(a) The county governments of this state are authorized to provide workers' compensation coverage pursuant to this chapter for personal injury, disability, or death of volunteer public safety workers while actually engaged in performing volunteer public safety duties.(b) Any volunteer public safety organization desiring workers' compensation coverage for volunteer public safety workers of the organization may petition the quorum court of the county served by the organization for workers' compensation coverage under this chapter. By majority vote, the quorum court may elect to include the volunteer public safety workers as county employees for the sole purpose of workers' compensation coverage under the provisions of this chapter and §§ 14-60-101 - 14-60-104 and subject to the limitations of this chapter. The action by the quorum court shall not entitle the volunteer public safety workers to any benefits from the county other than workers' compensation coverage.(c) At its discretion, the quorum court may require as a condition for coverage that a volunteer public safety organization requesting workers' compensation coverage under this chapter pay the premium for that coverage from he quorum court may require as a condition for coverage that a volunteer public safety organization requesting workers' compensation coverage under this chapter pay the premium for that coverage from any public funds available to the organization or that the quorum court make a deduction in the amount of the cost of the coverage from any amounts which the county would normally provide to the volunteer public safety organization.(d) Volunteer public safety workers covered by workers' compensation pursuant to this chapter shall be deemed to have received such wages as will qualify them for minimum benefits applicable with respect to injury, disability, or death.Acts 1987, No. 527, § 2.
Arkansas Legal Code