(a) The Secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation may authorize the temporary removal of any inmate from prison or any other institution for the detention of adults under the jurisdiction of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, including removal for the purpose of attending college classes. The secretary may require that the temporary removal be under custody. Unless the inmate is removed for medical treatment, the removal shall not be for a period longer than three days. The secretary may require the inmate to reimburse the state, in whole or in part, for expenses incurred by the state in connection with the temporary removal other than for medical treatment.
(b) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2013.