House Bill No. introduced by R. Gregg and S. Fitzpatrick establishes a requirement for vehicle purchasers to provide advance notice to dealers before filing lawsuits related to unfair or deceptive practices in vehicle sales. Specifically, the bill mandates that a purchaser must serve a written notice to the dealer, detailing the buyer's name, dealer's name, vehicle identification number, make, model, year, and a description of the alleged problem. This notice must be sent via certified mail, and the dealer is given 28 days to respond. If the dealer does not respond within this timeframe, the purchaser is then permitted to file a civil action.

Additionally, the bill amends Section 30-14-133 of the Montana Code Annotated to include a stipulation that consumers cannot bring an action related to vehicle sales unless they have complied with the new notice requirements outlined in the bill. This amendment aims to streamline the process and ensure that dealers are informed of potential claims before litigation begins. The bill also includes definitions for "dealer" and "vehicle" to clarify the terms used within the context of the legislation.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 30-14-133
HB0781_1(1): 30-14-133
HB0781_1(2): 30-14-133
HB0781_1(3): 30-14-133
HB0781_1: 30-14-133