(2) Persons committed to the custody of the Department of Corrections may be assigned to Department of Corrections bedspace at a regional correctional facility when the department is a party to the operation of the facility. Prisoners so assigned are subject to such rules as the department may prescribe and shall be considered to remain in the custody of the department regardless of whether, pursuant to agreement, the regional correctional facility is or is not under the actual administration of the department. [1971 c.636 §5; 1985 c.708 §4; 1987 c.320 §101]