Definitions

Definitions 1. “Covered individual” means a law enforcement officer or firefighter, including volunteer firefighters, as defined in this section when employed by an employer as defined in this section; it does not include employees of independent contractors. 2. “Employer” means a state board, commission, department, division, bureau or agency, or a county, municipality or other political subdivision of the state, which employs, appoints or otherwise engages the services of covered individuals. 3. “Firefighter” means an individual who is trained for the prevention and control of loss of life and property from fire or other emergencies, who is assigned to firefighting activity, and is required to respond to alarms and perform emergency actions at the location of a fire, hazardous materials or other emergency incident. 4. “Law enforcement officer” means any lawfully sworn officer or employee of the state or any political subdivision of the state whose duties require the officer or employee to investigate, pursue, apprehend, arrest, transport or maintain custody of persons who are charged with, suspected of committing, or convicted of a crime, whether the officer is on regular duty on full-time status, an auxiliary or reserve officer, or is serving on a temporary or part-time status. 5. “Cause of death” means any cause of death that would be covered under the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Act of 1976, the Hometown Heroes Survivors Benefits Act of 2003, generally codified at 42 USC Chapter 46, or the Safeguarding America’s First Responders Act of 2020.