# Montana HB 490: Revise civil liability laws Montana HB 490, Revise civil liability laws, is a 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) House bill sponsored by Amy Regier (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-05-19 (Chapter Number Assigned) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB490-2025 - As of: 2026-10-19 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Montana HB 490 - State: Montana - Session: 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) - Title: Revise civil liability laws - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-02-13 - Last action: 2025-05-19, Chapter Number Assigned - Sponsor: Amy Regier (Republican) - Cosponsors: 1 - Subjects: Liability, Rule Making - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 8 (553 yes, 90 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 3 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Utilities must file wildfire plans by 2025: benefit, medium. Utilities that run power lines in Montana must write a wildfire plan, submit it, and start it by December 31, 2025. They must update the plan at least every three years. Plans must map high‑risk areas and explain inspections, maintenance, vegetation control, upgrades, planned shutoffs, service rest… - Public review and oversight of utility plans: benefit, low. Reviewers must open up to 45 days for public comments and hold a public meeting on each plan. Within 60 days after comments close, they must approve the plan or list required changes; plans must include all required parts, serve the public interest, and balance extra costs with wildfire risk. State… - Tighter wildfire lawsuit rules for utilities: cost, high. The law sets one way to sue an electric utility for wildfire harm and bars strict liability and other theories. You must prove the utility failed to act like a reasonable similar utility and that this caused your loss. After a utility starts using an approved plan at the ignition site, courts presu… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Amy Regier (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Steve Fitzpatrick (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-04-17 | House | Do Concur | pass | 99 | 0 | | | 2025-04-16 | House | Do Concur | pass | 100 | 0 | | | 2025-04-11 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 40 | 8 | | | 2025-04-10 | Senate | AMD-HB0490.004.001 Olsen D/PASS | fail | 17 | 33 | | | 2025-04-10 | Senate | Do Concur | pass | 44 | 6 | | | 2025-03-05 | House | Do Pass | pass | 97 | 1 | | | 2025-03-04 | House | Do Pass As Amended | pass | 98 | 1 | | | 2025-03-04 | House | HB0490.002.003 - Mercer | pass | 58 | 41 | | ## Actions (36) - 2025-05-19: Chapter Number Assigned (House) - 2025-05-13: Signed by Governor (House) - 2025-05-07: Transmitted to Governor (House) - 2025-05-07: Signed by President (Senate) - 2025-05-06: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2025-04-23: Returned from Enrolling (House) - 2025-04-18: Sent to Enrolling (House) - 2025-04-17: 3rd Reading Senate Amendments (House) - 2025-04-16: 2nd Reading Senate Amendments (House) - 2025-04-11: Returned to House with Amendments (Senate) - 2025-04-11: 3rd Reading (Senate) - 2025-04-10: 2nd Reading (Senate) - 2025-04-10: 2nd Reading Motion to Amend (Senate) - 2025-04-08: Committee Report (Senate) - 2025-04-07: Committee Executive Action (Senate) - 2025-03-18: Hearing (Senate) - 2025-03-18: Revised Fiscal Note Printed (House) - 2025-03-17: Revised Fiscal Note Signed (House) - 2025-03-17: Revised Fiscal Note Received (House) - 2025-03-06: Referred to Committee (Senate) - 2025-03-05: Transmitted to Senate (House) - 2025-03-05: 3rd Reading (House) - 2025-03-04: 2nd Reading (House) - 2025-03-04: 2nd Reading Motion to Amend (House) - 2025-03-03: 2nd Reading Pass Consideration (House) - 2025-03-03: Revised Fiscal Note Requested (House) - 2025-03-01: Committee Report (House) - 2025-03-01: Committee Executive Action (House) - 2025-02-21: Fiscal Note Printed (House) - 2025-02-20: Fiscal Note Signed (House) - 2025-02-20: Fiscal Note Received (House) - 2025-02-14: Hearing (House) - 2025-02-13: 1st Reading (House) - 2025-02-13: Referred to Committee (House) - 2025-02-13: Fiscal Note Requested (House) - 2025-02-13: Introduced (House) ## Bill text - Enrolled, 2025-04-22: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=45946116-b8b3-486c-a6dd-75e39e43bbf7) - As Amended (Version 4), 2025-04-08: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=bfec76b2-9667-4166-a703-fbcad8b7cad8) - As Amended (Version 3), 2025-03-04: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=e4b0edba-02fc-4a14-840e-0428f26b1e9f) - As Amended (Version 2), 2025-03-03: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=3ff6eb2e-a365-4860-ac56-7af5b8cfaf6f) - Introduced, 2025-02-13: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=557ce1d2-ac5f-40ad-9532-b720b1f4714b) ## Related bills - SB 437: Revise definition of sex in Montana law (signed) - HB 831: Increase elderly homeowner and renter income tax credit (vetoed) - HB 628: Revise early literacy targeted intervention laws (vetoed) - SB 410: Provide for Montana genomic security act (vetoed) - SB 424: Revising the disabled veteran property tax assistance program (vetoed) - SB 422: Generally revise laws relating to insurance coverage relating to cancer (vetoed) ## Sources - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=45946116-b8b3-486c-a6dd-75e39e43bbf7) - [As Amended (Version 4) (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=bfec76b2-9667-4166-a703-fbcad8b7cad8) - [As Amended (Version 3) (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=e4b0edba-02fc-4a14-840e-0428f26b1e9f) - [As Amended (Version 2) (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=3ff6eb2e-a365-4860-ac56-7af5b8cfaf6f) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=557ce1d2-ac5f-40ad-9532-b720b1f4714b) ## Related - [SB 437: Revise definition of sex in Montana law](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB437-2025) - [HB 831: Increase elderly homeowner and renter income tax credit](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB831-2025) - [HB 628: Revise early literacy targeted intervention laws](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB628-2025) - [SB 410: Provide for Montana genomic security act](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB410-2025) - [SB 424: Revising the disabled veteran property tax assistance program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB424-2025) - [SB 422: Generally revise laws relating to insurance coverage relating to cancer](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB422-2025) - [Montana bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/montana/bills) - [Montana state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/montana) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB490-2025 (as of 2026-10-19).