2023 Montana Code Annotated › Title 19. Public Retirement Systems › Chapter 17. Volunteer Firefighters' Compensation Act › Part 1. General Provisions › 19-17-102. Definitions

19-17-102. Definitions.
Unless the context requires otherwise, the following definitions apply in this chapter:
(1) "Active member" means a volunteer firefighter credited with service under this chapter as provided in 19-17-108 during the most recently reportable fiscal year.
(2) "Allowance" means a total monetary and gift amount that is available to a volunteer firefighter from a fire company pursuant to 19-17-110.
(3) "Benefit" means the pension, disability, or survivorship benefit provided under this chapter.
(4) "Board" means the public employees' retirement board provided for in 2-15-1009.
(5) "Claim" means a request from a member, surviving spouse, or dependent child for payment of medical or funeral expenses.
(6) "Compensation" means remuneration for services rendered as a firefighter from the fire company requesting credit for that firefighter.
(7) "Dependent child" means a child who is unmarried, who is under 18 years of age, and who is the child of a deceased member.
(8) "Designated official" means a representative of a fire company appointed by the fire chief to perform specified actions and includes but is not limited to a fire company supervisor, a fire company secretary, and a fire company presiding officer as described in 7-33-2312.
(9) "Disability" or "permanent total disability" means a duty-related injury resulting in permanent total disability as defined in 39-71-116.
(10) "Fire company" means an organization of volunteer firefighters created under the authority of a governing board or commission to serve an unincorporated area, town, or village.
(11) "Fiscal year" means the 12-month period that begins on July 1 and ends on June 30 of the following year.
(12) "Inactive member" means a member not credited with service under this chapter as provided in 19-17-108 during the most recently reportable fiscal year.
(13) "Member" means a volunteer firefighter who has service credited under this chapter.
(14) "Pension benefit" means a full or partial payment for service earned as a volunteer firefighter and does not include payment for disability.
(15) "Pension trust fund" means the volunteer firefighters' pension trust fund established to pay claims and benefits under this chapter.
(16) "Reimbursed" means the return by a fire company of an equivalent amount of money expended by a member for the benefit of the fire company.
(17) "Retiree" or "retired member" means a member who is receiving full or partial pension benefits or disability benefits from the pension trust fund.
(18) "Supplemental insurance" means insurance that is carried by a fire company for the purposes of providing disability or death benefits. Supplemental insurance does not include any insurance required by law, such as workers' compensation insurance.
(19) "Surviving spouse" means the spouse married to a member when the member dies.
(20) "Survivorship benefit" means the monthly benefit paid to the surviving spouse or dependent child of a deceased member.
(21) "Training" means instruction pertaining to firefighting that is supervised by the chief or a designated official.
(22) "Volunteer firefighter" means a person who is a member of an eligible fire company and is not compensated for services as a firefighter.
History: (1) thru (3), (5)En. 11-2020.1 by Sec. 19, Ch. 157, L. 1977; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 132, L. 1977; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 480, L. 1977; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 489, L. 1977; Sec. 11-2020.1, R.C.M. 1947; (4)En. Sec. 3, Ch. 65, L. 1935; re-en. Sec. 5158.3, R.C.M. 1935; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 37, L. 1957; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 118, L. 1965; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 160, L. 1967; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 80, L. 1971; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 199, L. 1973; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 69, L. 1975; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 90, L. 1977; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 95, L. 1977; amd. Sec. 21, Ch. 157, L. 1977; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 480, L. 1977; Sec. 11-2022, R.C.M. 1947; R.C.M. 1947, 11-2020.1, 11-2022(5)(d); amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 57, L. 1983; amd. Sec. 19, Ch. 282, L. 1983; Sec. 19-12-102, MCA 1991; redes. 19-17-102 by Code Commissioner, 1993; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 175, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 38, Ch. 370, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 90, Ch. 562, L. 1999; amd. Sec. 118, Ch. 99, L. 2001; amd. Sec. 26, Ch. 128, L. 2007; amd. Sec. 5, Ch. 64, L. 2011.