APPROVED CHAPTER
JUNE 10, 2025 234
BY GOVERNOR PUBLIC LAW
STATE OF MAINE
_____
IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE
_____
H.P. 394 - L.D. 626
An Act to Explicitly Allow the Department of Corrections to Charge Room
and Board to Residents Who Perform Remote Work in Detention and
Correctional Facilities and to Amend the Laws Governing Rehabilitative
Programs
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 34-A MRSA §3035, first ¶, as amended by PL 2019, c. 113, Pt. C, §88, is
further amended to read:
The commissioner may adopt, implement and establish rules for rehabilitative
programs, including, but not limited to, work release, education release, remote work,
furlough and, public service release and programs resulting in the payment of restitution,
as authorized described by Title 17‑A, chapter 69 section 2016, within for residents of the
facilities under the commissioner's control.
Sec. 2. 34-A MRSA §3035, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2013, c. 80, §7, is further
amended to read:
1. Work release and restitution, education release, remote work and public
service release. The chief administrative officer may permit any client resident under
sentence to the department and any juvenile client residing at a facility under the
commissioner's control considered to be worthy of trust to participate in activities outside
the facility, including, but not limited to, work release, education release and public service
release, or remote work activities within the facility under the following conditions.
A. Activities may include training and employment.
B. Activities are subject to rules promulgated adopted by the commissioner.
C. Activities must, in the judgment of the chief administrative officer, contribute to
the reformation of the client resident and assist in preparing the client resident for
eventual release.
D. Transportation to work release job sites in the community must be approved by the
chief administrative officer.
Page 1 - 132LR0493(04)
 (1) Clients Residents participating in the work release program may be assessed
an equitable share of the cost of the transportation, not to exceed 10% of a resident's
work release earnings.
(2) Funds received from clients residents for work release transportation must be
placed in the General Fund.
E. Every client resident participating in the work release program or in remote work
activities is liable for the cost of room and board in the facility.
(1) The reasonable cost of room and board for a client resident in a facility is fixed
by the commissioner. In fixing the reasonable cost of the room and board to be
paid, the commissioner shall take into consideration other state laws or judicial
determinations that affect the client's resident's income. The cost of room and
board may not exceed 10% of the resident's work release or remote work earnings.
(2) Funds received from clients residents for the room and board must be placed
in the General Fund.
Page 2 - 132LR0493(04)


Statutes affected:
Bill Text ACTPUB , Chapter 234: 34-A.3035