The proposed bill seeks to prohibit the manufacture, sale, holding, offering for sale, or distribution of cell-cultured edible products in Montana, establishing that individuals who knowingly violate this prohibition will face misdemeanor charges, potentially resulting in up to 60 days of imprisonment. Retail food establishments found in violation may also face disciplinary actions, including license suspension. The bill empowers the department to adopt rules for implementation and provides definitions for key terms such as "cell-cultured edible product" and "retail food establishment."

Additionally, the bill amends several sections of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) to incorporate the new prohibition and related penalties, specifically updating sections 30-12-210, 50-31-103, and 50-31-203. It clarifies the definition of "cell-cultured edible product" while removing the previous labeling requirement for such products. The bill also ensures that correctly labeled cell-cultured products are not considered misbranded and exempts butter, cheese, ice cream, and frozen desserts from label statements regarding artificial flavoring and coloring. Overall, these amendments aim to streamline the regulatory framework for meat products and enhance consumer protection and information regarding both traditional and cell-cultured meat products.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 30-12-210, 50-31-103, 50-31-203, 81-9-217
HB0401_1(1): 30-12-210, 50-31-103, 50-31-203, 81-9-217
HB0401_1(2): 30-12-210, 50-31-103, 50-31-203, 81-9-217
HB0401_1: 30-12-210, 50-31-103, 50-31-203, 81-9-217