A. The Department of Corrections may extend the limits of the place of confinement of a committed offender at any of the state correctional facilities by authorizing such committed offender under special conditions to be away from such correctional facility but within the state. Such authority may be granted for any of the following purposes:

1. To attend the funeral of a relative;

2. To visit a critically ill relative;

3. To obtain medical, psychiatric, sociological or social services in the community; or

4. To participate in public works projects.

B. Except as provided in subsection C of this section, the Department of Corrections may extend the limits of the place of confinement of a committed offender at any of the state correctional facilities by granting the offender a pass authorizing the committed offender to be away from the correctional facility, but within the state, for any of the following purposes:

1. To contact prospective employers;

2. To secure a suitable residence for use upon release on parole or discharge;

3. To participate in work, educational and training programs in the community; or

4. For any other reasons consistent with the reintegration of a committed offender into the community, if authorized by law.

C. Offenders whose controlling, concurrent, or consecutive sentence is for a sex or incest related offense or drug trafficking offense or who have a prior conviction for a sex or incest offense or drug trafficking offense shall not be eligible for passes authorized by subsection B of this section at minimum security facilities. Offenders assigned to a community treatment center or a community security facility whose controlling, concurrent, or consecutive sentence is for a sex or incest related offense or drug trafficking offense or who have a prior conviction for a sex or incest offense or drug trafficking offense shall not be eligible for passes authorized by subsection B of this section until they are within eleven (11) months of current release date or on a parole stipulation for work release of one hundred eighty (180) days or less, except that offenders with a conviction for forcible sodomy, rape in the first degree, rape by instrumentation, or lewd or indecent act with a child shall not be eligible for passes until they are within six (6) months of current release date or in the final ninety (90) days of a parole stipulation.

D. For the purpose of this section, "relative" means the offender's father, mother, child, stepchild or adopted child, brother, sister, current spouse, or grandparents, and upon acceptable documentation, any person who served a parental capacity. Any approved visit may be considered a cost of incarceration reimbursable to the Department.

E. A person away from a correctional facility, pursuant to this section, and who is classified in medium or higher security shall be accompanied by an officer or other employee of the Department.

F. A committed offender is, during his absence, to be considered as in the custody of the correctional facility and the time of such absence is to be considered as part of the term of sentence. Failure to return to the facility shall be deemed an escape and subject to such penalty as provided by law.

G. Except as provided in subsection C of this section and subject to the approval of the Department, the administrator of a county or municipal jail or correctional facility may grant leave authority to a committed offender in such jail or facility for the purposes specified in subsections A or B of this section.

Added by Laws 1980, c. 197, § 1, emerg. eff. May. 12, 1980. Amended by Laws 1985, c. 202, § 4, emerg. eff. June 28, 1985; Laws 1989, c. 149, § 1, emerg. eff. May 8, 1989; Laws 1997, c. 357, § 9, emerg. eff. June 9, 1997; Laws 2002, c. 43, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2002 and Laws 2002, c. 465, § 1, eff. July 1, 2002.