64-13-30.5 - Payment by inmate for postsecondary educational tuition.
64-13-30.5. Payment by inmate for postsecondary educational tuition.
(1) (a) An inmate participating in a postsecondary education program through thedepartment shall pay to the department at the time of enrollment 50% of the costs of thepostsecondary education tuition.
(b) If an inmate desires to participate in the postsecondary education program but isunable to pay the costs of the education because of inadequate financial resources, the inmatemay participate in a deferred tuition payment program under this section.
(c) The department and the Office of State Debt Collection shall coordinate a deferredpostsecondary education tuition repayment program to provide inmates a reasonable paymentschedule and payment amount to allow for deferred payment of the postsecondary educationaltuition obligation the inmate incurred while under supervision of the department, which shall:
(i) account for all postsecondary education tuition costs incurred by the inmate whileunder the supervision of the department;
(ii) establish an appropriate time for the inmate to begin payment of postsecondaryeducation tuition costs, which shall require that payments start no later than two years aftertermination of parole; and
(iii) establish a payment schedule and payment amounts, including prevailing interestrates, commensurate with student loans currently being offered by local financial institutions.
(d) Neither the department nor the Office of State Debt Collection may relieve anoffender of the postsecondary tuition repayment responsibility.
(e) The department shall pay costs of postsecondary education not paid by the offender atthe time of participation in the program from the Prison Telephone Surcharge Account.
(2) (a) Of those tuition funds collected by the Office of State Debt Collection under thissection, 10% may be used by the Office of State Debt Collection for operation of the deferredpayment program.
(b) All other funds collected as repayment for postsecondary tuition costs shall bedeposited in the Prison Telephone Surcharge Account.
(3) Only inmates lawfully present in the United States may participate in thepostsecondary educational program offered through the department.
Enacted by Chapter 258, 2009 General Session