House Bill No. [insert bill number] proposes significant revisions to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in Montana, focusing on promoting healthier food choices and improving the administration of public assistance programs. The bill mandates the Department of Public Health and Human Services to seek waivers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to limit SNAP purchases to healthier options, such as fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. It also restricts the use of Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards to individuals over 16 years old and establishes a transitional benefits program to prevent immediate loss of benefits as beneficiaries' incomes rise. Additionally, the bill includes provisions for annual reporting on waiver requests and SNAP spending, while updating terminology throughout the law to replace "food stamps" with "supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits."

Moreover, the bill amends various sections of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) to clarify definitions related to employee classifications and public assistance programs. It specifies that corporate officers or managers are not considered employees until written notice is given and outlines the classification of students in work-based learning activities. The bill also allows the Department of Labor and Industry to request information from the Department of Revenue to investigate fraud related to unemployment and workers' compensation benefits. A new appropriation of $802,500 from the general fund is included to support the transitional benefits program, with the provisions set to be codified as part of Title 53, chapter 2, part 9 of the MCA, and an effective date of July 1, 2025. Overall, the bill aims to modernize language and enhance the efficiency of public assistance programs in Montana.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 39-51-403, 39-51-2208, 39-71-118, 40-4-215, 45-6-312, 50-49-103, 53-2-108, 53-2-201, 53-2-211, 53-2-606, 53-2-901, 53-2-902, 53-2-903, 53-2-904, 53-3-115, 53-4-717
HB0902_1(1): 39-51-403, 39-51-2208, 39-71-118, 40-4-215, 45-6-312, 50-49-103, 53-2-108, 53-2-201, 53-2-211, 53-2-606, 53-2-901, 53-2-902, 53-2-903, 53-2-904, 53-3-115, 53-4-717
HB0902_1(2): 39-51-403, 39-51-2208, 39-71-118, 40-4-215, 45-6-312, 50-49-103, 53-2-108, 53-2-201, 53-2-211, 53-2-606, 53-2-901, 53-2-902, 53-2-903, 53-2-904, 53-3-115, 53-4-717
HB0902_1(3): 39-51-403, 39-51-2208, 39-71-118, 40-4-215, 45-6-312, 50-49-103, 53-2-108, 53-2-201, 53-2-211, 53-2-606, 53-2-901, 53-2-902, 53-2-903, 53-2-904, 53-3-115, 53-4-717
HB0902_1(4): 39-51-403, 39-51-2208, 39-71-118, 40-4-215, 45-6-312, 50-49-103, 53-2-108, 53-2-201, 53-2-211, 53-2-606, 53-2-901, 53-2-902, 53-2-903, 53-2-904, 53-3-115, 53-4-717
HB0902_1(5): 39-51-403, 39-51-2208, 39-71-118, 40-4-215, 45-6-312, 50-49-103, 53-2-108, 53-2-201, 53-2-211, 53-2-606, 53-2-901, 53-2-902, 53-2-903, 53-2-904, 53-3-115, 53-4-717
HB0902_1: 39-51-403, 39-51-2208, 39-71-118, 40-4-215, 45-6-312, 50-49-103, 53-2-108, 53-2-201, 53-2-211, 53-2-606, 53-2-901, 53-2-902, 53-2-903, 53-2-904, 53-3-115, 53-4-717