Oklahoma 2022 2022 Regular Session

Oklahoma Senate Bill SB964 Introduced / Bill

Filed 01/21/2021

                     
 
 
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STATE OF OKLAHOMA 
 
1st Session of the 58th Legislature (2021) 
 
SENATE BILL 964 	By: Bergstrom 
 
 
 
 
 
AS INTRODUCED 
 
An Act relating to property rights; amendi ng 21 O.S. 
2011, Sections 1835 and 1835.2 , as last amended by 
Section 1, Chapter 185, O.S.L. 2018 (21 O.S. Supp. 
2020, Section 1835.2), whic h relate to trespass on 
private property; authorizing certain officers or 
employees to enter land under specified 
circumstances; modifying certain exceptions; amending 
22 O.S. 2011, Section 1221, as amended b y Section 1, 
Chapter 75, O.S.L. 2014 (22 O.S. Supp. 2020, Section 
1221), which relates to search w arrants; modifying 
definition; updating statutory reference; and 
providing an effective date. 
 
 
 
 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA : 
SECTION 1.     AMENDATORY     21 O.S. 2011, Section 1835, is 
amended to read as follows: 
Section 1835. A.  Whoever shall willfully or maliciously enter 
the garden, yard, pasture or fie ld of another after being exp ressly 
forbidden to do so or without permission by the owner or lawful 
occupant thereof when such property is posted shall be deemed guilty 
of trespass and upon conviction thereof shall be fined in any sum 
not to exceed Two Hun dred Fifty Dollars ($250.00); provided, that 
this provision shall not apply to registered land surveyors and   
 
 
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registered professional engin eers for the purpose of land surveying 
in the performance of their professional services; and, provided 
further, that anyone who willfully or malic iously enters any such 
garden, yard, pasture or field, and therein commits or attempts to 
commit waste, theft, or damage shall be deemed guilty of a 
misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be fined in any sum 
not less than Fifty Dollars ($50.00) nor more than Five Hundred 
Dollars ($500.00), or by confinement in the county jail for not less 
than thirty (30) days nor more than s ix (6) months, or both such 
fine and imprisonment.  For purposes of this section, “posted” means 
exhibiting signs to read as fol lows:  “PROPERTY RESTRICTED”; “POSTED 
- KEEP OUT”; “KEEP OUT”; “NO TRESPASSING”; or similar signs which 
are displayed. Property that is fenced or not fenced must have such 
signs placed conspicuously and at all places where en try to the 
property is normally expected. 
B.  No provisions of this act section shall conflict with 
Section 5-202 or 6-304 of Title 29 of the Oklaho ma Statutes. 
C.  Whoever shall willfully enter the pecan grove of another 
without the prior consent of the o wner or occupant thereof to so do 
shall be deemed guilty of trespass and up on conviction thereof shall 
be fined in any sum not to exceed Twenty -five Dollars ($25.00); 
provided, that anyone who willfully enters any such pecan grove and 
therein commits or at tempts to commit waste, theft , or damage shall 
be deemed guilty of a misdem eanor and upon conviction thereof shall   
 
 
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be fined in any sum not more than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00), or 
by confinement in the county jail for not less than thirty (30) days 
nor more than six (6) months, or by both s uch fine and imprisonment. 
D.  Whoever shall willfully or maliciously enter upon property 
owned or managed by the Grand River Dam Authority without permission 
when such property is posted shall be deemed guilty of mis demeanor 
trespass and upon conviction t hereof shall be fined in any sum not 
to exceed Two Hundred Fifty Dollars ($250.00); provided, that this 
provision shall not apply to registered land surveyors and 
registered professional engineers for the purpose of l and surveying 
in the performance of the ir professional services; and, provi ded 
further, that anyone who willfully or maliciously enters upon 
property owned or managed b y the Grand River Dam Authority without 
permission and therein commits or attempts to co mmit waste, theft, 
or damage shall be d eemed guilty of misdemeanor trespass , and upon 
conviction thereof shall be fined in any sum not less than Fif ty 
Dollars ($50.00) nor more than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00), or by 
confinement in the county jail for n ot less than thirty (30) days 
nor more than six (6) months, or both such fi ne and imprisonment.  
For purposes of this section, “posted” means exhibiting signs to 
read as follows:  “PROPERTY RESTRICTED”; “POSTED - KEEP OUT”; “KEEP 
OUT”; “NO TRESPASSING”; or similar signs which are displayed.  
Property that is fenced or not fenced must have such signs placed   
 
 
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conspicuously and at all places where entry t o the property is 
normally expected. 
E.  Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the 
Governor’s Mansion and its grounds and appurtenances s hall not be 
required to be posted wi th signs warning against trespass.  Any 
person who shall willfully or mal iciously enter the g rounds of the 
Governor’s Mansion within the State Capitol Park, as defined in 
Section 1811.4 of Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statut es, except at a 
place where entry to the property is normally expected shall be 
deemed guilty of a misdemeano r and upon convictio n shall be fined in 
a sum not more than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00), or by 
confinement in the county jail for not less than thirty (30) days 
nor more than six (6) months, or by both fine and imprisonment. 
F.  Notwithstanding the pro visions of this section, a peace 
officer as defined by Section 99 of this title or any government 
employee may only enter a garden, yard, pasture, field or other land 
of another that is posted in acc ordance with this section with the 
permission of the prope rty owner, with a search warrant authorizing 
search of the property , or to respond to an emergency that pres ents 
an immediate threat to life, property or publi c health. 
SECTION 2.     AMENDATORY     21 O.S. 2011, Section 1835.2 , as 
last amended by Section 1, Chapter 185, O.S.L. 2018 (21 O.S . Supp. 
2020, Section 1835.2), is amended to read as fo llows:   
 
 
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Section 1835.2. A.  Notwithstanding the pro visions of Section 
1835 of this title, the foll owing provisions apply to private land 
that is primarily devoted to farming, ranching, or forest ry 
purposes: 
1.  Except as provided in this section, whoever w illfully enters 
private land of another that is pri marily devoted to farmi ng, 
ranching, or forestry purposes without permission by the su rface 
owner, surface lessee, hunting lessee , or lawful occupant thereof 
shall be deemed guilty of trespass and, upon co nviction thereof, 
shall be fined in any sum not les s than Seven Hundred Fi fty Dollars 
($750.00) nor more than Two Thousand Dollars ($2,00 0.00), and in 
addition, the court shall order restitution for actual damages 
incurred.  Persons convicted of a second o r subsequent offense under 
this paragraph shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be 
punished by a fine in any sum not less than One T housand Five 
Hundred Dollars ($1,500.00) nor more than Tw o Thousand Five Hundred 
Dollars ($2,500.00), or by confinement in the county jail for not 
less than thirty (30) d ays nor more than six ( 6) months, or by both 
such fine and imprisonment, and in additi on, the court shall order 
restitution for actual damages incurred; 
2.  The provisions of paragraph 1 of this subsection shall not 
apply to peace officers as defined in Se ction 99 of this title or 
any federal, state, o r local government employees engaged in the 
performance of their duties, or except that peace officers or   
 
 
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government employees may only enter private land wit h the permission 
of the property owner or wi th a search warrant authorizin g the 
search of the property.  The provisions of paragraph 1 of this 
subsection shall not apply to any firefighters, emergency medical 
personnel, or public utility employees engaged in addressing an 
emergency that presents an imminen t danger to health, saf ety, or the 
environment in the performance of their duties, or to parties 
engaged in oil and gas operations, which s hall include, without 
limitation, exploration, drilling, productio n and sales activities, 
under authority of mineral ownership, an oil and g as lease, seismic 
agreement or permit, gas gathering, purchase, transportation, or 
treating contracts, Corporation C ommission order, or other lawful 
authority from persons entitled t o give the same.  The provisions of 
paragraph 1 of this subsection shall n ot prohibit railroad emp loyees 
and emergency equipment from ent ering such land to restore rail 
service following an accident, derailment or natural disaster; nor 
the entrance of util ity employees or contractors while acting in the 
scope of their employment ; nor employees or contr actors of valid 
easement or license hol ders while acting in the scope of their 
employment; 
3.  The following persons may enter such land of another unless 
forbidden to do so, either orally or in writing, by th e owner or 
lawful occupier thereof: registered land surveyors and registered 
professional engineers for the purpose of land surveying in th e   
 
 
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performance of their professional services, persons making a 
delivery, selling a product or service, conducting a s urvey or poll, 
working on behalf of a candidate for political office, or who 
otherwise have a legitimate reason for entering and who, immed iately 
upon entering, seek to conduct such business; and 
4.  Anyone who willfully or maliciously enters any such land of 
another and therein commits or attempts to commit waste, theft, or 
damage shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction 
thereof, shall be fined not less than One Thousand Dollars 
($1,000.00), or by confinement in the county jail for not less than 
thirty (30) days nor more than six (6 ) months, or by both such fine 
and imprisonment, and in addition, the court shall order rest itution 
for actual damages incurred.  Persons convicted of a secon d or 
subsequent offense under this paragraph shall be guilty of a 
misdemeanor and shall be punishe d by a fine of not less than Two 
Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($2,500.00), or by confinemen t in the 
county jail for not less than thirty (30) days nor more t han six (6) 
months, or by both such fine and impris onment, and in addition , the 
court shall order restitution for actual damages. 
B.  This section shall not be construed to prohibit acts tha t 
are permitted pursuant to Section 5 -202 or 6-304 of Title 29 of the 
Oklahoma Statutes. 
C.  1.  It shall be an affir mative defense to prose cution under 
paragraph 1 of subsection A of this section that t he accused had   
 
 
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express or implied permission or legal authority to be on the 
property. 
2.  If an accused reasonably bel ieved he or she was upon 
property for which they ha d permission to be upon , it shall be an 
affirmative defense to prosecution under parag raph 1 of subsection A 
of this section that the accus ed had with him or her, on his or her 
person, written permission f rom the surface owner, surface lessee, 
hunting lessee, or lawful occupant to be upon such person ’s land 
while the accused was upon any ad joining property.  This defense 
shall not be availabl e to the accused if: 
a. the accused has previously pled guilty, no lo 
contendere, or has been convicted of any act of 
trespass or has been fo und civilly liable of an y 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 perm ission specified in this 
paragraph. 
SECTION 3.     AMENDATORY     22 O.S. 2011, Section 1221, as 
amended by Section 1, Chapter 75, O.S.L. 2014 (22 O.S. Supp. 2020, 
Section 1221), is amended to read as follows: 
Section 1221. A.  A search warrant is an order i n writing, in 
the name of the state, signed by a magistrate, directed to a pe ace   
 
 
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officer, commanding him to search f or personal property and bring it 
before the magistrate. 
B.  For purposes of Sections 1221 through 1241 of this title, 
the term “personal property” or “property” shall mean items and 
information that can be analyzed, seen, weighed, measured, felt or 
touched or that are in any oth er manner perceptible to the senses , 
and that are privately owned . Property includes private l and, which 
shall mean land that is used or occupied , or fenced, posted with 
signs to prevent trespassing at places where entry to the property 
is normally expected, or conspicuously marked a s private. 
SECTION 4.  This act shall become effec tive November 1, 2021. 
 
58-1-86 TEK 1/21/2021 7:29:05 PM