§25-7-14. Agreement between commissioner and private person for manufacturing pursuant to Prison Industry Enhancement (PIE) Certification Program; wages; inmate participation on voluntary basis; and workers' compensation.

(a) The Commissioner of the Division of Corrections and a private person or entity may enter into an agreement to establish a program for inmates to manufacture articles and products pursuant to the federal Prison Industry Enhancement (PIE) Certification Program. The agreement shall include the following:

(1) That a participating inmate be paid at a rate not less than that paid for similar work in the same locality's private sector, including applicable wage increases for overtime work;

(2) That an inmate's work or participation in a PIE certification program shall be only on a voluntary basis and only after the inmate has been informed of the conditions of participation;

(3) That, in the discretion of the commissioner or the commissioner's designee, any inmate may be removed from or refused participation in the PIE certification program;

(4) That the agreement will not result in the displacement of civilian workers; and

(5) That the private person or entity shall provide for workers' compensation insurance, or equivalent coverage, to inmates participating in the PIE certification program: Provided, That the commissioner of the division of corrections may provide workers compensation or equivalent insurance coverage for persons participating in the PIE certification program, if reimbursement is made to the division by the private person or entity for all costs of the workers' compensation insurance or equivalent coverage, as a condition of the agreement.

(b) The provisions of this section shall not apply to correctional industry service contracts under section four of this article or to operations authorized in section three of this article that are restricted from sale in the open market.

(c) A commercial or agricultural enterprise established under this chapter is a private enterprise subject to federal and state laws governing the operation of similar enterprises.

(d) The earnings of an inmate participating in a PIE certification program under this article shall be deposited in the Inmate Trust Account with the Division of Corrections. The earnings shall be paid to the inmate after withholding of state, federal and local taxes, and after other deductions provided for in this chapter, including expenses for room and board: Provided, That the commissioner shall adopt policies and procedures for the additional deduction from an inmate's earnings of not less than five percent nor more than twenty percent, to be paid into the Crime Victims Compensation Fund created by article two-a, chapter fourteen of this code. Total deductions shall not exceed eighty percent of the inmate's gross earnings. Earnings deposited by the commissioner, with accrued interest, shall be paid to the inmate no later than at the inmate's discharge or release on parole.

(e) Spousal support or child support shall be deducted from an inmate's earnings as directed by the inmate or by court order. If the inmate's dependents are receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), the disbursements shall be made to the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement or any other state's public assistance agency.