HB 4425: Torts; creating the Good Faith Reporting for Child Protection Act; immunity from civil liability for volunteers, charitable organizations, and not-for-profit corporations; sexually inappropriate conduct with a minor; disclosure; self-reporting; effective date. - Oklahoma

Floor (House) → Floor (Senate) · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was converted from a House version to a Senate version, which involved significant reorganization of the text and a change in the bill's title. The Senate version adds a specific presumption of good faith if disclosures are made according to an internal reporting policy, whereas the House version did not explicitly include this provision. Additionally, the Senate version redefines 'employee' to explicitly exclude independent contractors and third-party service providers who retain control over their work methods.

Scope change

The scope of the bill was expanded to include a new presumption of good faith for disclosures made in compliance with a reporting policy, and the definition of 'employee' was narrowed to exclude independent contractors.

REQUIREMENT

Added a presumption of good faith immunity for individuals who disclose sexually inappropriate conduct if they followed a specific reporting policy adopted by their organization.

DEFINITION

Modified the definition of 'employee' to explicitly exclude independent contractors and third-party service providers who control how they perform their services.

TECHNICAL

Changed the bill title from 'Good Faith Reporting for Child Protection Act' to 'Good Faith Reporting for Child Protection Act' (minor wording adjustment) and reorganized the structure of the sections.

TIMELINE

Added a specific effective date of April 21, 2026, to the Senate version header.

House Committee Substitute → HB4425 (5-05-26) (LOGAN) FS FA1.PDF · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was reclassified from a 'Committee Substitute' to a 'Floor Substitute,' indicating it has moved from committee review to the full House floor for final passage. The substantive legal text regarding immunity for volunteers and employees remains largely unchanged, though the formatting and line numbering were updated to reflect the new stage of the legislative process.

Scope change

The bill's scope and applicability remain unchanged; the text defines the same protections for volunteers and employees of charitable organizations.

TECHNICAL

The bill's title was updated from 'Committee Substitute' to 'Floor Substitute,' and the subtitle was expanded to include 'Engrossed,' reflecting its progression through the legislative process.

The descriptive summary of the bill's contents was reformatted to fit the new layout, but the list of topics covered (immunity, reporting, definitions) remains identical.

Page numbers and line numbers were adjusted throughout the document to align with the new version of the bill.

Proposed Policy Committee Substitute 1 → House Committee Substitute · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was rewritten to expand immunity protections for employees of charitable organizations, previously only covering volunteers. It also adds a specific immunity for disclosing sexual misconduct involving minors, provided the report is made to authorities within 72 hours and the accused is an employee or volunteer of the organization. The definition of 'employee' was added to clarify that it includes staff under organizational authority but excludes independent contractors.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from protecting only volunteers to also protecting paid employees of charitable organizations and not-for-profit corporations from civil liability.

ELIGIBILITY

Immunity protections were extended to include paid employees of charitable organizations and not-for-profit corporations, whereas the original text only covered volunteers.

REQUIREMENT

A new immunity provision was added for disclosing sexually inappropriate conduct with a minor, requiring the report to be made to law enforcement or the Department of Human Services within 72 hours.

The deadline for reporting sexually inappropriate conduct was changed from 24 hours to 72 hours.

DEFINITION

A new definition for 'employee' was created to specify that it includes individuals performing services under organizational authority but excludes independent contractors.

Proposed Committee Substitute (full committee) 1 → Proposed Policy Committee Substitute 1 · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was reclassified from an 'Oversight' to a 'Policy' committee substitute, indicating a shift in legislative focus from monitoring implementation to establishing new rules. The most significant change is the addition of new definitions for 'employee' and 'not-for-profit corporation' to clarify who is covered under the immunity provisions. Additionally, the reporting timeline for sexually inappropriate conduct was shortened from 72 hours to 24 hours, and the text was truncated mid-sentence regarding vehicle insurance liability limits.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded by adding specific definitions for 'employee' and 'not-for-profit corporation,' clarifying exactly which entities and individuals are eligible for immunity protections under the act.

DEFINITION

Added a new definition for 'employee' to clarify who qualifies for immunity protections under the act.

Added a new definition for 'not-for-profit corporation' to specify the legal requirements for an organization to be covered.

REQUIREMENT

Reduced the mandatory reporting window for sexually inappropriate conduct with a minor from 72 hours to 24 hours.

TECHNICAL

Removed the full text of the vehicle insurance liability limits provision, leaving the sentence incomplete.

Changed the document title from 'Proposed Oversight Committee Substitute' to 'Proposed Policy Committee Substitute'.

Engrossed → Proposed Committee Substitute (full committee) 1 · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was amended to expand the scope of immunity protections by adding 'employees' of charitable organizations to the list of protected parties, alongside volunteers. The definition of 'employee' was clarified to exclude independent contractors, and the act's title was updated to reflect these changes.

Scope change

The bill now applies to employees of charitable organizations in addition to volunteers and the organizations themselves.

ELIGIBILITY

Immunity from civil liability for disclosing sexually inappropriate conduct with a minor was extended to include employees of charitable organizations, not just volunteers.

DEFINITION

The definition of 'employee' was added to clarify that it includes those subject to the organization's governance but excludes independent contractors.

TECHNICAL

The bill title and section summaries were updated to accurately reflect the inclusion of employees in the new protections.

Introduced → Engrossed · 5 edits · Mar 23, 2026

MODERATE

The bill was significantly expanded from a simple tort reform measure into a comprehensive 'Good Faith Reporting for Child Protection Act.' It now explicitly grants immunity to volunteers, employees, and charitable organizations when they report suspected sexual misconduct involving minors, provided they follow specific internal policies and reporting timelines.

Scope change

The bill's scope shifted from general volunteer liability protection to a specific mandate regarding the reporting of child sexual abuse, adding new definitions for 'employee' and 'volunteer' in this context.

REQUIREMENT

Added a new immunity provision protecting individuals and organizations that disclose sexually inappropriate conduct with a minor to other organizations or law enforcement, provided the report is made within 72 hours.

Established a legal presumption of good faith if an organization discloses misconduct in compliance with its own adopted reporting policy.

DEFINITION

Created specific legal definitions for 'employee' and 'volunteer' to clarify who is covered under the new reporting immunity protections.

SCOPE

Removed the original title referencing the 'Oklahoma Tort Reform Act of 2026' and replaced it with the new 'Good Faith Reporting for Child Protection Act'.

Expanded the bill's title and description to include the new child protection reporting provisions, replacing the previous focus solely on general tort reform.

Torts; creating the Good Faith Reporting for Child Protection Act; immunity from civil liability for volunteers, charitable organizations, and not-for-profit corporations; sexually inappropriate conduct with a minor; disclosure; self-reporting; effective date.

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