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HB342 • 2025

Revise civil liability laws to provide a statutory duty of care for certain actions

Revise civil liability laws to provide a statutory duty of care for certain actions

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Bill Mercer
Last action
2025-05-05
Official status
Chapter Number Assigned
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Revise civil liability laws to provide a statutory duty of care for certain actions

Revise civil liability laws to provide a statutory duty of care for certain actions

What This Bill Does

  • Revise civil liability laws to provide a statutory duty of care for certain actions

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2025-05-05 HOUSE

    Chapter Number Assigned

  2. 2025-05-01 HOUSE

    (H) Signed by Governor

  3. 2025-04-22 SENATE

    (S) Signed by President

  4. 2025-04-22 HOUSE

    (H) Transmitted to Governor

  5. 2025-04-18 HOUSE

    (H) Signed by Speaker

  6. 2025-04-11 HOUSE

    (H) Returned from Enrolling

  7. 2025-04-09 SENATE

    (S) Scheduled for 3rd Reading

  8. 2025-04-09 SENATE

    (S) 3rd Reading Concurred

  9. 2025-04-09 HOUSE

    (H) Sent to Enrolling

  10. 2025-04-08 SENATE

    (S) Scheduled for 2nd Reading

  11. 2025-04-08 SENATE

    (S) 2nd Reading Concurred

  12. 2025-03-26 SENATE

    (S) Committee Executive Action--Bill Concurred

  13. 2025-03-26 SENATE

    (S) Committee Report--Bill Concurred

  14. 2025-03-15 SENATE

    (S) Hearing

  15. 2025-03-07 SENATE

    (S) Hearing

  16. 2025-03-02 SENATE

    (S) Hearing Canceled

  17. 2025-02-27 SENATE

    (S) Hearing

  18. 2025-02-14 HOUSE

    (H) Transmitted to Senate

  19. 2025-02-14 SENATE

    (S) Referred to Committee

  20. 2025-02-13 HOUSE

    (H) Scheduled for 3rd Reading

  21. 2025-02-13 HOUSE

    (H) 3rd Reading Passed

  22. 2025-02-12 HOUSE

    (H) Scheduled for 2nd Reading

  23. 2025-02-12 HOUSE

    (H) 2nd Reading Passed

  24. 2025-02-06 HOUSE

    (H) Committee Executive Action--Bill Passed

  25. 2025-02-06 HOUSE

    (H) Committee Executive Action--Bill Passed

  26. 2025-02-06 HOUSE

    (H) Committee Report--Bill Passed

  27. 2025-02-04 HOUSE

    (H) Hearing

  28. 2025-01-30 HOUSE

    (H) Referred to Committee

  29. 2025-01-30 HOUSE

    (H) First Reading

  30. 2025-01-29 HOUSE

    (LC) Draft Delivered to Requester

  31. 2025-01-29 HOUSE

    (H) Introduced

  32. 2025-01-28 HOUSE

    (LC) Draft Ready for Delivery

  33. 2025-01-27 HOUSE

    (LC) Draft in Final Drafter Review

  34. 2025-01-27 HOUSE

    (LC) Draft in Assembly

  35. 2025-01-24 HOUSE

    (LC) Draft in Legal Review

  36. 2025-01-24 HOUSE

    (LC) Draft in Edit

  37. 2025-01-24 HOUSE

    (LC) Draft in Input/Proofing

  38. 2025-01-20 HOUSE

    (LC) Drafter Assigned

  39. 2025-01-16 HOUSE

    (LC) Draft in Assembly

  40. 2025-01-16 HOUSE

    (LC) Draft Ready for Delivery

  41. 2025-01-15 HOUSE

    (LC) Draft in Final Drafter Review

  42. 2025-01-14 HOUSE

    (LC) Draft in Input/Proofing

  43. 2025-01-11 HOUSE

    (LC) Draft in Edit

  44. 2025-01-09 HOUSE

    (LC) Draft in Legal Review

  45. 2024-09-09 HOUSE

    (LC) Drafter Assigned

Official Summary Text

Revise civil liability laws to provide a statutory duty of care for certain actions

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
****
69th Legislature 2025 HB 342
- 1 - Authorized Print Version – HB 342
ENROLLED BILL
AN ACT REVISING LAWS RELATING TO MEDICAL MALPRACTICE AND HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS
RELATING TO THE DUTY OF CARE; PROVIDING THAT A SPECIFIC RISK DOES NOT CHANGE OR
HEIGHTEN THE DUTY BEYOND THE REASONABLE STANDARD OF CARE; AND PROVIDING AN
IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE AND AN APPLICABILITY DATE.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:
Section 1. Medical malpractice -- duty of care -- foreseeability of risks. In medical malpractice
actions, the foreseeability of risks or of a specific risk does not change or heighten the duty owed beyond the
reasonable standard of care applicable to the medical provider.
Section 2. Codification instruction. [Section 1] is intended to be codified as an integral part of Title
27, chapter 1, part 7, and the provisions of Title 27, chapter 1, part 7, apply to [section 1].
Section 3. Effective date. [This act] is effective on passage and approval.
Section 4. Applicability. [This act] applies to medical malpractice actions filed on or after [the
effective date of this act] and is intended to clarify any court ruling to the contrary.
- END -
I hereby certify that the within bill,
HB 342, originated in the House.
___________________________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
___________________________________________
Speaker of the House
Signed this _______________________________day
of____________________________________, 2025.
___________________________________________
President of the Senate
Signed this _______________________________day
of____________________________________, 2025.
HOUSE BILL NO. 342
INTRODUCED BY B. MERCER, E. BUTTREY, S. FITZPATRICK
AN ACT REVISING LAWS RELATING TO MEDICAL MALPRACTICE AND HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS
RELATING TO THE DUTY OF CARE; PROVIDING THAT A SPECIFIC RISK DOES NOT CHANGE OR
HEIGHTEN THE DUTY BEYOND THE REASONABLE STANDARD OF CARE; AND PROVIDING AN
IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE AND AN APPLICABILITY DATE.