Bill > HB324

This bill revises Montana's laws regarding voluntary payments in legal claims, expanding the scope and clarification of how partial payments can be made without automatically implying fault or liability. The bill modifies three existing statutes to broaden the definition of claims and remove specific language about personal injury or property damage, instead creating a more general framework for voluntary payments. Key changes include explicitly stating that voluntary partial payments cannot be construed as an admission of fault, and cannot reduce the potential damages that might be claimed in a legal action. The bill also adds specific exemptions for certain types of legal proceedings, such as bad faith insurance actions and attorney fee disputes. Additionally, the bill specifies that when a judgment is entered, any voluntary partial payments made will be treated as a credit against that judgment, and if the final liability is determined to be less than the voluntary payments, the payer will not have a right to recover the excess amount. The legislation will apply to liability claims where a cause of action has accrued on or after October 1, 2025, providing a clear timeline for implementation of these updated legal provisions.

Business and Industry

https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC0198