of the food system, including farmers, SNAP participants, and advocates. Together we showed up at the Capitol, shared our stories directly with lawmakers, and sent hundreds of emails and calls to keep SNAP strong and protect food access for Colorado communities.
We made our voices heard, and we need to keep showing up – through public hearings and comment periods, town halls, and at the ballot box.
That matters now more than ever. As federal changes take effect, more families will face barriers to food access while the pressure on the state, counties, food banks, and food pantries continues to grow. Protecting programs like SNAP and pushing back against harmful policies will require continued community action and accountability. The work ahead will take all of us to protect the programs families rely on and fight for policies that reflect the full needs of our communities – both here in Colorado and in Washington.
Take Action
We know the high cost of living, federal cuts, and lack of local investment in our communities continue to get in the way of Coloradans putting food on the table. Ending hunger in Colorado is only possible when other basic needs like healthcare and childcare are also met. That’s why we are supporting the Graduated Income Tax ballot measure for our state.
- Join us in fighting for a fair tax code that supports our schools, childcare, health care, and the future we all deserve:
- Organizations: Endorse the Graduated Income Tax (GIT) and connect with the campaign to get signature collectors at your events by emailing volunteer@protectcoloradosfuture.com.
- Community members: Support the Protect Colorado’s Future campaign by signing the petition, volunteering to gather signatures, and donating.
- Become an advocate! Sign up for action alerts here, and reach out to our Policy Team at anya@hungerfreecolorado.org and mariah@hungerfreecolorado.org to learn more.