Oklahoma 2022 Regular Session

Oklahoma Senate Bill SB28 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

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3	28
4		-	An Act
5		-	ENROLLED SENATE
	29	+	HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES - FLOOR VERSION
	30	+
	31	+	STATE OF OKLAHOMA
	32	+
	33	+	1st Session of the 58th Legislature (2021)
	34	+
	35	+	ENGROSSED SENATE
6	36		BILL NO. 28 By: Bergstrom of the Senate
7	37
8	38		and
9	39
10	40		West (Josh) of the House
11	41
12	42
13	43
14	44
15	45		An Act relating to The Governmental Tort Claims Act;
16	46		amending 51 O.S. 2011, Section 152, as last amended
17	47		by Section 1, Chapter 233, O.S.L. 2018 (51 O.S. Supp.
18	48		2020, Section 152), which relates to definitions;
19	49		modifying definition; conforming language; updating
20	50		statutory reference; and providing an effective d ate.
21	51
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25		-	SUBJECT: Governmental Tort Claims Act
26		-
27	55		BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
28		-
29	56		SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 51 O.S. 2011, Section 152, as last
30	57		amended by Section 1, Chapter 233, O.S.L. 2018 (51 O.S. Supp. 2020,
31	58		Section 152), is amended to read as follow s:
32		-
33	59		Section 152. As used in The Governmental Tort Claims Act:
34		-
35	60		1. “Action” means a proceeding in a court of competent
36	61		jurisdiction by which one party brings a suit against another;
37		-
38	62		2. “Agency” means any board, commission, committee, department
39	63		or other instrumentality or entity designated to act in behalf of
40	64		the state or a political subdivision;
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41	91
42	92		3. “Charitable health care provider ” means a person who is
43	93		licensed, certified, or otherwise authorized by the laws of this
44	94		state to administer health care in the ordinary course of business
45	95		or the practice of a profession and who provides care to a medically
46		-
47		-	ENR. S. B. NO. 28 Page 2
48	96		indigent person, as defined in paragraph 9 of this section, with no
49	97		expectation of or acceptance of compensation of any kind;
50		-
51	98		4. “Claim” means any written de mand presented by a claimant or
52	99		the claimant’s authorized representative in accordance with this act
53	100		The Governmental Tort Claims Act to recover money from the state or
54	101		political subdivision as compensation for an act or omission of a
55	102		political subdivision or the state or an employee;
56		-
57	103		5. “Claimant” means the person or the person ’s authorized
58	104		representative who files notice of a claim in accordance with The
59	105		Governmental Tort Claims Act. Only the following persons and no
60	106		others may be claimants:
61		-
62	107		a. any person holding an interest in real or personal
63	108		property which suffers a loss, provided that the claim
64	109		of the person shall be aggregated with claims of all
65	110		other persons holding an interest in the property and
66	111		the claims of all other persons which are derivativ e
67	112		of the loss, and that multiple claimants shall be
68	113		considered a single claimant,
69		-
70	114		b. the individual actually involved in the accident or
71	115		occurrence who suffers a loss, provided that the
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72	143		individual shall aggregate in the claim the losses of
73	144		all other persons which are derivative of the loss, or
74		-
75	145		c. in the case of death, an administrator, special
76	146		administrator or a personal representative who shall
77	147		aggregate in the claim all losses of all persons which
78	148		are derivative of the death;
79		-
80	149		6. “Community health care pr ovider” means:
81		-
82	150		a. a health care provider who volunteers services at a
83	151		community health center that has been deemed by the
84	152		U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as a
85	153		federally qualified health center as defined by 42
86	154		U.S.C., Section 1396d(l)(2)(B),
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90	155		b. a health provider who provides services to an
91	156		organization that has been deemed a federally
92	157		qualified look-alike community health center, and
93		-
94	158		c. a health care provider who provides services to a
95	159		community health center that has made application to
96	160		the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for
97	161		approval and deeming as a federally qualified look -
98	162		alike community health center in compliance with
99	163		federal application guidance, and has received
100	164		comments from the U.S. Department of Health and Human
101	165		Services as to the status of such application with the
102	166		established intent of resubmitting a modified
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103	194		application, or, if denied, a new application, no
104	195		later than six (6) months from the date of the
105	196		official notification from the U.S. Department of
106	197		Health and Human Services requiring resubmission of a
107	198		new application;
108		-
109	199		7. “Employee” means any person who is authorized to act in
110	200		behalf of a political subdivision or the state whether that person
111	201		is acting on a permanent or temporary basis, with or without being
112	202		compensated or on a full-time or part-time basis.
113		-
114	203		a. Employee also includes:
115		-
116	204		(1) all elected or appointed officers, members of
117	205		governing bodies and other persons designated to
118	206		act for an agency or political subdivision, but
119	207		the term does not mean a person or othe r legal
120	208		entity while acting in the capacity of an
121	209		independent contractor or an employee of an
122	210		independent contractor,
123		-
124	211		(2) from September 1, 1991, through June 30, 1996,
125	212		licensed physicians, licensed osteopathic
126	213		physicians and certified nurse -midwives providing
127	214		prenatal, delivery or infant care services to
128	215		State Department of Health clients pursuant to a
129	216		contract entered into with the State Department
130	217		of Health in accordance with paragraph 3 of
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131	245		subsection B of Section 1 -106 of Title 63 of the
132		-
133		-	ENR. S. B. NO. 28 Page 4
134	246		Oklahoma Statutes but only insofar as services
135	247		authorized by and in conformity with the terms of
136	248		the contract and the requirements of Section 1 -
137	249		233 of Title 63 of the Oklahoma Statutes, and
138		-
139	250		(3) any volunteer, full-time or part-time firefighter
140	251		when performing duties for a fire department
141	252		provided for in subparagraph j of paragraph 11 of
142	253		this section.
143		-
144	254		b. For the purpose of The Governmental Tort Claims Act,
145	255		the following are employees of this state, regardless
146	256		of the place in this state where duties as employees
147	257		are performed:
148		-
149	258		(1) physicians acting in an administrative capacity,
150		-
151	259		(2) resident physicians and resident interns
152	260		participating in a graduate medical education
153	261		program of the University of Oklahoma Health
154	262		Sciences Center, the College of Osteopathic
155	263		Medicine of Oklahoma State University, or the
156	264		Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse
157	265		Services,
158		-
159	266		(3) faculty members and staff of the University of
160	267		Oklahoma Health Sciences Center and the College
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161	295		of Osteopathic Medicine of Oklahoma State
162	296		University, while engaged in t eaching duties,
163		-
164	297		(4) physicians who practice medicine or act in an
165	298		administrative capacity as an employee of an
166	299		agency of the State of Oklahoma,
167		-
168	300		(5) physicians who provide medical care to inmates
169	301		pursuant to a contract with the Department of
170	302		Corrections,
171		-
172	303		(6) any person who is licensed to practice medicine
173	304		pursuant to Title 59 of the Oklahoma Statutes,
174	305		who is under an administrative professional
175	306		services contract with the Oklahoma Health Care
176		-
177		-	ENR. S. B. NO. 28 Page 5
178	307		Authority under the auspices of the Oklahoma
179	308		Health Care Authority Chief Medical Officer, and
180	309		who is limited to performing administrative
181	310		duties such as professional guidance for medical
182	311		reviews, reimbursement rates, service
183	312		utilization, health care delivery and benefit
184	313		design for the Oklahoma Health Care Authority,
185	314		only while acting within the scope of such
186	315		contract,
187		-
188	316		(7) licensed medical professionals under contract
189	317		with city, county, or state entities who provide
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190	345		medical care to inmates or detainees in the
191	346		custody or control of law enforcement agencies,
192		-
193	347		(8) licensed mental health professionals as defined
194	348		in Sections 1-103 and 5-502 of Title 43A of the
195	349		Oklahoma Statutes, who are conducting initial
196	350		examinations of individuals for the purpose of
197	351		determining whether an individual meets the
198	352		criteria for emergency detention as part of a
199	353		contract with the Department of Mental Health and
200	354		Substance Abuse Services, and
201		-
202	355		(9) licensed mental health professionals as defined
203	356		in Sections 1-103 and 5-502 of Title 43A of the
204	357		Oklahoma Statutes, who are providing mental
205	358		health or substance ab use treatment services
206	359		under a professional services contract with the
207	360		Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse
208	361		Services and are providing such treatment
209	362		services at a state-operated facility.
210		-
211	363		Physician faculty members and staff of the University
212	364		of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center and the College of
213	365		Osteopathic Medicine of Oklahoma State University not
214	366		acting in an administrative capacity or engaged in
215	367		teaching duties are not employees or agents of the
216	368		state.
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218	396		c. Except as provided in subparagraph b o f this
219	397		paragraph, in no event shall the state be held liable
220		-
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222	398		for the tortious conduct of any physician, resident
223	399		physician or intern while practicing medicine or
224	400		providing medical treatment to patients;
225		-
226	401		8. “Loss” means death or injury to the body or right s of a
227	402		person or damage to real or personal property or rights therein;
228		-
229	403		9. “Medically indigent” means a person requiring medically
230	404		necessary hospital or other health care services for the person or
231	405		the dependents of the person who has no public or private third-
232	406		party coverage, and whose personal resources are insufficient to
233	407		provide for needed health care;
234		-
235	408		10. “Municipality” means any incorporated city or town, and all
236	409		institutions, agencies or instrumentalities of a municipality;
237		-
238	410		11. “Political subdivision” means:
239		-
240	411		a. a municipality,
241		-
242	412		b. a school district, including, but not limited to, a
243	413		technology center school district established pursuant
244	414		to Section 4410, 4411, 4420 or 4420.1 of Title 70 of
245	415		the Oklahoma Statutes,
246		-
247	416		c. a county,
248		-
249	417		d. a public trust where th e sole beneficiary or
250	418		beneficiaries are a city, town, school district or
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251	446		county. For purposes of The Governmental Tort Claims
252	447		Act, a public trust shall include:
253		-
254	448		(1) a municipal hospital created pursuant to Sections
255	449		30-101 through 30-109 of Title 11 of the Oklahoma
256	450		Statutes, a county hospital created pursuant to
257	451		Sections 781 through 796 of Title 19 of the
258	452		Oklahoma Statutes, or is created pursuant to a
259	453		joint agreement between such governing
260	454		authorities, that is operated for the public
261	455		benefit by a public tru st created pursuant to
262	456		Sections 176 through 180.4 of Title 60 of the
263	457		Oklahoma Statutes and managed by a governing
264		-
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266	458		board appointed or elected by the municipality,
267	459		county, or both, who exercises control of the
268	460		hospital, subject to the approval of the
269	461		governing body of the municipality, county, or
270	462		both,
271		-
272	463		(2) a public trust created pursuant to Sections 176
273	464		through 180.4 of Title 60 of the Oklahoma
274	465		Statutes after January 1, 2009, the primary
275	466		purpose of which is to own, manage, or operate a
276	467		public acute care hospi tal in this state that
277	468		serves as a teaching hospital for a medical
278	469		residency program provided by a college of
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279	497		osteopathic medicine and provides care to
280	498		indigent persons, and
281		-
282	499		(3) a corporation in which all of the capital stock
283	500		is owned, or a limited liabili ty company in which
284	501		all of the member interest is owned, by a public
285	502		trust,
286		-
287	503		e. for the purposes of The Governmental Tort Claims Act
288	504		only, a housing authority created pursuant to the
289	505		provisions of the Oklahoma Housing Authority Act,
290		-
291	506		f. for the purposes of T he Governmental Tort Claims Act
292	507		only, corporations organized not for profit pursuant
293	508		to the provisions of the Oklahoma General Corporation
294	509		Act for the primary purpose of developing and
295	510		providing rural water supply and sewage disposal
296	511		facilities to serve ru ral residents,
297		-
298	512		g. for the purposes of The Governmental Tort Claims Act
299	513		only, districts formed pursuant to the Rural Water,
300	514		Sewer, Gas and Solid Waste Management Districts Act,
301		-
302	515		h. for the purposes of The Governmental Tort Claims Act
303	516		only, master conservancy districts formed pursuant to
304	517		the Conservancy Act of Oklahoma,
305		-
306	518		i. for the purposes of The Governmental Tort Claims Act
307	519		only, a fire protection district created pursuant to
308	520
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310	547		the provisions of Section 901.1 et seq. of Title 19 of
311	548		the Oklahoma Statutes,
312		-
313	549		j. for the purposes of The Governmental Tort Claims Act
314	550		only, a benevolent or charitable corporate volunteer
315	551		or full-time fire department for an unincorporated
316	552		area created pursuant to the provisions of Section 592
317	553		et seq. of Title 18 of the Oklahoma Statutes,
318		-
319	554		k. for purposes of The Governmental Tort Claims Act only,
320	555		an Emergency Services Provider rendering services
321	556		within the boundaries of a Supplemental Emergency
322	557		Services District pursuant to an existing contract
323	558		between the Emergency Services Provider and the State
324	559		Department of Health. Provided, however, that the
325	560		acquisition of commercial liability insurance covering
326	561		the activities of such Emergency Services Provider
327	562		performed within the State of Oklahoma shall not
328	563		operate as a waiver of any of the limitation s,
329	564		immunities or defenses provided for political
330	565		subdivisions pursuant to the terms of The Governmental
331	566		Tort Claims Act,
332		-
333	567		l. for purposes of The Governmental Tort Claims Act only,
334	568		a conservation district created pursuant to the
335	569		provisions of the Conservatio n District Act,
336	570
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337	597		m. for purposes of The Governmental Tort Claims Act only,
338	598		districts formed pursuant to the Oklahoma Irrigation
339	599		District Act,
340		-
341	600		n. for purposes of The Governmental Tort Claims Act only,
342	601		any community action agency established pursuant to
343	602		Sections 5035 through 5040 of Title 74 of the Oklahoma
344	603		Statutes,
345		-
346	604		o. for purposes of The Governmental Tort Claims Act only,
347	605		any organization that is designated as a youth
348	606		services agency, pursuant to Section 2 -7-306 of Title
349	607		10A of the Oklahoma Statutes,
350		-
351		-
352		-	ENR. S. B. NO. 28 Page 9
353	608		p. for purposes of The Governmental Tort Claims Act only,
354	609		any judge presiding over a drug court, as defined by
355	610		Section 471.1 of Title 22 of the Oklahoma Statutes,
356		-
357	611		q. for purposes of The Governmental Tort Claims Act only,
358	612		any child-placing agency licensed by this state to
359	613		place children in foster family homes, and
360		-
361	614		r. for purposes of The Governmental Tort Claims Act only,
362	615		a circuit engineering district created pursuant to
363	616		Section 687.1 of Title 69 of the Oklahoma Statutes,
364	617		and
365		-
366	618		s. for purposes of The Governmental Tor t Claims Act only,
367	619		a substate planning district, regional council of
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	627	+	6
	628	+	7
	629	+	8
	630	+	9
	631	+	10
	632	+	11
	633	+	12
	634	+	13
	635	+	14
	636	+	15
	637	+	16
	638	+	17
	639	+	18
	640	+	19
	641	+	20
	642	+	21
	643	+	22
	644	+	23
	645	+	24
	646	+
368	647		government or other entity created pursuant to Section
369	648		1001 et seq. of Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statutes,
370		-
371	649		and all their institutions, instrumentalities or agencies;
372		-
373	650		12. “Scope of employment” means performance by an employee
374	651		acting in good faith within the duties of the employee ’s office or
375	652		employment or of tasks lawfully assigned by a competent authority
376	653		including the operation or use of an agency vehicle or equipment
377	654		with actual or impli ed consent of the supervisor of the employee,
378	655		but shall not include corruption or fraud;
379		-
380	656		13. “State” means the State of Oklahoma or any office,
381	657		department, agency, authority, commission, board, institution,
382	658		hospital, college, university, public trust crea ted pursuant to
383	659		Title 60 of the Oklahoma Statutes of which the State of Oklahoma is
384	660		the beneficiary, or other instrumentality thereof; and
385		-
386	661		14. “Tort” means a legal wrong, independent of contract,
387	662		involving violation of a duty imposed by general law, statu te, the
388	663		Constitution of the State of Oklahoma, or otherwise, resulting in a
389	664		loss to any person, association or corporation as the proximate
390	665		result of an act or omission of a political subdivision or the state
391	666		or an employee acting within the scope of emplo yment.
392		-
393	667		SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2021.
394	668
395		-
396		-	ENR. S. B. NO. 28 Page 10
397		-	Passed the Senate the 2nd day of March, 2021.
398		-
399		-
400		-
401		-	Presiding Officer of the Senate
402		-
403		-
404		-	Passed the House of Representatives the 12th day of April, 2021.
405		-
406		-
407		-
408		-	Presiding Officer of the House
409		-	of Representatives
410		-
411		-	OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
412		-	Received by the Office of the Governor this _______ _____________
413		-	day of _________________ __, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
414		-	By: _______________________________ __
415		-	Approved by the Governor of the State of Oklahoma this _____ ____
416		-	day of _________________ __, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
417		-
418		-	_________________________________
419		-	Governor of the State of Oklahoma
420		-
421		-
422		-	OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE
423		-	Received by the Office of the Secretary of State this __________
424		-	day of __________________, 20 _______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
425		-	By: _______________________________ __
	669	+	COMMITTEE REPORT BY: COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY - CIVIL, dated
	670	+	03/31/2021 - DO PASS.