This legislation continued the Necessary Document Program. It is vital for ensuring that people with low incomes can access identification like birth certificates and drivers licenses regardless of financial hardship so they can get back on their feet by doing things such as opening a bank account, applying for a job, picking up a prescription, or accessing health care, housing, and food assistance programs. Since its inception, the program has distributed close to 40,000 document vouchers to people with low incomes.

The Double Up Food Bucks Program provides a money match for healthy foods for families on SNAP when they shop at farmers’ markets and is, therefore, a win-win for hungry Colorado families and rural producers throughout the state. This work in the state budget provided $300,000 for this important program.

This bill ensured that Colorado’s agricultural workers are fairly compensated for their ongoing efforts to sustain our local economies and food systems. A majority of our agricultural workers earn wages that currently place them in poverty.

This legislation provided an additional $3 million for the state’s voluntary Employment & Training (Employment First) program for ongoing participants in the Supplemental  Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP—formerly known as food stamps).

The legislation created a utility assistance fund for low-income households to help pay their bills and weatherize their homes or apartments. It included a provision that pays all households on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps) a nominal annual utility assistance fee that will allow some SNAP households a higher utility deduction that would increase their food benefits $1,080 per year, on average.