2015 Oregon Revised Statutes
Volume : 01 - Courts, Oregon Rules of Civil Procedure
Chapter 030 - Actions and Suits in Particular Cases
Section 30.265 - Scope of liability of public body, officers, employees and agents; liability in nuclear incident.

(1) Subject to the limitations of ORS 30.260 to 30.300, every public body is subject to civil action for its torts and those of its officers, employees and agents acting within the scope of their employment or duties, whether arising out of a governmental or proprietary function or while operating a motor vehicle in a ridesharing arrangement authorized under ORS 276.598.

(2) The sole cause of action for a tort committed by officers, employees or agents of a public body acting within the scope of their employment or duties and eligible for representation and indemnification under ORS 30.285 or 30.287 is an action under ORS 30.260 to 30.300. The remedy provided by ORS 30.260 to 30.300 is exclusive of any other action against any such officer, employee or agent of a public body whose act or omission within the scope of the officer’s, employee’s or agent’s employment or duties gives rise to the action. No other form of civil action is permitted.

(3) If an action under ORS 30.260 to 30.300 alleges damages in an amount equal to or less than the damages allowed under ORS 30.271, 30.272 or 30.273, the sole cause of action for a tort committed by officers, employees or agents of a public body acting within the scope of their employment or duties and eligible for representation and indemnification under ORS 30.285 or 30.287 is an action against the public body. If an action is filed against an officer, employee or agent of a public body, and the plaintiff alleges damages in an amount equal to or less than the damages allowed under ORS 30.271, 30.272 or 30.273, the court upon motion shall substitute the public body as the defendant. Substitution of the public body as the defendant does not exempt the public body from making any report required under ORS 742.400.

(4) If an action under ORS 30.260 to 30.300 alleges damages in an amount greater than the damages allowed under ORS 30.271, 30.272 or 30.273, the action may be brought and maintained against an officer, employee or agent of a public body, whether or not the public body is also named as a defendant. An action brought under this subsection is subject to the limitations on damages imposed under ORS 30.271, 30.272 or 30.273, and the total combined amount recovered in the action may not exceed those limitations for a single accident or occurrence without regard to the number or types of defendants named in the action.

(5) Every public body is immune from liability for any claim for injury to or death of any person or injury to property resulting from an act or omission of an officer, employee or agent of a public body when such officer, employee or agent is immune from liability.

(6) Every public body and its officers, employees and agents acting within the scope of their employment or duties, or while operating a motor vehicle in a ridesharing arrangement authorized under ORS 276.598, are immune from liability for:

(a) Any claim for injury to or death of any person covered by any workers’ compensation law.

(b) Any claim in connection with the assessment and collection of taxes.

(c) Any claim based upon the performance of or the failure to exercise or perform a discretionary function or duty, whether or not the discretion is abused.

(d) Any claim that is limited or barred by the provisions of any other statute, including but not limited to any statute of ultimate repose.

(e) Any claim arising out of riot, civil commotion or mob action or out of any act or omission in connection with the prevention of any of the foregoing.

(f) Any claim arising out of an act done or omitted under apparent authority of a law, resolution, rule or regulation that is unconstitutional, invalid or inapplicable except to the extent that they would have been liable had the law, resolution, rule or regulation been constitutional, valid and applicable, unless such act was done or omitted in bad faith or with malice.

(7) This section applies to any action of any officer, employee or agent of the state relating to a nuclear incident, whether or not the officer, employee or agent is acting within the scope of employment, and provided the nuclear incident is covered by an insurance or indemnity agreement under 42 U.S.C. 2210.

(8) Subsection (6)(c) of this section does not apply to any discretionary act that is found to be the cause or partial cause of a nuclear incident covered by an insurance or indemnity agreement under the provisions of 42 U.S.C. 2210, including but not limited to road design and route selection. [1967 c.627 §§2,3,10; 1969 c.429 §1; 1975 c.609 §12; 1977 c.823 §2; 1981 c.490 §4; 1985 c.731 §31; 1987 c.705 §7; 1991 c.861 §1; 2005 c.22 §19; 2007 c.803 §4; 2011 c.270 §1]

Note: Sections 1 to 3, chapter 419, Oregon Laws 2015, provide:

Sec. 1. ORS 30.265 (6)(a) does not apply to a claim for wrongful death against the state if:

(1) The death occurred in the course and scope of the decedent’s employment;

(2) The death occurred as a result of the conduct of another person who is subsequently convicted of murder or found guilty except for insanity of murder; and

(3) The decedent was not employed by a public body at the time of death. [2015 c.419 §1]

Sec. 2. Section 1 of this 2015 Act is repealed on January 2, 2017. [2015 c.419 §2]

Sec. 3. (1) Section 1 of this 2015 Act applies only to claims based on a crime of murder committed on or after May 1, 2012.

(2) If section 1 of this 2015 Act operates to revive a claim that was barred under ORS 30.265 (6)(a) before the effective date of this 2015 Act [June 16, 2015], the person asserting the claim must commence the action asserting the claim within one year after the effective date of this 2015 Act.

[2015 c.419 §3]