The bill, referred to as SB164, aims to establish limitations on the liability of bovine owners for certain actions of their animals. It defines key terms such as "bovine," which includes buffalo, bison, cattle, or oxen, and "bovine activity," which covers a range of interactions with bovines such as grazing, herding, feeding, and other care or maintenance activities. The term "bovine owner" is defined as any person with ownership rights to a bovine, and "inherent risk of a bovine activity" includes dangers that are a natural part of interacting with bovines, such as the animals' unpredictable behavior and certain property hazards.
The bill stipulates that a bovine owner is not liable for injuries, losses, damages, or death resulting from the inherent risks of bovine activities. However, there are exceptions to this immunity: the owner can be held liable if they fail to post required warning signs, act with willful or wanton disregard for safety, or if they are aware of a specific bovine's dangerous propensities and do not disclose this to others. The bill also requires bovine owners to post warning signs in visible locations to inform people of the risks involved in bovine activities. The act is set to become effective on January 1, 2025. There are no insertions or deletions marked in the provided text of the bill.