HB 277 Montana House · 2025 Regular Session

Require a minimum lease term for mobile home lot rentals

HB 277 would have required a minimum 3-year lease term for mobile home lot rentals in Montana, affecting mobile home park landlords and tenants. This default 3-year term could be waived by a tenant through a documented, informed request for a shorter term. The bill also mandated that landlords provide at least 180 days' written notice before terminating a lease. It further outlined monetary damages for parties who terminate a rental agreement without cause before its expiration.

Issues: ✓ Housing

Bill status died 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Jan 2025

House Passage

Feb 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 21, 2025 Last action May 20, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

LC3177.pdf → HB0277_1.pdf · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill changes the minimum lease term for mobile home park rentals from 3 years to 2 years, while also modifying termination notice requirements and holdover remedies. The change reduces the commitment period for tenants while maintaining protections against arbitrary termination. The bill also updates the statutory language to clarify rent payment terms and damages for holdover situations.

Scope change

The bill applies to all mobile home park rental agreements in Montana and modifies existing statutory requirements under MCA sections 70-33-201 and 70-33-429.

REQUIREMENT

Reduced minimum lease term requirement from 3 years to 2 years for mobile home park rentals

Changed termination notice requirement from 180 days to align with standard lease termination procedures

Revised rent payment terms to clarify periodic rent payment schedules and electronic transfer options

ENFORCEMENT

Updated holdover remedy provisions to specify damages amounts for different lease term lengths

Floor votes · House Feb 3, 2025

How they voted

20–0

Passed

Total votes 20

Feb 3, 2025

D Democratic8

8 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican12

12 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Feb 3, 2025

House · Passed

House Vote: pass (20-0)

house

Feb 3, 2025

Amended

(H) Tabled in Committee - (H) Judiciary

lower

Jan 22, 2025

Committee

(H) Referred to Committee - (H) Judiciary

lower

Jan 21, 2025

Introduced

(H) Introduced

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors