70-31-102. Definitions. As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires, the following definitions apply:

(1) "Agency" means a department, agency, or instrumentality of the state of Montana or of a political subdivision of the state, a department, agency, or instrumentality of two or more states or two or more political subdivisions of the state or of two or more states, or a person who has the authority to acquire property by eminent domain as provided in Title 70, chapter 30.

(2) "Appraisal" means a written statement, independently and impartially prepared by a qualified appraiser, setting forth an opinion of defined value of an adequately described property as of a specified date and supported by the presentation and analysis of relevant market information.

(3) "Average annual net earnings" means one-half of any net earnings of a business or farm operation, before federal and state income taxes, during the 2 tax years immediately preceding the tax year in which the business or farm operation moves from real property acquired for a project of an agency (for which federal financial assistance is available to pay all or any part of the cost) or during any other period that the acquiring agency determines to be more equitable for establishing earnings and includes any compensation paid by the business or farm operation to the owner, the owner's spouse, or the owner's dependents during the period.

(4) "Business" means any lawful activity, except a farm operation, conducted:

(a) primarily for the purchase, sale, lease, and rental of personal and real property and for the manufacture, processing, or marketing of products, commodities, or any other personal property;

(b) primarily for the sale of services to the public;

(c) primarily by a nonprofit organization; or

(d) solely for the purposes of paying moving or related expenses to assist in the purchase, sale, resale, manufacture, processing, or marketing of products, commodities, personal property, or services by the erection and maintenance of an outdoor advertising display or displays, whether or not the display or displays are located on the premises on which any of the activities included as a business are conducted.

(5) (a) "Displaced person" means:

(i) any person who moves from real property or moves that person's personal property from real property:

(A) as a direct result of a written notice of intent to acquire or by the acquisition of the real property, in whole or in part, for a program or project undertaken by a displacing agency for which federal financial assistance will be available to pay all or any part of the cost; or

(B) on which the person is a residential tenant or conducts a small business, farm operation, or a business defined in subsection (4)(d), as a direct result of rehabilitation, demolition, or other displacing activity prescribed by the agency under a program or project undertaken by a displacing agency that has determined that the displacement is permanent and for which federal financial assistance will be available to pay all or any part of the cost;

(ii) any person who, for purposes of providing moving and related expenses or relocation advisory services only, moves from real property or moves that person's personal property from real property as a direct result of:

(A) a written notice of intent to acquire or as a direct result of the acquisition of other real property, in whole or in part, on which the person conducts a business or farm operation, for a program or project undertaken by a displacing agency; or

(B) the rehabilitation, demolition, or other displacing activity prescribed by the agency under a program or project undertaken by a displacing agency that has determined that the displacement is permanent.

(b) The term "displaced person" does not include a person who:

(i) has been determined, according to criteria established by the agency, to be either unlawfully occupying the displacement dwelling or to have been occupying the dwelling for the purpose of obtaining assistance under this part; or

(ii) occupies property owned by the agency on a short-term rental basis or for a period subject to termination when the property is needed for the program or project and who was not an occupant of the property at the time it was acquired by the agency.

(6) "Farm operation" means any activity conducted solely or primarily for the production of one or more agricultural products or commodities, including timber, for sale or home use and customarily producing agricultural products or commodities in sufficient quantity to be capable of contributing materially to the operator's support.

(7) "Federal act" means the "Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970" or as that act may be amended.

(8) "Federal financial assistance" means a grant, loan, or contribution provided by the United States, except any federal guarantee or insurance.

(9) "Person" means any individual, partnership, corporation, or association.