House Bill 715 revises Montana's laws regarding injunctions to align with federal standards, particularly for mandatory preliminary injunctions. The bill establishes that such injunctions can only be granted if the applicant demonstrates that the law and facts favor their position, that serious harm will occur without the injunction, that the balance of equities favors the applicant, and that the injunction serves the public interest. It explicitly prohibits the use of a sliding scale test or serious questions test, ensuring that courts evaluate each criterion independently. Additionally, the bill reorganizes existing statutory language for clarity and updates the definition of prohibitory injunctions to reflect current legal standards.

The bill also amends specific sections of the Montana Code Annotated, clarifying the criteria for granting prohibitory preliminary injunctions and emphasizing the need for the applicant to likely succeed on the merits and demonstrate potential irreparable harm. It introduces requirements for parties seeking an injunction to file an affidavit detailing their financial status if they object to the amount of the written undertaking. Furthermore, it allows individuals or entities seeking permits or licenses to intervene in lawsuits against state agency decisions and specifies that attorney fees cannot be awarded to the prevailing party in noncompliance actions. The provisions of the bill will apply to causes of action initiated on or after October 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 27-19-201, 75-1-201
HB0715_1(1): 27-19-201, 75-1-201
HB0715_1(2): 27-19-201, 75-1-201
HB0715_1(3): 27-19-201, 75-1-201
HB0715_1(4): 27-19-201, 75-1-201
HB0715_1(5): 27-19-201, 75-1-201
HB0715_1(6): 27-19-201, 75-1-201
HB0715_1(7): 27-19-201, 75-1-201
HB0715_1(8): 27-19-201, 75-1-201
HB0715_1: 27-19-201, 75-1-201
HB0715_2(1): 27-19-201, 75-1-201
HB0715_2(2): 27-19-201, 75-1-201
HB0715_2(3): 27-19-201, 75-1-201
HB0715_2(4): 27-19-201, 75-1-201
HB0715_2(5): 27-19-201, 75-1-201
HB0715_2(6): 27-19-201, 75-1-201
HB0715_2(7): 27-19-201, 75-1-201
HB0715_2(8): 27-19-201, 75-1-201
HB0715_2(9): 27-19-201, 75-1-201
HB0715_2: 27-19-201, 75-1-201
HB0715_X(1): 27-19-201, 75-1-201
HB0715_X(2): 27-19-201, 75-1-201
HB0715_X(3): 27-19-201, 75-1-201
HB0715_X(4): 27-19-201, 75-1-201
HB0715_X(5): 27-19-201, 75-1-201
HB0715_X: 27-19-201, 75-1-201