§ 19-531. Inmate Trust Fund Checking Account.

A.  Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, the county sheriff may establish a checking account, to be designated the "Inmate Trust Fund Checking Account", to be managed by the county sheriff and maintained separately from regular county funds.  The checking account shall be subject to audit by the State Auditor and Inspector.  The county sheriff shall deposit all monies collected from inmates incarcerated in the county jail into this checking account and may write checks to the Sheriff's Commissary Account for purchases made by the inmate during his or her incarceration and to the inmate from unencumbered balances due the inmate upon his or her discharge.

B.  The sheriff may deduct an amount of Eight Dollars ($8.00) or more from any monies collected from an inmate as a medical payment on account for each medical services visit the inmate receives while incarcerated in the county jail, except as otherwise provided in this subsection.  The county sheriff may deduct an amount of ten cents ($0.10) per page from any monies collected from an inmate for copies made at the request of the inmate.  Any offender injured during the commission of a felony or misdemeanor offense or treated for any other medical condition or illness while incarcerated shall be required to reimburse the sheriff the full amount paid by the sheriff for any medical care or treatment administered to such offender during any period of incarceration in the county jail.  The sheriff may deduct the costs of medical care and treatment whether resulting from the commission of a felony or misdemeanor offense or for emergency or routine medical services from any money collected from such inmate's jail account at a rate of Eight Dollars ($8.00) or more per visit for medication or service dispensed.  If the funds collected from the inmate's jail account are insufficient to satisfy the actual or minimal payment on account for medical costs, the sheriff shall collect the remaining balance of the medical care and treatment as provided in Section 979a of Title 22 of the Oklahoma Statutes.

C.  The State Auditor and Inspector shall prescribe procedures for the operation of the Inmate Trust Fund Checking Account.  Banking fees on the account may be paid out of the Sheriff Commissary Account or the county sheriff's Service Fee Cash Fund.

Added by Laws 1993, c. 334, § 16, emerg. eff. June 9, 1993.  Amended by Laws 1996, c. 109, § 3, eff. Nov. 1, 1996; Laws 1997, c. 68, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 1997; Laws 1998, c. 290, § 1, eff. July 1, 1998; Laws 2003, c. 319, § 1.