Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Health Funding topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Senate committee tables overhaul of food-establishment license fees after debate over mobile vendors
Summary
Lawmakers discussed a proposal to raise and reclassify food-service, pool and campground license fees to restore fee revenue eroded by inflation; supporters said it right-sizes funding for local health inspections, while opponents and some small mobile vendors argued the changes were unfair — the committee ultimately tabled HB 853.
Representative George Nicola Cakos introduced House Bill 853 as a negotiated proposal to adjust licensing fees for food establishments, pools and mobile vendors after roughly 15 years without an update. "8 53 adjusts license fees for food establishments, public accommodations, trailer courts and campgrounds, and pools and spas," the sponsor said, and estimated the changes would bring about $1.3 million in revenue with most flowing back to local health jurisdictions.
Industry and local-health leaders testified in force. Brad Griffin of the Montana Restaurant Association and Gina Miller of the Montana Environmental Health Association described stakeholder work and county data showing the current fee structure funds roughly 17% of program costs, and urged a move toward a roughly 50/50 split between user fees and taxpayers. Lisa Dworak of Confluence Public Health Alliance said the bill "does not grow government" but aligns fees with inspection workload and fairness across business sizes.
Committee members pressed the sponsor and public-health witnesses about how fees were calculated, the treatment of seasonal and mobile vendors, implementation timing and whether temporary-event and cottage-food provisions would be affected. Several business owners and a mobile-vendor license holder raised concerns about a new mobile-food category that could raise some operators' annual costs substantially. Senator Novak, who disclosed she holds mobile food licenses, said she could not support the bill in its current form because of timing and lack of opportunity for amendments.
After extended debate during executive action the committee took a roll-call on concurrence; the tally recorded three ayes and eight nays. Members then moved to table HB 853; the motion to table passed and the bill was placed back in committee for future consideration.
