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Montana bill would let owners ask police to remove unauthorized occupants after verified complaint
Summary
Sponsors presented HB 501 to allow property owners to submit verified complaints to law enforcement seeking removal of unauthorized occupants; opponents said the bill risks criminalizing civil trespass and could add burdensome processes while existing remedies are under-enforced.
Representative (sponsor) opened the hearing on House Bill 501, describing it as "an act revising laws related to unauthorized occupancy of residential dwellings" that would provide a limited remedy allowing owners to submit a complaint to local law enforcement and require certain documentation before removal. The sponsor said the draft borrows language from other states and seeks to protect both owners and occupants by requiring identity verification and providing a civil cause of action for wrongful removal.
Sharon Lodge, testifying online in opposition, said the bill "is a bad bill" that risks turning property owners into the "bad guy" and duplicates existing civil…
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