Arizona Revised Statutes Title 31. Prisons and Prisoners § 31-229.01. Functionally literate inmates; education requirement; rules; inmate fees; definition

A. If an inmate is determined to be functionally literate pursuant to § 31-229, has not received a high school diploma and is responsible for the support of dependent children who are receiving assistance pursuant to title 46, chapter 2, article 5,  1 the inmate shall participate in educational instruction to continue the inmate's basic education to the degree of passing a general equivalency diploma test or an equivalency test approved by the state board of education.

B. The director of the state department of corrections in cooperation with the director of the department of economic security shall adopt rules to identify those inmates who are responsible for the support of dependent children who are receiving assistance pursuant to title 46, chapter 2, article 5 and to exchange necessary information.

C. Inmates responsible for the support of dependent children receiving assistance pursuant to title 46, chapter 2, article 5, who do not participate in educational instruction pursuant to this section shall not receive wages earned for labor performed in excess of the minimum amount necessary for inmate fees, as determined by the director, except that the inmate shall receive ten per cent of all wages earned. All remaining wages earned by the inmate shall be transferred to the general fund to offset the cost of the assistance provided pursuant to title 46, chapter 2, article 5.

D. For the purposes of this section, “inmate fees” means those fees established by rule by the director to offset the room and board costs of maintaining the prisoner at the facility, electrical utility costs, cost of medical services and court ordered restitution payments pursuant to § 13-603.