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HomeGovernment CodeDiv. 4Pt. 4Ch. 2Art. 2§ 17221 State Warrant Payment Process

§ 17221 State Warrant Payment Process

Government Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 17221 State Warrant Payment Process

Key Takeaways

  • •If the state tries to spend more money than it has in its main bank account, it can't just write a check and hope it works.
  • •The state has to mark the check as 'not paid because we don't have enough money' and promise to pay it later with interest.
  • •The state keeps a daily list of all these unpaid checks so it doesn't forget about them.
  • •These unpaid checks are called 'registered warrants' and they earn interest until the state can pay them.

Example

Imagine the state wants to pay a company $100,000 for building a new school, but it only has $50,000 left in its bank account.

The state can't just write a $100,000 check because there isn't enough money. Instead, it writes the check but marks it as 'not paid' and promises to pay it later with extra money (interest). The state adds this check to a list of unpaid checks and will pay it when it has enough money.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 17221 State Warrant Payment Process

Whenever the Controller draws a warrant upon the Treasurer payable out of the General Fund in an amount in excess of the balance remaining in the unapplied money in the General Fund after first deducting from the unapplied money the amount, as estimated by the Controller, that is required by law to be earmarked, reserved, or set apart from the unapplied money for the payment of obligations of the state having priority over the obligation to which the warrant is applicable, the Controller shall upon the same day present it to the Treasurer, or seek the Treasurer’s delegation to endorse the warrant as required by this section. The Treasurer shall endorse, or delegate to the Controller to endorse, upon its back the date of presentation or endorsement by the Controller; that it is not paid for want of funds; and that it bears interest at the rate fixed pursuant to law from the date of the registration to the date of maturity, or the date upon which the Treasurer advertises that it is payable upon presentation if it bears no date of maturity. Warrants so endorsed are registered warrants. The Controller shall supply the Treasurer with a daily list of the numbers of the warrants so registered. (Amended by Stats. 1993, Ch. 766, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 1994.)

Last verified: January 22, 2026

Key Terms

ControllerTreasurerGeneral Fundregistered warrantsendorsement

Related Statutes

  • § 17223 Warrant Registration And Advertising
  • § 16351 Special Fund Transfers
  • § 16374 Unclaimed State Trust Funds
  • § 17221.5 Registered Warrant Maturity Rules
  • § 17224 Warrant Registration And Return

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Government Code. Section 17221.
View Official Source