Req. No. 1549 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 1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025) SENATE BILL 935 By: Jett AS INTRODUCED An Act relating to counties; creating the Citizen Access to County Facilities Act ; providing short title; defining terms; exempting counties from certain liability; providing exceptions; requiring certain warning notice; clarifying certain rights; providing for codification; and providing an effective date. BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 420 of Title 19, unless there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: This act shall be known and may be cited as the “Citizen Access to County Facilities Act”. SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 420.1 of Title 19, unless there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: As used in this act: 1. “County” means a county, county officer, or county employee; Req. No. 1549 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 2. “County facilities” means buildings or lands owned and maintained by a county that include, but are not limited to: a. park, b. senior center, c. barn, and d. fairground; 3. “Inherent risks of an act ivity using county facilities ” means those dangers or conditions that are inherent in an event or activity, including certain hazards, surface and subsurface conditions, natural conditions of land, vegetation, and waters, and ordinary dangers of structures or equipment present in county facilities. Inherent risks of activity using county facilities also include the potential of a participant to act in a negligent manner that may contribute to the injury to the participant or others, including failure to fo llow instructions given by the county or failing to exercise reasonable caution; and 4. “Participant” means any person, other than a county officer or county employee. SECTION 3. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 420.2 of Title 19, unless there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: A. In addition to any limitations of liability afforded pursuant to The Governmental Tort Claims Act and e xcept as provided in subsection B of this section, a county shall not be liable for Req. No. 1549 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 injury to or death of a participant resulting from the inherent risks of an activity using county facilities , so long as the warning contained in Section 4 of this act is posted as required and, except as provided in subsection B of this section, no participant or participant’s representative can maintain an action against or recover damages from a county for injury, loss, damage, or death of the participant resulting exclusively from any of the inherent r isks of an activity using county facilities . In any action for damages against a county for an activity using county facilities, t he county must plead the affirmative defense of assumption of the inherent risks of an activity using county facilities by th e participant. B. Nothing in subsection A of this section prevents or limits the liability of a county if the county does either or both of the following: 1. Commits an act or omission that constitutes willful or wanton disregard for the safety of the pa rticipant, and that act or omission proximately causes injury, damage, or death to the participant; or 2. Has actual knowledge or reasonably should have known of a dangerous condition present at county facilities used in the activity and does not make the danger known to the participant, and the danger proximately causes injury, da mage, or death to the participant. Req. No. 1549 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 C. Any limitation on legal liability afforded by this section to a county is in addition to any other limitations of legal liability otherwise provided by law. D. The district attorney shall be allowed to issue an indemnification of limited liability for the fair use of county facilities for a county within his or her district. SECTION 4. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 420.3 of Title 19, unless ther e is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: A. Every county shall post and maintain signs that contain the warning notice specified in subsection B of this sectio n. The sign shall be placed in a clearly visible location at the entrance or entrances to county facilities and at the site of the activity using county facilities. The warning notice shall consist of a sign in black letters, with each letter to be a min imum of one (1) inch in height. Every written contract entered into by a coun ty for the providing of county facilities for an activity shall contain in clearly readable print the warning notice specified in subsection B of this section. B. The signs and contracts described in subsection A of this section must contain the following notice of warning: “WARNING: Under Oklahoma law, there is no liability for an injury to or death of a participant at an activity using county facilities. Req. No. 1549 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 Inherent risks of acti vities using county facilities include, among others, risks of injury inherent to land and equipment, as well as the potential for you to act in a negligent manner that may contribute to your injury or death. You are assuming the risk of participating in this activity using county facilities. ” C. Failure to comply with the requirements concerning warning signs and notices provided in this section shall prevent a county from invoking the privileges of immunity provided by this act. SECTION 5. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified in the Oklahoma Statute s as Section 420.4 of Title 19, unless there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: The rights of Oklahomans to use county facilities shall not be prohibited by any county in this state. All activities using county facilities shall be conducted pursuant to law and in compliance with health and safety zoning requirements, as well as health and safety regulations. SECTION 6. This act shall become effective November 1, 2025. 60-1-1549 MSBB 1/16/2025 12:00:55 PM