1. Participation in public works projects authorized.  The sheriff in charge of a county jail, or the sheriff of a county that shares a regional jail with other counties, may permit certain inmates of that jail to participate in public works-related projects or in the improvement of property owned by charitable organizations in that county or another county. A project or improvement must be supervised by the sheriff of the county in which the project or improvement is being conducted. The sheriff may request payment from charitable organizations for the transportation of the prisoners and for the transportation and per diem compensation for any guards who accompany the prisoners. For the purposes of this section, "charitable organization" means any nonprofit organization organized or incorporated in this State or having a principal place of business in this State that is exempt from federal income taxation under the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, Section 501(a), because the nonprofit organization is described in the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, Section 501(c)(3).

1-A. Court approval. 

2. Sentence prorated.  Inmates participating in a public works-related project or an improvement of property owned by a charitable organization under this section may have their sentences to the jail prorated at the rate of up to one day removed from the sentences for every 16 hours of participation in the project, except that inmates committed to the custody of the sheriff for nonpayment of fines under Title 17-A, section 1304 must have their sentences prorated at the rate that is applicable to the individual inmate pursuant to Title 17-A, section 1304, subsection 3, paragraph A, subparagraph (1).

3. Participation not deemed employment.  Participation in this type of project may not be deemed employment under section 1605, subsections 3 to 8.