Committee approves removing discretionary drug‑testing condition for some SNAP recipients

Representative Nadeau presented House File 1,900 to remove an optional, county‑level requirement that SNAP recipients with a drug felony conviction in the previous 10 years be subject to random drug testing. "Drug testing should be a tool for recovery when it’s part of a treatment plan, not a county by county condition for food access," Nadeau said.

Supporters included Jessica Webster of Legal Aid, who told the committee Minnesota’s approach to substance use disorder and food access has become more compassionate and framed the bill as removing an unfunded county mandate. "This is a really good bill," Webster said.

Montes Franco, who described themselves as a person with a history of criminal convictions and as staff at Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute, said losing SNAP access creates family separation and harms recovery. "This was a hand up and not a career path," Montes Franco said of their experience.

The committee adopted a DE and an oral amendment clarifying statutory language about prior convictions and eligibility, and then re‑referred the bill to the general register by voice vote.