(a) The commissioner is authorized to establish at each institution under his or her jurisdiction a “Trustee Fund”. The superintendent of each institution shall receive and take charge of the money and personal property, as defined by policy, of all inmates or residents in his or her institution and all money or personal property, as defined by policy, sent to the inmates or residents or earned by the inmates as compensation for work performed while they are domiciled there. The superintendent shall credit the money and earnings to the inmate or resident entitled to it and shall keep an accurate account of all the money and personal property so received, which account is subject to examination by the commissioner. The superintendent shall deposit the moneys in one or more responsible banks in accounts to be designated “Trustee Fund”.
(b) For all felony sentenced inmates, except those serving life without mercy and those the superintendent determines are likely to serve the remainder of their natural lives in the custody of the division due to their age and the length of their sentences, the superintendent shall keep in an account at least 10 percent of all money earned during the inmate’s or resident’s incarceration and pay the money to the inmate or resident at the time of the inmate’s or resident’s release. The superintendent may authorize the inmate to withdraw money from his or her mandatory savings for the purpose of preparing the inmate for reentry into society.
(c) The commissioner may direct that offenders who work in community work programs, including work release inmates who have obtained employment, make reimbursement to the state toward the cost of his or her incarceration.
(d)(1) Prior to ordering an incarcerated offender to make reimbursement toward the costs of his or her incarceration, the commissioner, or his or her designee, shall consider the following:
(A) The offender’s ability to pay;