Opinion ID: 1799079
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: solution of the problem

Text: As already stated, this Court now is committed to the abolition of the judicially created doctrine of sovereign immunity. The question next to be considered is the manner in which this should be accomplished. We need first to consider the extent to which the decision here applies to those actions by a state agency, an arm of the state or local government and the members thereof, who either for remuneration or as public service, engage in discretionary functions for which the agency or the arm of government was set up. We surely can see that this would be the first question raised by the bench, bar and all laymen. Although absolute governmental immunity from tort liability has lost favor with the courts, there is still considerable support for shielding certain governmental activities from liability. Judicial review of basic policy-making decisions continues to be regarded by many as inappropriate because courts have no standards by which to judge such decisions. Judges and jurors are in no better position to evaluate the reasonableness of policy determinations than are those officials who are charged with making them. The reasonable man standard of tort law is not an appropriate measure for the political, social or economic desirability of government programs and the methods selected for pursuing them. State tort standards cannot adequately control those government decisions in which, to be effective, the decision maker must look to considerations of public policy and not merely to established professional standards or to standards of general reasonableness. The imposition of liability on governments for the exercise of legislative, judicial, and executive acts may result in over-cautiousness on the part of the officials who carry out such responsibilities. With the foregoing problems of everyday governmental functions by individuals, it is our opinion that abolishment of sovereign immunity does not apply to legislative, judicial and executive acts by individuals acting in their official capacity, or to similar situations of individuals acting in similar capacities in local governments, either county or municipal. The immunity we abolish in this opinion is the immunity of the sovereign, which broadly speaking is the state, the county, the municipality or any other local subdivision of the sovereign. We next need to consider the manner and period of time in which the mandate of this opinion shall be carried out. We realize that if it is done immediately, the state and the local subdivisions would not have sufficient time to make preparations therefor. There are many conditions that the legislature may consider. As we already have discussed, we have state agencies which have been ordered and directed by the legislature to carry liability insurance, while others have been refused permission to do so. These are legislative problems that will take time to solve. Other states have recognized this and have abolished the immunity of the sovereign prospectively. Jones v. Highway Commission, 557 S.W.2d 225 (Mo. 1977); O'dell v. School District, 521 S.W.2d 403, 409 (Mo. 1975). We, therefore, are of the opinion that other than in the particular case before us, the mandate of this opinion abolishing sovereign immunity as that term is hereinabove described should not be effective until on and after July 1, 1984. In addition to the time necessary for some entities to adjust, we recognize that two sessions of the legislature will have passed.