WILLIAM DONALD SCHAEFER, Governor Ch. 664
[639A.

(1)  A District Court judge in Queen Anne's County may
direct that any person sentenced by him to a period of
confinement in the county jail be granted the privilege of
leaving actual confinement during necessary and reasonable hours
for the purpose of working at gainful private employment. Nothing
in this section shall be construed to authorize the release of a
prisoner for any other purpose or at any time other than that
during which he is actually employed or actually going to or from
his place of employment.

(2)  The Department of Parole and Probation shall determine
the time actually necessary for a prisoner to go to and from his
place of employment and to perform the duties required of him as
an employee. Prior to any release pursuant to this section, a
prisoner shall sign an agreement to return to the county jail at
the time so determined by the Department (to be specified by hour
in the agreement) or immediately after his work is over,
whichever is earlier, and in any event to return directly to the
jail following the termination of his daily employment; to enter
no vehicle or building except in the ordinary course of his
employment; to surrender his total earnings as provided in
subsection (3) of this section; to have no alcoholic beverages in
his possession at any time; to bring no object into the jail
without the express permission of the Sheriff or a deputy
sheriff; and to observe such other conditions as may be deemed
proper and designated in the agreement by the District Court
judge. A prisoner released from actual confinement who wilfully
fails to return to the county jail at the time specified in such
agreement shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction,
shall be subject to the penalties provided for escape in Article
27, § 139, of this Code. A prisoner released from actual
confinement who violates any other condition of such agreement
shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be
subject to an additional term of imprisonment in the county jail
of not more than six months.

(3)  A prisoner employed pursuant to this section shall
surrender to the Department of Parole and Probation his total
earnings, less payroll deductions required by law. The Department
shall deduct and disburse from such earnings, in the following
order of priority: (i) the cost to the county of providing food
and lodging for such prisoner, (ii) the actual and necessary
food, travel and other expenses of such prisoner when released
from actual confinement in connection with his employment, (iii)
any fines and costs imposed by the District Court, (iv) such
amount as the prisoner may be legally obligated to pay for the
support of his dependents. Any balance remaining after such
deductions and disbursements shall be paid to the prisoner upon
his final release.

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