[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6622432,"mediaKeyId","2784438-78bdb52bb0e8504c5c0a248430a63c55","parentId",2784438,"title","Montana hearing on SNAP waiver to ban candy and sugary drinks draws broad opposition from retailers and food banks","audioSeconds",3902,"startMs",5178000,"endMs",9080000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2784438-78bdb52bb0e8504c5c0a248430a63c55&start=5178&end=9080","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2784438-78bdb52bb0e8504c5c0a248430a63c55/thumbnail_5178000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6622432/Montana/Montana-hearing-on-SNAP-waiver-to-ban-candy-and-sugary-drinks-draws-broad-opposition-from-retailers-and-food-banks","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6622432-db4266c30660f8c9c639f03d2ff13b90/orig.mp4?Expires=1773662143&Signature=Yi6bbD2gWS9rkl9HJxtChqTr7TP85eiwBdsxzGrZGjXB-14SXuF~I6ZPzXt1n2Au-lXk-s4scrCiLH~Ky78Uu2e8Geywkhc6WnO4X6wHy3dSAYyJfBws2jD1MBHDWoPlaozagq4XFGUPuF4MWVa3uacXZxNnXKb-zKuqjuJyWLKfJ5lzgpYpcjrcSvSOrlEJG9vbVs-kIciKAhLUbTC4RlnVGnZUScCjzFJKg1tafOGnuDiQVOzVxygcxrLkK9Y4iMQdXIo4UFTg37rKRSCisnh5oXe51oFFXIwevg7a18x4vri8D~H5m4AqWngZZtFKKMTDFntWmEdvPz5NsCooeg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Montana Legislature","date","2025-03-26T00:00:00Z","article","Senator Daniel Zolnicob (Senate District 22) opened the hearing on Senate Bill 354, describing a request for a federal waiver that would make candy and sugar‑sweetened beverages ineligible for purchase with SNAP (food‑stamp) benefits. He told the committee the bill aims to better align SNAP purchases with nutritional goals and reduce spending on low‑nutrition items.

Student and health‑policy proponents told the committee SNAP funds should be focused on nutritious foods. Students who are SNAP recipients described household budgeting and urged the committee to restrict soda and candy purchases. “My family is a SNAP family,” seventh grader Ava Carlisle testified. “We don't need soda to survive.” The Montana Medical Association and other health groups said childhood obesity and diet‑related disease justify exploring policy changes.

Opposition came from a wide range of retailers, distributors and anti‑hunger organizations. Earl Allen, a long‑time convenience‑store operator, warned implementation would require item‑by‑item reviews of thousands of SKUs and pose a heavy administrative burden for small retailers. Brad Longcake of the Montana Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association and grocery‑chain representatives raised similar operational concerns and said vendors could lose business or stop accepting SNAP if rules become too complex.

Food‑security organizations and food‑bank leaders also opposed the bill. Kira Condon of the Montana Food Bank Network said the proposed restriction would stigmatize SNAP recipients, could worsen food insecurity and would be difficult and expensive to administer. Jamie Quinn of Big Fork Food Bank warned that rural residents often rely on convenience stores as one of few nearby options and said the proposal risked creating or deepening “food deserts.”

Federal administration of SNAP figured prominently in the discussion. DPHHS witnesses and other testifiers noted that SNAP is operated through federal Food and Nutrition Service systems and that the state would rely on federal processes to implement any waiver. Several witnesses said prior waiver requests in other states had been denied or found administratively impractical. The department’s informational witnesses said enforcement and transaction‑level tracking largely reside with federal processors and that itemized purchase tracking is not available in current state systems.

Witnesses who support the bill argued it is a policy lever to reduce diet‑related disease and to encourage retailers to stock healthier items; opponents and informational witnesses said the bill would impose large administrative costs, have questionable effects on nutrition outcomes and could be rejected by federal authorities. Committee members asked detailed questions about definitions (for example, whether some flavored waters or granola bars would be banned), enforcement responsibility and how retailers would code eligible products.

The hearing ran several hours and closed without a committee vote recorded in the transcript; committee members discussed amendments and implementation questions throughout the testimony.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Human Services - Mar 26, 2025 15:00 - 20:00","oneSentenceSummary","Senator Daniel Zolnicob (Senate District 22) told the House Human Services Committee SB 354 would seek a federal waiver to make candy and sugar‑sweetened beverages ineligible for purchase with SNAP benefits.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature MT, Montana","taxId",77694,"location","Montana","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6622436,"Montana panel hears hours of testimony on adding e-cigarettes to Clean Indoor Air Act",3402,1739000,5141000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2784438-78bdb52bb0e8504c5c0a248430a63c55&start=1739&end=5141","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2784438-78bdb52bb0e8504c5c0a248430a63c55/thumbnail_1739000.jpg","/articles/6622436/Montana/Montana-panel-hears-hours-of-testimony-on-adding-e-cigarettes-to-Clean-Indoor-Air-Act","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6622436-42eaeec5e7210905ae96af6c17801084/orig.mp4?Expires=1773662143&Signature=FBTVMTTnei~BJ10udFP902~IQhh0okCU8R9n5S2k~3aBVLpimwehdh1B0fJV~0xt3Md~7RtRWSql6Kibi8JhUARJnbcPR~1mrXxfgOg7PH3opQzIVKU2dP4TdHgshQtdCSsTVRBYHTkCmpPOoloK786qZsxK2jZflP0sb1srOaTIlhnHJOcvrDeEJjuFNrydzuLf4J4pWEVJwnIw8EUIE-rcQa~KKIKJDjuV9nlCGdgpPJJR94vLUll6Xlqr1VLWzyfXhkB0sji9j1We~zSMwGKTdHJx3cnrcTQJNK7-A7NZVbCxDZHViLGttgZGD5IKtEWhkXXUItMajZ5eZdqbLw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senator Willis Kurdy (Senate District 49) opened testimony on Senate Bill 390, saying the bill would “revise the definition of smoking in the Clean Indoor Air Act and provide for a definition of electronic smoke device.” The bill drew extensive testimony from students, medical professionals and public-health organizations urging the committee to include e‑cigarettes and similar devices in the state’s indoor smoking ban.

Supporters emphasized youth vaping rates and the health risks of aerosol exposure. “These products might seem harmless to some, but they release harmful chemicals that can affect not just the person using them, but the people around them,” seventh grader Ava Carlisle told the committee. Student speakers described widespread use in schools and said the bill would reduce normalization of vaping among children.

Medical witnesses and national health groups echoed that concern. Lauren Wilson, a pediatrician and immediate past president of the Montana Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said clinicians are seeing nicotine addiction among hospitalized children and urged passage. Carrie Neesen, senior director of advocacy for the American Lung Association, said “healthy air free of emissions of any kind should be our public health standard.” Jean Branscomb, chief executive officer of the Montana Medical Association, and Amanda Cahill of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network also testified in favor.

Supporters described the aerosol produced by electronic smoking devices as a public‑health hazard, not a benign “vapor.” A witness summarizing the science told the committee that when e‑liquid compounds are heated they can form formaldehyde and acrolein; other testimony warned of heavy metals, volatile compounds and nicotine in the aerosol. The committee also heard that some counties have already included e‑cigarettes in local clean‑air rules and that enforcement resources would not, supporters said, be substantially increased if the statute is amended.

Opponents included business owners who said the bill could affect establishments that have invested in ventilation and operate as private cigar lounges. Greg Franks, owner of Summit Cigar Lounge in Billings, said his business spent heavily on a ventilation system designed to limit secondhand smoke exposure and worried the bill’s language could disrupt existing operations.

State enforcement staff provided context about current compliance activity. An enforcement representative said roughly a thousand compliance checks were conducted in fiscal 2024 and that about 88 resulted in violations of sales-to-minors rules; she emphasized those checks cover all tobacco products and not just e‑cigarettes. On statutory scope, a health department witness said the bill’s definition would cover “an electronic smoking device that creates an aerosol in any manner or any form,” and stated that the text would apply “whether it contains nicotine or not.”

Senate Bill 390 drew sustained public testimony spanning youth speakers, local coalitions, medical professionals and inhalation‑health advocates, and it drew questions from committee members about enforcement, flavored products and how the law would treat cigar lounges and other special‑purpose venues. The committee concluded the hearing and moved on to other bills; no committee floor vote on SB 390 is recorded in the hearing transcript.","Sen. Willis Kurdy told the House Human Services Committee that Senate Bill 390 would revise the definition of \"smoking\" to include electronic smoking devices. Dozens of youth speakers and public-health groups urged passage; a cigar lounge owner and some business groups opposed expansion. No committee vote was recorded at the hearing.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6622427,"House Human Services Committee: executive actions — concurrence, amendment and table votes",1091,10049000,11140000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2784438-78bdb52bb0e8504c5c0a248430a63c55&start=10049&end=11140","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2784438-78bdb52bb0e8504c5c0a248430a63c55/thumbnail_10049000.jpg","/articles/6622427/Montana/House-Human-Services-Committee-executive-actions-concurrence-amendment-and-table-votes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6622427-44550dd0993dc76aa06e3bf17c249bd8/orig.mp4?Expires=1773662143&Signature=X809k~ZKVfOvTypGbxAz2M1yAkmPBqoItbRSUSIwVsaiIfMiPvwWflwFzGzlXeL-GDNKOJ9~cfGUAaacbbWRr2llhfzCGPVCVIazEM1DmL1HONiv-W75b4qxAv91gPV9XA5xVfOjcnJI~EC5MPkiBAJMCgtywNU7eXaPBNde29Y6uc7ThlP5pxBV6P8qubqepXjFj09bMuo5W5rSJziH2FCltn8AIIRQnBHwiXRTJ5WGdgndmkoR6AOxrWnEvvEddoiFiIgo4d5YqHxFIztmtVk~RQ1fxGiEoT0b~LYKx81T6l9vWCsGHcN3nAWhk5qrZbOflb5JlIzzDj2qA9FcZA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Human Services Committee completed executive action on several Senate bills following the hearings.

Key outcomes recorded in the committee transcript:

- Senate Bill 180 (best‑interest of the child in custody/adoption language): An amendment to SB 180 (sB180.002.001) was adopted. A substitute motion to table SB 180 then passed in committee (12 for, 9 against); the transcript records that SB 180 was tabled and did not pass the committee floor vote.

- Senate Bill 296: The committee adopted an amendment (SB296.001.003) that revised the definitions of covered crimes and related language. The committee then moved to concur in SB 296 as amended; the transcript records a successful concurrence and proxies were recorded.

- Senate Bill 435: An amendment was adopted to clarify emergency‑detention language and to include emergency care providers; the committee later concurred in SB 435 as amended. One proposed amendment to restore courtroom appearance protections was considered and failed on a roll‑call vote.

- Senate Bill 524: The committee voted to concur in SB 524; proxies were recorded for several members.

The transcript records roll‑call and proxy votes for amendments and final concurrence motions. The committee chair closed executive action after completing the listed items.","The committee acted on multiple Senate bills during executive action. Notable results recorded in the transcript: Senate Bill 180 was tabled in committee, Senate Bill 296 and Senate Bill 435 were concurred in as amended, and Senate Bill 524 was concurred in. Several amendments were adopted during the session.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Montana hearing on SNAP waiver to ban candy and sugary drinks draws broad opposition from retailers and food banks

Montana panel hears hours of testimony on adding e-cigarettes to Clean Indoor Air Act

House Human Services Committee: executive actions — concurrence, amendment and table votes