Oklahoma Code § 76-31

Title 76. Torts: Volunteers, charitable organizations, and not-for-profit
Open in Lexace · Ask the AI about this section
corporations - Immunity from civil liability - Limitations
A.  Any volunteer shall be immune from liability in a civil
action on the basis of any act or omission of the volunteer
resulting in damage or injury if:
1.  The volunteer was acting in good faith and within the scope
of the volunteer's official functions and duties for a charitable
organization or not-for-profit corporation; and
2.  The damage or injury was not caused by gross negligence or
willful and wanton misconduct by the volunteer.
B.  In any civil action against a charitable organization or
not-for-profit corporation for damages based upon the conduct of a
volunteer, the doctrine of respondeat superior shall apply,
notwithstanding the immunity granted to the volunteer in subsection
A of this section.
C.  Any person who, in good faith and without compensation, or
expectation of compensation, donates or loans emergency service
equipment to a volunteer shall not be liable for damages resulting
from the use of such equipment by the volunteer, except when the
donor of the equipment knew or should have known that the equipment
was dangerous or faulty in a way which could result in bodily
injury, death or damage to property.
D.  Definitions.
1.  For the purposes of this section, the term "volunteer" means
a person who enters into a service or undertaking of the person's
free will without compensation or expectation of compensation in
money or other thing of value in order to provide a service, care,
assistance, advice, or other benefit; provided, being legally
entitled to receive compensation for the service or undertaking
performed shall not preclude a person from being considered a
volunteer.
2.  For the purposes of this section, the term "charitable
organization" means any benevolent, philanthropic, patriotic,
eleemosynary, educational, social, civic, recreational, religious
group or association or any other person performing or purporting to
perform acts beneficial to the public.
3.  For the purposes of this section, the term "not-for-profit
corporation" means a corporation formed for a purpose not involving
pecuniary gain to its shareholders or members, paying no dividends
or other pecuniary remuneration, directly or indirectly, to its
shareholders or members as such, and having no capital stock.
E.  The provisions of this section shall not affect the
liability that any person may have which arises from the operation
of a motor vehicle, watercraft, or aircraft in rendering the
service, care, assistance, advice or other benefit as a volunteer.
Provided, however, the liability of any person with a current motor
vehicle insurance policy at the required minimum limits who

volunteers to provide transportation shall not exceed the limits of
such insurance policy, except for gross negligence or willful or
wanton conduct committed in providing such transportation.  In no
event shall the limitation on liability provided under this
subsection apply to a person who does not possess a current motor
vehicle policy when providing transportation.
F.  The immunity from civil liability provided for by this
section shall extend only to the actions taken by a person rendering
the service, care, assistance, advice, or other benefit as a
volunteer, where such actions are agreed upon in advance by all
involved persons to be provided on a volunteer basis.  This section
shall not be construed to confer any immunity to any person for
actions taken by the volunteer prior to or after the rendering of
the service, care, assistance, advice, or other benefit as a
volunteer.
G.  This section shall apply to all civil actions filed after
August 25, 1995.
Added by Laws 1995, c. 287, § 3.  Amended by Laws 2013, 1st
Ex.Sess., c. 18, § 2, emerg. eff. Sept. 10, 2013; Laws 2013, 1st
Ex.Sess., c. 18, § 3, emerg. eff. Sept. 10, 2013; Laws 2016, c. 173,
§ 1, eff. Nov 1, 2016.
NOTE:  Laws 2009, c. 228, § 42 was held unconstitutional by the
Oklahoma Supreme Court in the case of Douglas v. Cox Retirement
Properties, Inc., 2013 OK 37, 302 P.2d 789 (Okla. 2013) and repealed
by Laws 2013, 1st Ex.Sess., c. 18, § 1, emerg. eff. Sept. 10, 2013.

‹ Prev All Oklahoma sections Next ›


Lexace provides legal information, not legal advice, and no attorney–client relationship is created. Statute text is provided for general information and may not reflect the most recent amendments; verify against the official state code.