2-7-501. Definitions. Unless the context requires otherwise, in this part, the following definitions apply:
     (1) "Audit" means a financial audit and includes financial statement and financial-related audits as defined by government auditing standards as established by the U.S. comptroller general.
     (2) "Board" means the Montana board of public accountants provided for in 2-15-1756.
     (3) "Department" means the department of administration.
     (4) (a) "Financial assistance" means assistance provided by a federal, state, or local government entity to a local government entity or subrecipient to carry out a program. Financial assistance may be in the form of grants, contracts, cooperative agreements, loans, loan guarantees, property, interest subsidies, insurance, direct appropriations, or other noncash assistance. Financial assistance includes awards received directly from federal and state agencies or indirectly when subrecipients receive funds identified as federal or state funds by recipients. The granting agency is responsible for identifying the source of funds awarded to recipients. The recipient is responsible for identifying the source of funds awarded to subrecipients.
     (b) Financial assistance does not include direct federal, state, or local government cash assistance to individuals.
     (5) "Financial report" means a presentation of financial statements, including applicable supplemental notes and supplemental schedules, that are prepared in a format published by the department using the Budgetary Accounting and Reporting System for Montana Cities, Towns, and Counties Manual and that reflect a current financial position and the operating results for the 1-year reporting period.
     (6) "Independent auditor" means:
     (a) a federal, state, or local government auditor who meets the standards specified in the government auditing standards; or
     (b) a licensed accountant who meets the standards in subsection (6)(a).
     (7) (a) "Local government entity" means a county, city, district, or public corporation that:
     (i) has the power to raise revenue or receive, disburse, or expend local, state, or federal government revenue for the purpose of serving the general public;
     (ii) is governed by a board, commission, or individual elected or appointed by the public or representatives of the public; and
     (iii) receives local, state, or federal financial assistance.
     (b) Local government entities include but are not limited to:
     (i) airport authority districts;
     (ii) cemetery districts;
     (iii) counties;
     (iv) county housing authorities;
     (v) county road improvement districts;
     (vi) county sewer districts;
     (vii) county water districts;
     (viii) county weed control districts;
     (ix) drainage districts;
     (x) fire department relief associations;
     (xi) fire districts;
     (xii) hospital districts;
     (xiii) incorporated cities or towns;
     (xiv) irrigation districts;
     (xv) mosquito districts;
     (xvi) municipal housing authority districts;
     (xvii) port authorities;
     (xviii) solid waste management districts;
     (xix) rural improvement districts;
     (xx) school districts including a district's extracurricular funds;
     (xxi) soil conservation districts;
     (xxii) special education or other cooperatives;
     (xxiii) television districts;
     (xxiv) urban transportation districts;
     (xxv) water conservancy districts; and
     (xxvi) other miscellaneous and special districts.
     (8) "Revenues" means all receipts of a local government entity from any source excluding the proceeds from bond issuances.

     History: En. 82-4515 by Sec. 1, Ch. 380, L. 1975; R.C.M. 1947, 82-4515; amd. Sec. 7, Ch. 274, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 287, L. 1983; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 489, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 7, L. 2001; amd. Sec. 33, Ch. 278, L. 2001; amd. Sec. 8, Ch. 483, L. 2001.