The bill revises Montana's laws regarding voluntary payments to encompass all claims, rather than being limited to liability claims. It amends several sections of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA), specifically sections 26-1-701, 26-1-703, and 26-1-706. Key changes include clarifying that voluntary payments made by one party to another do not constitute an admission of fault or liability. Additionally, the bill specifies that certain bad faith insurance actions will not apply to voluntary payments, and it introduces provisions that outline how voluntary payments should be treated in relation to judgments.

The amendments also establish that voluntary partial payments may not reduce the amount of damages that can be claimed in related actions. Furthermore, the bill stipulates that any voluntary payments made prior to a judgment must be credited against that judgment. The act will apply to liability claims where the cause of action has accrued on or after October 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 26-1-701, 26-1-703, 26-1-706
HB0324_1(1): 26-1-701, 26-1-703, 26-1-706
HB0324_1(2): 26-1-701, 26-1-703, 26-1-706
HB0324_1(3): 26-1-701, 26-1-703, 26-1-706
HB0324_1(4): 26-1-701, 26-1-703, 26-1-706
HB0324_1(5): 26-1-701, 26-1-703, 26-1-706
HB0324_1(6): 26-1-701, 26-1-703, 26-1-706
HB0324_1: 26-1-701, 26-1-703, 26-1-706
HB0324_2(1): 26-1-701, 26-1-703, 26-1-706
HB0324_2(10): 26-1-701, 26-1-703, 26-1-706
HB0324_2(2): 26-1-701, 26-1-703, 26-1-706
HB0324_2(3): 26-1-701, 26-1-703, 26-1-706
HB0324_2(4): 26-1-701, 26-1-703, 26-1-706
HB0324_2(5): 26-1-701, 26-1-703, 26-1-706
HB0324_2(6): 26-1-701, 26-1-703, 26-1-706
HB0324_2(7): 26-1-701, 26-1-703, 26-1-706
HB0324_2(8): 26-1-701, 26-1-703, 26-1-706
HB0324_2(9): 26-1-701, 26-1-703, 26-1-706
HB0324_2: 26-1-701, 26-1-703, 26-1-706
HB0324_X(1): 26-1-701, 26-1-703, 26-1-706
HB0324_X: 26-1-701, 26-1-703, 26-1-706