November’s ballot includes eight propositions, where voters will either select yes/for or no/against. Statutory propositions are relevant for all of Colorado and reflect a number of economic and lifestyle issues. Information on these propositions was gathered from the 2022 State Ballot Information Booklet.

Proposition FF

Proposition FF, “Healthy School Meals for All,” needs a majority vote to pass and if passed would form a program to provide free meals for students in Colorado public schools.

In addition, if Proposition FF is passed, it would provide grants for some schools for the purchase of “products grown, raised and processed in Colorado” and include “minimal reliance on processed products.”

The passing of Proposition FF would also increase the pay of school meal employees and would “create parent and student advisory committees” who would work to “ensure school meals are healthy and appealing to all students.”

This program would be funded by increasing the state taxable income of people who have federal taxable incomes equalling at least $300,000. This increase would occur through the limitation of tax deductions, limiting single filers to $12,000 of deductions and joint filers to $16,000.

Currently, free school meals are available to students whose family incomes are at or below the threshold set by their district. If Proposition FF is not passed, this program would not change; however, the passing of the proposition would provide free meals for all public school students, regardless of income.

Proposition GG

Proposition GG, “Add Tax Information Table to Petitions and Ballots,” would amend Colorado statutes if passed with a majority vote.

If passed, Proposition GG would require citizen-initiated ballot initiatives that change individual income tax rates to include a table showing a breakdown of the changes. This table would include the average change based on income brackets.

Proposition 121

Proposition 121, “State Income Tax Rate Reduction,” needs a majority vote to pass and appears on the ballot via citizen initiative, a process through which, according to Ballotpedia, citizens collect a specified number of petition signatures from registered voters to add an item to a ballot. 

If Proposition 121 is passed, it would change the Colorado state income tax rate from 4.55% to 4.40%, beginning in tax year 2022.

Proposition 122

Proposition 122, “Access to Natural Psychedelic Substances,” was placed on the ballot through a citizen initiative and needs a majority vote to pass. 

If passed, Proposition 122 would require Colorado to develop a system allowing for the use of psychedelic mushrooms and other psychedelic plants “if approved by the regulating state agency” for individuals who are at least 21 years old. 

This system would require that the program be implemented by the Department of Regulatory Agencies, which would also control natural medicine in the interest of public health and safety. It would also lead to the creation of an advisory board regarding the program’s implementation.

This proposition would provide a change to the Colorado Revised Statutes, which encompass “legal regulated access to natural medicine for persons 21 years of age or older.” This would include identifying “certain plants or fungi that affect a person’s mental health,” which would be controlled substances, as natural medicine.

If passed, Proposition 122 would also provide limited authority to a local government “to regulate the time, place and manner of providing natural medicine services” and would permit “limited personal possession, use and uncompensated sharing of natural medicine.”

The changes would also give natural medicine users and prescribers certain protections under Colorado law, such as both “criminal and civil immunity,” and, “in limited circumstances,” would permit “retroactive removal and reduction of criminal penalties related to” natural medicine. 

If the proposition is not passed, having and using psychedelic plants would continue to be illegal under Colorado law.

Proposition 123

Proposition 123, “Dedicate Revenue for Affordable Housing Programs,” was placed on the ballot through citizen initiative and requires a majority vote to pass. 

If passed, Proposition 123 would designate money, which would be exempt from the state’s revenue limit, to be used for “new affordable housing programs.”

The proposition would also require expedited “development approvals for affordable housing projects” and would include a 3% annual increase of “the number of affordable housing units.”

The funding for this program would come from “an existing tax of one-tenth of one percent” on federal taxable income.

60% of this money would be used for programs that would reduce rent, the purchase of land meant to be used for affordable housing and “build(ing) assets for renters.” The other 40% would be allocated to programs that “support affordable home ownership,” assist people experiencing homelessness and “support local planning capacity.”

If the proposition is not passed, the state legislature would continue to prioritize the spending or return to the taxpayer of state revenue.

Proposition 124

Proposition 124, “Increase Allowable Liquor Store Locations,” was created through citizen initiative and needs a majority vote to pass.

If Proposition 124 is passed, retail liquor stores would be permitted to apply to increase the number of liquor store locations they have over time.

The increase would begin with the allowance of “up to eight licenses by Dec. 31, 2026, up to 13 licenses by Dec. 31, 2031 (and) up to 20 licenses by Dec. 31, 2036” and would allow retail liquor stores to have an unlimited number of store locations in the state “on or after Jan. 1, 2037.”

If the proposition is not passed, the current law would remain in place, thus limiting retail liquor stores to no more than three locations in the state through 2026, then followed by an increase to four locations.

Proposition 125

Proposition 125, “Allow Grocery and Convenience Stores to Sell Wine,” appears on the ballot through citizen initiative and requires a majority vote to pass.

If passed, Proposition 125 would allow licensed grocery stores and convenience stores that already sell beer to begin selling wine as well.

This proposition would establish a new retailer license for the off-site consumption of “fermented malt beverage(s),” such as beer and wine. A previously established “fermented malt beverage retailer license” would be automatically changed to the new license, thus allowing for the sale of both beer and wine.

This proposition would also allow for the retailers with these licenses “to conduct tastings if approved by the local licensing authority.”

Proposition 126

Proposition 126, “Third-Party Delivery of Alcohol Beverages,” was created through citizen initiative and needs a majority vote to pass.

This proposition, if passed, would allow businesses with liquor licenses to use third-party delivery services with delivery service permits to deliver alcohol to customers who are at least 21 years old and provide proof of identification.

Proposition 126 would prohibit these deliveries if the customer is younger than 21 years old or the customer is already intoxicated.

Proposition 126 would also remove “the limit on the percentage of gross sales revenues” licensed retailers can receive from deliveries of alcoholic beverages.

In addition, the proposition would allow technology service companies “to provide software or a digital network application that connects consumers and licensed retailers” for alcohol deliveries without requiring that the companies obtain third-party delivery service permits.

Reach Jordan Mahaffey at news@collegian.com or on Twitter @_MahaffeyJordan.