17-2-102. Fund structure. For the purpose of ensuring strict accountability for all revenue received and spent, there are in the state treasury only the following fund categories and types:

(1) the governmental fund category, which includes:

(a) the general fund, which accounts for all financial resources except those required to be accounted for in another fund;

(b) the special revenue fund type, which accounts for the proceeds of specific revenue sources (other than private purpose trusts or major capital projects) that are legally restricted to expenditure for specified purposes. The financial activities of the special revenue fund type are subdivided, for operational purposes, into the following funds to serve the purpose indicated:

(i) The state special revenue fund consists of money and other proceeds from state and other nonfederal sources deposited in the state treasury that is earmarked for the purposes of defraying particular costs of an agency, program, or function of state government and money and other proceeds from other nonstate or nonfederal sources that is restricted by law or by the terms of an agreement, such as a contract, trust agreement, or donation.

(ii) The federal special revenue fund consists of money deposited in the treasury from federal sources, including trust income, that is used for the operation of state government.

(c) the capital projects fund type, which accounts for financial resources to be used for the acquisition or construction of major capital facilities, other than those financed by proprietary funds or trust funds;

(d) the debt service fund type, which accounts for the accumulation of resources for and the payment of general long-term debt principal and interest; and

(e) the permanent fund type, which accounts for financial resources that are legally restricted to the extent that only earnings, but not principal, may be used;

(2) the proprietary fund category, which includes:

(a) the enterprise fund type, which accounts for operations:

(i) that are financed and operated in a manner similar to private business enterprises whenever the intent of the legislature is that costs (i.e., expenses, including depreciation) of providing goods or services to the general public on a continuing basis are to be financed or recovered primarily through user charges; or

(ii) whenever the legislature has decided that periodic determination of revenue earned, expenses incurred, or net income is appropriate for capital maintenance, public policy, management control, accountability, or other purposes; and

(b) the internal service fund type, which accounts for the financing of goods or services provided by one department or agency to other departments or agencies of state government or to other governmental entities on a cost-reimbursed basis;

(3) the fiduciary fund category, which includes trust and custodial fund types used to account for assets held by state government in a trustee capacity or as an agent for individuals, private organizations, other governmental entities, or other funds. These include the:

(a) private purpose trust fund type;

(b) investment trust fund type;

(c) pension and other employee benefit trust fund type; and

(d) custodial fund type.

(4) the higher education funds, which include:

(a) the current fund, which accounts for money deposited in the state treasury that is used to pay current operating costs relating to instruction, research, public service, and allied support operations and programs conducted within the Montana university system. The financial activities of the current fund are subdivided, for operational purposes, into the four following subfunds to serve the purpose indicated:

(i) The unrestricted subfund segregates that portion of the current fund's financial resources that can be expended for general operations and is free of externally imposed restrictions, except those imposed by the legislature.

(ii) The restricted subfund segregates that portion of the current fund's financial resources that can be expended for general operations but only for purposes imposed by sources external to the board of regents and the legislature.

(iii) The designated subfund segregates that portion of the current fund's financial resources that is associated with general operations but is separately classified in order to accumulate costs that are to be recharged as allocated to other funds or subfunds, identifies financial activities related to special organized activities of educational departments in which the activity is fully supported by supplemental assessments, and identifies special supply and facility fees that are approved for collections beyond normal course fees and their disposition.

(iv) The auxiliary subfund segregates that portion of the current fund's financial resources that is devoted to providing essential on-campus services primarily to students, faculty, or staff in which a fee that is directly related to but does not necessarily equal the cost of the service provided is charged to the consumer.

(b) the student loan fund, which accounts for money deposited in the state treasury that may be loaned to students, faculty, or staff for purposes related to education, organized research, or public services by the Montana university system;

(c) the endowment fund, which accounts for money deposited in the state treasury by the Montana university system in which the principal portion of the amount received is nonexpendable but is available for investment. Expendable earnings on endowment funds are to be transferred to appropriate operating funds pursuant to prevailing administrative requirements.

(d) the annuity and life income fund, which accounts for money deposited in the state treasury by the Montana university system under an agreement by which the money is made available on the condition that the receiving unit of the Montana university system binds itself to pay stipulated amounts periodically to the donor or others designated by the donor over a specified period of time;

(e) the plant fund, which accounts for those financial resources allocated to or received by the Montana university system for capital outlay purposes or to retire long-term debts associated with construction or acquisition of fixed assets and the net accumulative results of these activities; and

(f) the custodial fund, which accounts for money deposited in the state treasury for which the Montana university system acts in the capacity of a custodian or fiscal agent for individual students, faculty, staff, and qualified organizations.