Section 189. Disposition of moneys paid to prisoner for his labor

1. The
  amount of such compensation to the credit of any prisoner may  be  drawn
  by  the  prisoner  during  his  imprisonment,  only upon approval of the
  commissioner to aid dependent relatives of such prisoner,  or  for  such
  other purposes as the commissioner may approve. Such disbursement to aid
  a  dependent  relative  of a prisoner may be made without the consent of
  such prisoner  upon  the  certificate  of  the  commissioner  of  social
  services,  or  other  officer performing the duties of a commissioner of
  welfare, of the community  in  which  such  dependent  is  located.  Any
  balance  to  the  credit  of any prisoner at the time of his conditional
  release as provided by this chapter shall be subject to the draft of the
  prisoner in such amounts and at such times  as  the  commissioner  shall
  approve;  provided,  however,  that at the date of absolute discharge of
  any prisoner the balance as aforesaid shall be paid to such prisoner.
    2. The commissioner may  collect  from  the  compensation  paid  to  a
  prisoner  for  work  performed  while  housed  in  a general confinement
  facility an incarceration fee, not to exceed one dollar  per  week,  for
  each  week of confinement to help defray the costs of incarceration. The
  commissioner shall  waive  the  collection  of  such  fee  where  it  is
  determined  that  the  payment  of  the  fee  would work an unreasonable
  hardship on the prisoner or his or her immediate family.
    * NB Effective until September 1, 2011