Sec. 15. (a) As used in this section, "lawful detention" has the meaning set forth in IC 35-31.5-2-186.

(b) This section applies to a county only if the legislative body for the county elects by ordinance to implement this section.

(c) A person who is:

(1) sentenced under this article for a felony or a misdemeanor;

(2) subject to lawful detention in a county jail for a period of more than seventy-two (72) hours;

(3) not a member of a family that makes less than one hundred fifty percent (150%) of the federal income poverty level; and

(4) not detained as a child subject to the jurisdiction of a juvenile court;

shall reimburse the county for the costs described in subsection (d).

(d) A person described in subsection (c) shall reimburse the county for the sum of the following amounts:

(1) The lesser of:

(A) the per diem amount specified under subsection (e); or

(B) thirty dollars ($30);

multiplied by each day or part of a day that the person is lawfully detained in a county jail or lawfully detained under IC 35-33-11-3 for more than six (6) hours.

(2) The direct cost of investigating whether the person is indigent.

(3) The cost of collecting the amount for which the person is liable under this section.

(e) The county fiscal body shall fix the per diem described in subsection (d)(1)(A) in an amount that is reasonably related to the average daily cost of housing a person in the county jail. If the county transfers the person to another county or the department of correction under IC 35-33-11-3, the per diem is equal to the per diem charged to the county under IC 35-33-11-5.

(f) The county sheriff shall collect the amounts due from a person under this section in conformity with the procedures specified in the ordinance adopted under subsection (b). If the county sheriff does not collect the amount due to the county, the county attorney may collect the amount due.

As added by P.L.123-1998, SEC.2. Amended by P.L.114-2012, SEC.147.