Action Alert 🚨 Support HB 160 - local control of plastic containers

HB 160 is a bill to repeal HB407, a Montana law passed in 2021 that prohibits citizen initiatives and local governments from regulating unnecessary single-use plastics such as carryout bags and polystyrene cups. HB 160 supports local government’s ability to regulate and to protect citizens from the harms of unnecessary single-use plastics. Allowing local control is critical for climate momentum to take place.

HB 160 (Rep. Ed Stafman, D-Bozeman) repeals this law so that Montanans can use their local governments to protect their right to a clean and healthful environment with prudent policies on single-use plastics.

Our Montana legislators need to hear support from their constituents!

Here is how you can support this bill:

IMPORTANT INFO BEFORE YOU REGISTER TO TESTIFY

Showing up in-person to testify is THE MOST impactful way to support HB 160, but if that isn’t possible, the NEXT BEST way is to testify via Zoom.

  1. Before you can sign up to testify via Zoom, you must create an account on the Montana Legislature website (See “Steps to Create an Account”). We recommend doing it ASAP or the day before at the latest.

  2. You must register more than two hours before the scheduled meeting time in order to testify.

STEPS TO CREATE AN ACCOUNT:

  1. Navigate here: https://www.legmt.gov/participate/

  2. Click "Public Participation".

  3. Click "sign up now" to create an account.

    1. First enter your email address, then click “Send Verification Code”

    2. Check your email and copy and paste the code into the box called “Secondary Verification Code.” 

    3. Click “Verify Code” then continue inputting your contact information

STEPS TO REGISTER TO TESTIFY REMOTELY:

  1. Sign into your account here: https://participate.legmt.gov/

  2. Click "Testify Remotely" under Standing Committees.

  3. Info for if you want to testify before a committee requires you to put the committee name, need to wait until 24 hours before the meeting when you can select which committee you would like to testify in front of. For HB 160, you will select the Local Government Committee. 

  4. Select committee meeting date and time.

  5. You will be asked “Would you like to submit your testimony or any other information electronically?” You can click “Yes” or “No.”

    1. If you click no, hit the green “Submit” button and your registration is complete.

    2. If you click yes, hit the green “Continue” button and you will be taken to a page where you can paste in written testimony (1,000 character limit) and/or upload pdf documents.

STEPS TO REGISTER TO SUBMIT TESTIMONY & EXHIBITS ONLY:

  1. Sign into your account here: https://participate.legmt.gov/

  2. Click "Submit Testimony & Exhibits" under Standing Committees.

  3. You will be asked “Would you like to submit your testimony or any other information electronically?” You can click “Yes” or “No.”

    1. If you click no, hit the green “Submit” button and you will simply register your position on the bill.

    2. If you click yes, hit the green “Continue” button and you will be taken to a page where you can paste in written testimony (1,000 character limit) and/or upload pdf documents.

STEPS/TIPS FOR EMAILING COMMITTEE MEMBERS:

  • Emails to the Representatives on the Local Government Committee can be effective. Find out if your Representative serves on the committee here.

  • See “Template Outreach Email” below

STEPS/TIPS FOR CALLING COMMITTEE MEMBERS:

  • Leave a message for legislators between 7:30 am and 5 pm: 406-444-4800 for up to five legislators at a time or an entire committee (200 word limit)

  • See “Phone Call Talking Points” below

  • The operator will ask for your name/phone#/where you live and the subject, which in this case is HB 160

  • You can call 24 hours before the session, calls must be made by 2 hours before

  • Find out if your Representative serves on the committee here – priority Representatives are highlighted in the linked document. 

  • Not sure who your Representative is? Find out here.

TEMPLATE OUTREACH EMAIL FROM CONSTITUENTS OF REPUBLICAN REPS

Dear Representative REP LAST NAME,

My name is NAME and my zipcode is ZIPCODE.

I am writing about the ongoing efforts of a statewide group of citizens working on the issue of unnecessary single-use plastics in Montana. In particular, we are working to repeal HB 407 (2021), Montana's law that bans local governments and citizens’ initiatives from regulating single-use plastics. As your constituent and a proud Montanan, I value the beautiful land on which I live. Single-use plastics make up much of the waste that pollutes our land and leeches toxic chemicals and microplastics into our environment, microplastics that alter hormone activity, increase cancer risk, and cause birth defects. Decreasing the amount of single-use plastics is the healthy choice for ourselves and our families. 

Furthermore, regulating single-use plastics won’t harm businesses. In fact, Town and Country Foods has adopted a program wherein they provide a 5 cent rebate for customers that shop with reusable bags that is flourishing because customers can donate their nickels to local causes, and prevent plastic pollution, while reducing store’s costs (labor costs involved with bag stocking).

Finally, it is popular. In November 2024, voters in Bozeman passed a plastics ordinance 

regulating single-use plastics with an impressive 63% support after 23.6% signed a petition to get it on the ballot. This result speaks to this issue’s ability to drive citizens’ engagement. People in this state care about our health and environment, and are motivated to act to protect them. 

Rep. Ed Stafman (D), Bozeman, is sponsoring a repeal bill he submitted on Thursday, January 9. He submitted the same bill in 2023 as well. The 2023 bill had a lot of citizen support and the 2025 bill has even more support.
As your constituent and a resident of Montana, I would greatly appreciate your support of Rep. Stafman’s bill! It will go a long way to helping local governments and citizens protect our families, our health, and our environment. 

Thank you for your time,

NAME

PHONE CALL TALKING POINTS FOR CITIZENS IN REPUBLICAN DISTRICTS

  • My name is _____ and my zipcode is _____.

  • I am calling to ask Representative _________ to support House Bill 160 introduced by Representative Ed Stafman and being heard in the Local Government committee.

  • The bill will repeal the local government prohibition of the regulation of auxiliary containers and amend necessary sections of the Montana Code.

  • This issue is important to me because (you pick from sample talking points below!)

  • Thank you for representing my concerns on this important issue.

Sample Talking Points:

  • HB 160 supports our constitutional rights to citizens initiative:

    • HB 407 prohibits citizens’ rights to the initiative process

  • HB 160 supports local government control:

    • HB 407 prohibits local governments from passing regulations that protect their communities from harmful plastics

    • HB 407 restricts local governments from upholding their duty to maintain and improve a clean and healthful environment

  • HB 160 supports the health of all Montanans: 

    • Plastics everywhere are harmful to human health, and that the proliferation of single use plastics constitutes an unnecessary health risk

  • HB 160 would not take power away from the State:

    • Under HB 160, the state would restore local power while retaining the ability to regulate plastics at the statewide level

  • Put the health of Montana and Montanans before plastic: 

    • HB160 seeks to restore the power of local governments to protect their citizens. In the absence of statewide solutions to address plastic pollution, local governments must be empowered to act. Please stand FOR HB160 for present and future generations.

Plastic Working Group, Take Action, Urgent ActionCaitlyn LewisUrgent Action