(a) When a committed criminal offender is released on parole or probation or is discharged, the department, at the discretion of the department and subject to subsection (c), shall:

1. (1) either:

   1. (A) procure transportation for the released offender to the released offender's designated place of residence;
   2. (B) procure public transportation for the released offender to the Indiana city or town that is nearest to the released offender's designated place of residence; or
   3. (C) upon request of the released offender, provide transportation for the released offender to any other place in Indiana as the commissioner may designate; and

2. (2) provide the released offender with an amount of money to be determined by the department in accordance with procedures approved by the budget agency to enable the released offender to meet the released offender's immediate needs.

   Except as provided in subdivision (2), a released offender is not entitled to receive a payment in lieu of transportation under this subsection.

(b) The department shall establish standards for use in determining the amount of money to be paid under subsection (a)(2) to a released offender upon release on parole or probation or upon discharge. These standards:

1. (1) must be consistently applied to each released offender upon release or discharge;
2. (2) must take into account amounts earned by a released offender through a work release program before release or discharge; and
3. (3) may allow for no payment to a released offender who is determined by the department to have accumulated a sufficient amount of money to meet the released offender's immediate needs upon release or discharge.

(d) The department may provide transportation to, or procure transportation or public transportation to, a county other than the released offender's county of residence at the time of conviction if the released offender:

1. (1) has been ordered by a court to serve home detention, probation, or community corrections in a county other than the released offender's county of residence; or

2. (2) provides written proof that:

   1. (A) the released offender has been accepted into a reentry program offered or approved by a:

      1. (i) court;
      2. (ii) state agency; or
      3. (iii) local county or municipal agency; and

   2. (B) the:

      1. (i) released offender has employment; or

      2. (ii) reentry program plan includes a housing plan that has been approved or established by an entity described in clause (A)(i) through (A)(iii). For purposes of this item, a housing plan does not include housing provided by a homeless shelter.

         As added by Acts 1979, P.L.120, SEC.3. Amended by P.L.128-1985, SEC.1; P.L.240-1991(ss2), SEC.56; P.L.264-1999, SEC.1; P.L.212-2023, SEC.1.