The department shall contract with as many counties as funding permits for litter removal along public roads and beaches using prison inmates subsidized by the State on a per mile or per square mile basis. Participation by the counties shall be entirely voluntary. The rate of subsidy per mile or per square mile shall be negotiated between the department and the counties, if necessary, taking into account specified varying conditions that affect the cost of litter removal. The rates established shall not exceed the cost of doing the same work with civilian labor. The department shall contract initially with no more than three counties for a period of at least six months in a carefully designed and monitored experiment to determine the costs of litter removal under varying conditions. Upon completion of these experiments the board shall issue a written statement of the factors to be incorporated in determining the per mile or per square mile rate of subsidy and, subject to published alterations in this statement, shall negotiate all subsequent contracts on the basis of the factors specified in the statement.

HISTORY: 1978 Act No. 496 Section 14.