Representative Cutter, bill co-prime sponsor, introduced HB22-1364. Under current law, the food pantry assistance grant program in the Department of Human Services is set to repeal on June 30, 2023. The bill extends the grant program through July 1, 2028.  The bill expands the scope of the grant program in three ways. First, it makes hunger-relief charitable organizations eligible to receive grants. Second, it allows $100,000 to be awarded annually to a nonprofit entity to provide technical assistance to a grant recipient for training food pantries and assisting in locating and purchasing Colorado agricultural products. Finally, it broadens the kinds of agricultural products that may be purchased with grant money, to include: products sold by indigenous people in Colorado and neighboring states; products that hold cultural significance for indigenous people; and locally or regionally produced products grown, raised, or processed less than 400 miles away from where the grant recipient is located.    

The bill sponsors responded to questions from committee members.

Questions about the bill continued.

A handout was distributed to the committee from Hunger Free Colorado (Attachment B).

Mr. Alexander Hernandez-Ball, representing Sister Carmen Community Center, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Roberto Meza, representing self, testified in support of the bill. Meighen Lovelace, representing Colorado Blueprint to End Hunger, testified in support of the bill. Mrs. Trudie Biggers, representing Life Inter-Faith Team on Unemployment and Poverty, testified in support of the bill. The panelists responded to questions from the committee.

Questions for the previous panel continued.

Representative Soper and Representative Cutter gave closing comments on the bill.

Committee members made final comments on the bill.