The bill aims to enhance consumer protection laws by explicitly including false, misleading, or deceptive consumer reviews and testimonials as unfair methods of competition and deceptive practices, aligning with federal law. It revises the statutes of limitations for filing actions related to these unfair practices, establishing a five-year period for the Department of Justice to initiate actions upon discovering such unlawful methods. Additionally, it clarifies the timeframe for individuals to bring their actions, ensuring that consumers have a clear understanding of their rights and the legal processes available to them.
Key amendments include changes to several sections of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA). For instance, Section 30-14-104 now mandates that federal interpretations must be considered in determining unfair competition, while Section 30-14-111 allows the Department of Justice to act within five years of discovering unlawful practices. Section 30-14-133 specifies that consumers can bring individual actions within the timeframe outlined in another statute, and Section 30-14-159 limits enforcement of certain provisions to individuals claiming damages. The bill is set to take effect immediately upon passage and approval.
Statutes affected: LC Text: 30-14-104, 30-14-111, 30-14-133, 30-14-159
SB0488_1(1): 30-14-104, 30-14-111, 30-14-133, 30-14-159
SB0488_1(2): 30-14-104, 30-14-111, 30-14-133, 30-14-159
SB0488_1(3): 30-14-104, 30-14-111, 30-14-133, 30-14-159
SB0488_1(4): 30-14-104, 30-14-111, 30-14-133, 30-14-159
SB0488_1(5): 30-14-104, 30-14-111, 30-14-133, 30-14-159
SB0488_1(6): 30-14-104, 30-14-111, 30-14-133, 30-14-159
SB0488_1: 30-14-104, 30-14-111, 30-14-133, 30-14-159
SB0488_X(1): 30-14-104, 30-14-111, 30-14-133, 30-14-159
SB0488_X(2): 30-14-104, 30-14-111, 30-14-133, 30-14-159
SB0488_X(3): 30-14-104, 30-14-111, 30-14-133, 30-14-159
SB0488_X(4): 30-14-104, 30-14-111, 30-14-133, 30-14-159
SB0488_X(5): 30-14-104, 30-14-111, 30-14-133, 30-14-159
SB0488_X: 30-14-104, 30-14-111, 30-14-133, 30-14-159