Ga. Code § 45-9-81

Current through 2023-2024 Legislative Session Chapter 709

Section 45-9-81 - Definitions

As used in this part, the term:

(1) "Commission" means the Georgia State Indemnification Commission.

(2) "Department" means the Department of Administrative Services.

(3) "Emergency management rescue specialist" means any person licensed as an emergency management rescue specialist pursuant to Code Section 38-3-36.

(4) "Emergency medical technician" includes only persons who:

(A) Are certified as emergency medical technicians, paramedics, or cardiac technicians under Chapter 11 of Title 31; and

(B) Are employed in the capacity for which they are so certified by a department, agency, authority, or other instrumentality of state or local government.

(5)

(A) "Firefighter" means any person who is employed as a professional firefighter on a full-time or part-time basis by any municipal, county, or state government fire department employing three or more firefighters and who has the responsibility of preventing and suppressing fires, protecting life and property, enforcing municipal, county, and state fire prevention codes, enforcing any law pertaining to the prevention and control of fires or who performs any acts or actions while on duty or when responding to a fire or emergency during any fire or other emergency or while performing duties intended to protect life and property.

(B) Such term shall also mean any individual serving as an officially recognized or designated member of a legally organized volunteer fire department, or any employee of the State Forestry Commission whose job duties include fire mitigation, who performs any acts or actions while on duty or when responding to a fire or emergency during any fire or other emergency or while performing duties intended to protect life and property.

(C) Such term shall also mean any individual employed by a person or corporation which has a contract with a municipal corporation or county to provide fire prevention and fire-fighting services to such municipal corporation or county and any such individual is employed on a full-time basis of at least 40 hours per week and has the responsibility of preventing and suppressing fires, protecting life and property, enforcing municipal or county fire prevention codes, enforcing any municipal or county ordinances pertaining to the prevention and control of fires or who performs any acts or actions while on duty or when responding to a fire or emergency during any fire or other emergency or while performing duties intended to protect life and property.

(6) "In the line of duty" means:

(A) With respect to an emergency medical technician or an emergency management rescue specialist, while on duty and when responding to or returning from an emergency or performing duties at the scene of an emergency or transporting a person to a medical facility for emergency treatment or returning therefrom;

(B) With respect to a volunteer firefighter, while on duty and when responding to or returning from a fire or other emergency or performing duties during any fire or other emergency or performing duties intended to protect life and property, including, without limitation, actual participation in a training exercise;

(C) With respect to a law enforcement officer or firefighter, while on duty and performing services for and receiving compensation from the law enforcement and fire service agency which employs such officer or firefighter, while off duty when responding to any situation which would save a life or preserve the peace, or while preventing or attempting to prevent the commission of a crime or fire. A law enforcement officer or firefighter who is performing duties for and receiving compensation from a private employer at the time of such officer's or firefighter's death or bodily injury causing total permanent disability or partial permanent disability shall not be considered in the line of duty if the officer or firefighter is entitled to workers' compensation benefits from the private employer or the private employer's insurer;

(D) With respect to a prison guard, while on duty and performing services for and receiving compensation from the public agency which employs such prison guard; or

(E) With respect to a state highway employee, while on duty and performing any work necessary for the construction, maintenance, or operation of a roadway on or within the public roads of the state as defined in paragraph (24) of Code Section 32-1-3 when such employee is killed or permanently disabled as the result of working under hazardous conditions in close proximity to moving traffic or equipment.

Such term shall not mean commuting to or from work or commuting to or from training.

(7) "Law enforcement officer" means any agent or officer of this state, a political subdivision or municipality of this state, or an authority of this state or a political subdivision of this state who, as a full-time or part-time employee, is vested either expressly by law or by virtue of public employment or service with authority to enforce the criminal or traffic laws with the power of arrest and whose duties include the preservation of public order, the protection of life and property, or the prevention, detection, or investigation of crime. Such term also includes the employees designated by the commissioner of juvenile justice pursuant to paragraph (2) of subsection (i) of Code Section 49-4A-8 who have the duty to investigate and apprehend delinquent children, or the supervision of delinquent children under intensive supervision in the community, and any child with a pending juvenile court case alleging the child to be a child in need of services who has escaped from a facility under the jurisdiction of the Department of Juvenile Justice or who has broken the conditions of supervision. Such term also includes members of the Georgia National Guard and the State Defense Force, the composition of which is set forth in Code Section 38-2-3, who have been called into active state service by the Governor.

(8) "Organic brain damage" means direct physical trauma to the brain which so affects the mental capacity as to preclude function productively in any employment.

(9) "Partial permanent disability"' means disability due to:

(A) Loss of the use of one eye or blindness in one eye with only light perception;

(B) Loss of one hand;

(C) Loss of one leg; or

(D) Loss of a lower extremity or the residual effect of an organic disease or injury which so affects the functions of balance or propulsion as to preclude locomotion without the use of a wheelchair for all but very short distances.

(10) "Prison guard" means any person employed by the state or any political subdivision thereof whose principal duties relate to the supervision and incarceration of persons accused or convicted of the violation of the criminal laws of this state or any political subdivision thereof. Such term shall also mean any community supervision officer who is required to be certified under Chapter 8 of Title 35, the "Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Act," and whose principal duties directly relate to the supervision of probationers or parolees. Such term also means any person employed by the state or any political subdivision thereof whose principal duties include the supervision of youth who are charged with or adjudicated for an act which if committed by adults would be considered a crime.

(11) "Public safety officer" means a law enforcement officer, firefighter, emergency medical technician, emergency management rescue specialist, state highway employee, or prison guard.

(12) "State highway employee" means an employee of the Georgia Department of Transportation who receives compensation directly therefrom and regularly engages in duties necessary for the construction, maintenance, or operation of roadways on or within the public roads of this state as defined in paragraph (24) of Code Section 32-1-3.

(13) "Total permanent disability" means disability due to:

(A) Loss of both eyes or blindness in both eyes with only light perception;

(B) Loss or loss of use of both hands;

(C) Loss or loss of use of both legs;

(D) Loss of a lower extremity or the residual effect of an organic disease or injury which so affects the functions of balance or propulsion as to preclude locomotion without resort to a wheelchair at all times; or

(E) Organic brain damage.

OCGA § 45-9-81

Amended by 2023 Ga. Laws 335,§ 1, eff. 5/3/2023.

Amended by 2021 Ga. Laws 173,§ 1, eff. 7/1/2021.

Amended by 2016 Ga. Laws 625,§ 45, eff. 5/3/2016.

Amended by 2015 Ga. Laws 73,§ 5-95, eff. 7/1/2015.

Amended by 2014 Ga. Laws 558,§ 2, eff. 7/1/2014.

Amended by 2013 Ga. Laws 127,§ 4-50, eff. 1/1/2014.

Amended by 2013 Ga. Laws 33,§ 45, eff. 4/24/2013.

Amended by 2009 Ga. Laws 8,§ 45, eff. 4/14/2009.

Amended by 2008 Ga. Laws 536,§ 1, eff. 7/1/2008.

Amended by 2005 Ga. Laws 68,§ 27-1, eff. 7/1/2005.

Amended by 2002 Ga. Laws 462, § 45, eff. 4/18/2002.

Amended by 2002 Ga. Laws 787, § 1, eff. 7/1/2002.

Amended by 2002 Ga. Laws 952, §§ 2, 3 eff. 7/1/2002.