2-15-2040. Definitions. For the purposes of 2-15-2040 through 2-15-2045, the following definitions apply:

(1) "Board" means the Montana end of watch trust board established in 2-15-2044.

(2) "Catastrophic injury" means an injury directly related to an individual's required employment duties with direct or proximate consequences that renders the individual in need of 24-hour care, permanently incapacitates the individual, and permanently prevents the individual from performing any gainful work.

(3) "Department" means the department of justice.

(4) "Immediate family" means a law enforcement officer's spouse and dependent children under age 18, including children to whom the law enforcement officer is a legal guardian.

(5) "In the line of duty" means an action taken by a law enforcement officer or an activity in which a law enforcement officer participated:

(a) as required or authorized by law, rule, regulation, condition of employment, or professional ethics; and

(b) for which compensation is provided by the officer's employer or would have been provided by the officer's employer if the officer had been on duty at the time the action in question was taken.

(6) "Law enforcement officer" means:

(a) a police officer, deputy sheriff, undersheriff, highway patrol officer, investigator appointed by the department of justice, fish and game warden, park ranger, or other public safety officer certified by the public safety officer standards and training council; or

(b) a sheriff.