HB 135 Montana House · 2025 Regular Session

Create statutes of repose for claims against real estate appraisers

HB 135 establishes specific time limits for bringing legal claims against real estate appraisers, real estate appraisal firms, and appraisal management companies. For most claims seeking damages or other relief related to an appraisal or appraisal review, a lawsuit must be started within 5 years of the appraisal's completion. However, claims specifically for breach of contract have a longer limit, allowing them to be filed up to 8 years after the appraisal or review was finished. The bill also defines the types of entities and activities covered by these new timeframes.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Mar 2025
House Passage
Apr 2025
Senate Passage
Apr 2025
Signed into Law
Apr 2025
Introduced Jan 8, 2025 Signed Apr 18, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 9 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB0135_2(11).pdf HB0135_X.pdf · 1 edit
MINOR
The bill was updated from a draft version to an enrolled, final version ready for signing into law. The substantive legal text regarding the 5-year and 8-year statutes of repose for claims against real estate appraisers remains unchanged, but the document now includes official certification signatures and formatting consistent with a finalized legislative act.
TECHNICAL

The document format changed from a draft bill to an enrolled bill, adding certification signatures for the Chief Clerk, Speaker of the House, and President of the Senate to indicate it is the final version approved by the legislature.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 27, 2025 · House Jan 27, 2025

How they voted

446
Passed
Total votes 50
Mar 27, 2025
D Democratic18
12 Yea 6 Nay
66% Yea
R Republican32
32 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
39
Key actions
9
Committee
6
Apr 17, 2025
Signed into law
(H) Signed by Governor
lower
Apr 9, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Signed by President
upper
Apr 7, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Signed by Speaker
lower
Mar 27, 2025
Senate · Passed
Senate Vote: pass (44-6)
senate
Mar 21, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Committee Report - (S) Judiciary
upper
Mar 20, 2025
Upper · Passed
(S) Committee Executive Action - (S) Judiciary
upper
Feb 18, 2025
Committee
(S) Referred to Committee - (S) Judiciary
upper
Jan 27, 2025
House · Passed
House Vote: pass (97-1-2)
house
Jan 21, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Committee Report - (H) Business and Labor
lower
Jan 21, 2025
Lower · Passed
(H) Committee Executive Action - (H) Business and Labor
lower
Jan 8, 2025
Committee
(H) Referred to Committee - (H) Business and Labor
lower
Jan 8, 2025
Introduced
(H) Introduced
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Steve Fitzpatrick
Steve Fitzpatrick
RRepublican
MT
24