Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Oklahoma Legislature, fetched 2026-07-23. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. The official bill page.
1 STATE OF OKLAHOMA
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2 1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025)
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3 SENATE BILL 779 By: McIntosh
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6 AS INTRODUCED
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7 An Act relating to county officials; creating the
7 Volunteer County Emergency Response Corps Act;
8 providing short title; requiring establishment of
8 certain system; stating purpose; stating
9 prioritization provisions; stating requirements of
9 county personnel; requiring certain meeting;
10 providing certain liability protection; providing for
10 codification; and providing an effective date.
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13 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
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14 SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
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15 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 509 of Title 19, unless there is
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16 created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
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17 A. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Volunteer
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18 County Emergency Response Corps Act".
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19 B. 1. The county sheriff, county commissioners, and emergency
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20 management personnel of each county of this state shall work in
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21 conjunction to establish a system to engage county residents to
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22 volunteer their time, expertise, or resources during an emergency.
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1 2. Prioritization for selection in the Volunteer County
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2 Emergency Response Corps shall be based on, but not limited to, the
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3 following:
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4 a. construction services to clear debris,
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5 b. landscaping services to clear downed trees,
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6 c. entities to serve as temporary staging areas,
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7 including churches, event centers, and businesses,
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8 d. chaplain services,
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9 e. first response services, including by medical
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10 personnel and honorably discharged veterans,
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11 f. transportation services to move people and supplies,
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12 and
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13 g. other specializations or resources provided by
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14 individuals as deemed appropriate for an emergency
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15 response.
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16 C. At least two county employees designated by the county
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17 sheriff, county commissioners, and emergency management personnel
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18 shall create, maintain, operate, and update a system that allows
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19 county residents to volunteer as members of the Volunteer County
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20 Emergency Response Corps, list applicable specialties or available
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21 supplies, and share preferred contact information.
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22 D. At least once per year, the county sheriff and county
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23 commissioners shall hold a public meeting to discuss and promote the
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24 Volunteer County Emergency Response Corps. Such meeting may take
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Req. No. 854 Page 2
1 place in conjunction with any other regularly scheduled public
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2 meeting.
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3 E. Any volunteer or entity that offers services or supplies
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4 pursuant to the Volunteer County Emergency Response Corps shall be
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5 immune from liability in a civil action on the basis of any act or
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6 omission of the volunteer or entity resulting in damage or injury if
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7 the damage or injury was not caused by gross negligence or willful
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8 and wanton misconduct by the volunteer or entity.
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9 F. The county shall not be liable for any injury to a volunteer
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10 or entity that offers services or supplies pursuant to the Volunteer
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11 County Emergency Response Corps other than for acts of gross
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12 negligence or deliberate actions.
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13 SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2025.
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15 60-1-854 CN 1/19/2025 5:43:09 AM
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Req. No. 854 Page 3Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.