(A) Except as provided in division (B) of this section and subject to section 2305.239 of the Revised Code, a shelter for victims of domestic violence and a director, owner, trustee, officer, employee, victim advocate, or volunteer of the shelter are not liable in damages in a tort action for harm that a shelter client or other person who is on the premises allegedly sustains as a result of tortious conduct of a perpetrator that is committed on premises other than the shelter's premises if the perpetrator is not a director, owner, trustee, officer, employee, victim advocate, or volunteer of the shelter and if both of the following apply when the harm is caused:

(1) A director, owner, trustee, officer, employee, victim advocate, or volunteer of the shelter is providing assistance to a shelter client, including, but not limited to, accompanying the client to a health care practitioner's or attorney's office.

(2) The director, owner, trustee, officer, employee, victim advocate, or volunteer of the shelter is engaged in the course of that director's, owner's, trustee's, officer's, employee's, victim advocate's, or volunteer's employment, official responsibilities, or authorized services for the shelter.

(B) The immunity from tort liability conferred by division (A) of this section is not available to a shelter for victims of domestic violence or a director, owner, trustee, officer, employee, victim advocate, or volunteer of the shelter if the plaintiff in a tort action establishes, by clear and convincing evidence, that a director, owner, trustee, officer, employee, victim advocate, or volunteer of the shelter contributed to the harm sustained by a shelter client or other person who is on the premises, by an action or omission that involved malicious purpose, bad faith, or wanton or reckless conduct. For purposes of this division, "reckless conduct" includes the release of confidential information that pertains to a shelter client.

Effective Date: 08-14-2002 .