Req. No. 3234 Page 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 STATE OF OKLAHOMA 2nd Session of the 58th Legislature (2022) SENATE BILL 1791 By: Dahm AS INTRODUCED An Act relating to the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Code; amending 29 O.S. 20 21, Section 5-202, which relates to recreational activity u pon the land of another; assigning a duty for a game warden to inform a person only when requested to do so; prohibiting game warden from entering a private property und er certain circumstances unless reque sted; stating that suspicion of possession of a fi rearm or discharge of a weapon shall not itself constitute sufficient probable cause to authorize entry to private property; and providing an effective date . BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 29 O.S. 20 21, Section 5-202, is amended to read as follows: Section 5-202. A. Except as otherwise pro vided, no person may hunt or take by any means or method upon t he land of another with out the consent of the owner, lessee , or occupant of such land. B. For purposes of this section, consent shall be presumed to be valid for not more than one (1) year, unl ess the owner, lessee, or occupant specifically grants consent for a specified period of time. Req. No. 3234 Page 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 C. Excluding land primarily devoted to farming, ranching, or forestry purposes as set forth in Section 1835.2 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes, areas exempt from the provisions of subsection A of this section are lands belonging to this stat e which are not leased and occupied by a resident, excluding school land. D. Any game warden investigating a hunter in the field has the does not have a duty, unless the landowner, lessee, or occupant has requested a game warden to do so, to inform the hunter that it is necessary to obtain the consent of the landowner, lessee , or occupant to hunt or take on the particular property. Prosecution for violations of the provisio ns of this section may be commenced only upon written complain t of such owner, less ee, or occupant filed before any court auth orized to punish such violation, or upon written complaint to any game warden or officer authorized to make arrest for such offense s. E. Unless otherwise requested by a property owner, lessee , or tenant, a game warden shall not be authorized to enter private property on the suspicion of the possible possession or di scharge of a firearm or bow. F. Suspicion of the possible possession or discharge o f a firearm or bow shall not itself constitute sufficient probable cause for authorizing a game warden to enter private property. Req. No. 3234 Page 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 G. No person shall operate a motor -driven conveyance on lands that are fenced and posted or are in cultivation without permission of the landowner, lesse e, or occupant. F. H. The consent of any owner, lessee, or occupant of land authorizing a person to hunt, take, fish or engage in any recreational activity upon the land of any such owner, lessee , or occupant shall not be construed to create any additional d uty of care or impose any additional liability other than specified by Sections 16-71.2 and 16-71.3 of Title 2 of the Oklahoma Statutes. G. I. The obtaining of consent from any owner, lessee , or occupant of land authorizing a person to hunt, take, fish or engage in any recreational activity shall not relieve the authorized person using the land from any obligation which the person may have in the absence of obtaining such consent to exercise care in the use of such land and in activities thereon, or from th e legal consequences of failure to employ such care. H. J. 1. It shall be an affirm ative defense to prosecution under subsection A of this section that the accused had express or implied permission or legal authority to be on the property. 2. If an accused reasonably believed he or she was upon property for which they had permission to be upon, it shall be an affirmative defense to prosecution under subsection A of this section that the accused had with him or her, on his or her person, written permission from the surface owner, surface lessee, hunting Req. No. 3234 Page 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 lessee, or lawful occupant to be up on such person’s land while the accused was upon any adjoining property. This defense shall not be available to the accused if: a. the accused has previously pled guilty, nolo contendere, or has been convicted of any act of trespass or has been found civi lly liable of any act of trespass, or b. the accused, while the accused was upon the adjoining property, does not have with him or her, on his or her person, the written p ermission specified in this paragraph. I. K. Any person convicted for the first time of violating any provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and punished by the imposition of a fine of not less than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) nor more than One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($1,500.00), or by imprisonment in the co unty jail for thirty (30) days, or by both fine and imprisonment. J. L. Any person convicted for the second or subsequent time of violating any provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and punished by the imposition of a fine of not less than One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($1,500.00) nor more than Two Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($2,500.00), or by imprisonment in the county jail for not less than s ix (6) months, or by both fine and imprisonment. Req. No. 3234 Page 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2022. 58-2-3234 MR 1/20/2022 7:19:15 PM