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, and that such payments will not reduce the amount of damages that can be claimed in related legal actions. Additionally, the bill specifies that certain bad faith insurance actions do not apply to voluntary payments, ensuring that these payments are treated distinctly in legal contexts.

The amendments also introduce provisions that outline how voluntary payments are treated in relation to judgments. Specifically, any voluntary partial payment made prior to a judgment must be credited against the judgment amount, and if it is later determined that the payer is liable for less than the amount of the voluntary payments, they cannot recover the excess. The bill establishes an applicability date of October 1, 2025, for these changes, indicating that they will apply to claims arising on or after that date.

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(2): 26-1-701, 26-1-703, 26-1-706
HB0324_X: 26-1-701, 26-1-703, 26-1-706