This bill revises Montana's nuisance laws by updating the definitions and liabilities associated with public and private nuisances. It specifically redefines "public nuisance" to include conditions that unlawfully interfere with public rights, such as safety and free passage, while also providing a nonexclusive list of actions that cannot be considered public nuisances, including lawful activities and those authorized by government entities. The bill amends existing laws to clarify that a public nuisance cause of action can only be pursued if the nuisance was proximately caused by the defendant, and it establishes that government entities have specific remedies available for addressing public nuisances.

Additionally, the bill introduces provisions for private nuisances, allowing individuals to seek remedies for injuries caused by nuisances affecting their property or enjoyment of life. It allows for emergency abatement of private nuisances by injured parties and clarifies the liabilities of property owners regarding nuisances created by previous owners. The bill repeals several outdated sections of the Montana Code Annotated and establishes that the new provisions will apply to causes of action accruing on or after October 1, 2025, while also addressing specific exceptions for actions related to opioids.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 27-30-101, 27-30-204
HB0791_1(1): 27-30-101, 27-30-204
HB0791_1(2): 27-30-101, 27-30-204
HB0791_1(3): 27-30-101, 27-30-204
HB0791_1(4): 27-30-101, 27-30-204
HB0791_1(5): 27-30-101, 27-30-204
HB0791_1(6): 27-30-101, 27-30-204
HB0791_1(7): 27-30-101, 27-30-204
HB0791_1(8): 27-30-101, 27-30-204
HB0791_1: 27-30-101, 27-30-204
HB0791_2(1): 27-30-101, 27-30-204
HB0791_2(2): 27-30-101, 27-30-204
HB0791_2(3): 27-30-101, 27-30-204
HB0791_2(4): 27-30-101, 27-30-204
HB0791_2(5): 27-30-101, 27-30-204
HB0791_2: 27-30-101, 27-30-204
HB0791_X(1): 27-30-101, 27-30-204
HB0791_X(10): 27-30-101, 27-30-204
HB0791_X(2): 27-30-101, 27-30-204
HB0791_X(3): 27-30-101, 27-30-204
HB0791_X(4): 27-30-101, 27-30-204
HB0791_X(5): 27-30-101, 27-30-204
HB0791_X(6): 27-30-101, 27-30-204
HB0791_X(7): 27-30-101, 27-30-204
HB0791_X(8): 27-30-101, 27-30-204
HB0791_X(9): 27-30-101, 27-30-204
HB0791_X: 27-30-101, 27-30-204