Existing law requires the Department of General Services to ensure that all claims that have been approved by the department, and for which there exists no legally available appropriation, are submitted for legislative approval at least once each calendar year.

This bill would appropriate $672 to the Department of General Services, as specified, for the payment of claims accepted by the Government Claims Program.

This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Existing law requires the Department of General Services to ensure that all claims that have been approved by the department, and for which there exists no legally available appropriation, are submitted for legislative approval at least once each calendar year.

This bill would appropriate $672 to the Department of General Services, as specified, for the payment of claims accepted by the Government Claims Program.

This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Under existing law, if sufficient appropriations are not available for the payment of certain claims, settlements, or judgments, the Attorney General is required to report the claims, settlements, and judgments to the chairperson of either the Senate Committee on Appropriations or the Assembly Committee on Appropriations, who is then required to cause introduction of legislation appropriating the funds necessary for payment.

This bill would express the intention of the Legislature to enact subsequent legislation relating to the payment of claims against the state.

 THIRD READING  

Bill No: AB 1533

Author: Wicks (D)

Amended: 7/10/25 in Assembly

Vote: 27 - Urgency

SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: Senate Rule 28.8

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 74-0, 7/17/25 - See last page for vote

SUBJECT: Claims against the state: appropriation

SOURCE: Author

DIGEST:

This bill, an urgency measure, appropriates $672 to the Department of General Services (DGS) for the payment of two government claims.

ANALYSIS:

Existing law requires DGS to administer the Government Claims Program, which processes claims for money or damages against the state.

This bill appropriates $672 from the General Fund and special funds to DGS for the payment of two claims accepted by the Government Claims Program. Both of these claims are for reissuance of stale-dated warrants (expired checks). The individual claim amounts are $600.00 and $72.00, respectively.

Background

Prior to 2016, the California Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board (board) was responsible for specific claims against the state, including erroneous conviction claims, certain state employee claims, and reissuance of stale-dated warrants. Existing law, as enacted by SB 836 (Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review, Chapter 31, Statutes of 2016) now requires state agencies, with some exceptions, to pay claims from their existing appropriations. SB 836 also renamed the board the California Victim Compensation Board, which retains authority over the administration of erroneous conviction claims, and transferred the responsibility for approving government claims to DGS.

The re-issuance of stale-dated warrants (expired checks) is the most prevalent claim accepted by DGS’s Government Claims Program. For stale-dated warrants, the State Controller must confirm the check was not cashed and that more than three years has passed since the check was issued and the monies have reverted to the General Fund or to the relevant special fund. An appropriation is needed to reissue the payment for these warrants.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: Yes Fiscal Com.: Yes Local: No

According to the Senate Appropriations Committee:

• One-time General Fund appropriation in the amount of $600 to DGS for the re-issuance of an expired check issued by the Franchise Tax Board for a golden state stimulus check.
• One-time appropriation of $72.00 from the Motor Vehicle Account to DGS for the re-issuance of an expired check related to a vehicle license fee rebate.

SUPPORT: (Verified 8/26/25)

None received

OPPOSITION: (Verified 8/26/25)

None received

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 74-0, 7/17/25

AYES: Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Ahrens, Alanis, Arambula, Ávila Farías, Bains, Bauer-Kahan, Bennett, Boerner, Bonta, Bryan, Calderon, Caloza, Carrillo, Castillo, Chen, Connolly, Davies, DeMaio, Dixon, Elhawary, Ellis, Flora, Fong, Gabriel, Garcia, Gipson, Jeff Gonzalez, Mark González, Hadwick, Haney, Harabedian, Hart, Hoover, Irwin, Jackson, Kalra, Krell, Lackey, Lee, Lowenthal, Macedo, McKinnor, Muratsuchi, Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Patel, Patterson, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Ransom, Celeste Rodriguez, Michelle Rodriguez, Rogers, Blanca Rubio, Sanchez, Schiavo, Schultz, Sharp-Collins, Solache, Soria, Stefani, Ta, Tangipa, Valencia, Wallis, Ward, Wicks, Wilson, Rivas

NO VOTE RECORDED: Alvarez, Berman, Gallagher, Papan, Zbur

Prepared by: Mark McKenzie / APPR. / (916) 651-4101

8/27/25 16:31:46

**** END ****

ASSEMBLY THIRD READING

ATR Bill Id:AB 1533

Author:(Wicks)

As Amended Ver:July 10, 2025

2/3 vote. Urgency

SUMMARY

This bill, an urgency measure, appropriates $672.00 from various funds to the Department of General Services (DGS) to settle two claims against the state accepted by DGS's Government Claims Program (GCP).

Specifically, this bill appropriates:

1. $600.00 from the General Fund (GF) to the Franchise Tax Board (FTB) for purposes of reissuing a Golden State Stimulus check to Christina Chang.
2. $72.00 from the Motor Vehicle Account (MVA) to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) for purposes of reissuing a vehicle license fee (VLF) rebate from August 21, 2001, to Flor Albert.

The bill specifies that any funds appropriated in excess of the amounts actually required for the payment of the purposes listed above shall revert to the fund from which the appropriation was made on June 30 of the fiscal year in which the final payment is made.

Major Provisions

None.

COMMENTS

In prior years, the California Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board (board), was responsible for specific claims against the state, such as stale (expired) checks. SB 836, Chapter 31, Statutes of 2016, now requires state agencies, with some exceptions, to pay such claims from their existing appropriations. SB 836 also renamed the board the California Victim Compensation Board and transferred the responsibility for approving claims payment exceptions to the Department of General Services (DGS).

The re-issuance of stale-dated warrants (expired checks) is the most prevalent claim approved by DGS. For stale-dated warrants, the State Controller must confirm the check was not cashed, that more than three years has passed since the check was issued and the monies have reverted to the General Fund or to the relevant special fund. For these warrants an appropriation is needed to reissue the payment. Past claims have ranged from $13.68 to $28,724.00.

In this instance, the bill makes an appropriation for the reissuance of two stale-dated warrants totaling $672.00.

The first claim is for reissuance of a $600.00 check to Christina Chang, originally issued by the FTB on May 28, 2021, as part of the Golden State Stimulus program. Ms. Chang had not cashed the original check by May 28, 2024, when it expired.

The second claim is for reissuance of a $72.00 check to Flor Albert, originally issued by the DMV on August 21, 2001, for a rebate of vehicle license fee paid by Ms. Flor. Ms. Flor never cashed the check, which has since expired.

According to the Author

None on file.

Arguments in Support

None on file.

Arguments in Opposition

None on file.

FISCAL COMMENTS

1. One-time appropriation of $600 from the GF to the FTB.
2. One-time appropriation of $72 from the MVA to DMV.

VOTES

ASM APPROPRIATIONS: 15-0-0

YES: Wicks, Sanchez, Arambula, Calderon, Caloza, Dixon, Elhawary, Fong, Mark González, Hart, Pacheco, Pellerin, Solache, Ta, Tangipa

UPDATED

VERSION: July 10, 2025

CONSULTANT: Jay Dickenson / APPR. / (916) 319-2081 FN: 0001102

Date of Hearing: July 9, 2025

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Buffy Wicks, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 1533

Author:(Wicks) – As Amended Ver:June 23, 2025

Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: No Reimbursable: No

SUMMARY:

This bill appropriates $672.00 from various funds to the Department of General Services (DGS) to settle two claims against the state accepted by DGS’s Government Claims Program (GCP).

Specifically, this bill appropriates:

1. $600.00 from the General Fund (GF) to the Franchise Tax Board (FTB) for purposes of reissuing a Golden State Stimulus check to Christina Chang.
2. $72.00 from the Motor Vehicle Account (MVA) to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) for purposes of reissuing a Vehicle License Fee (VLF) rebate from August 21, 2001, to Flor Albert.

The bill specifies that any funds appropriated in excess of the amounts actually required for the payment of the purposes listed above shall revert to the fund from which the appropriation was made on June 30 of the fiscal year in which the final payment is made.

FISCAL EFFECT:

1. One-time appropriation of $600 from the GF to the FTB.
2. One-time appropriation of $72 from the MVA to DMV.

COMMENTS:

In prior years, the California Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board (board), was responsible for specific claims against the state, such as stale (expired) checks. SB 836, Chapter 31, Statutes of 2016, now requires state agencies, with some exceptions, to pay such claims from their existing appropriations. SB 836 also renamed the board the California Victim Compensation Board and transferred the responsibility for approving claims payment exceptions to the Department of General Services (DGS).

The re-issuance of stale-dated warrants (expired checks) is the most prevalent claim approved by DGS. For stale-dated warrants, the State Controller must confirm the check was not cashed, that more than three years has passed since the check was issued and the monies have reverted to the General Fund or to the relevant special fund. For these warrants an appropriation is needed to reissue the payment. Past claims have ranged from $13.68 to $28,724.00.

In this instance, the bill makes an appropriation for the reissuance of two stale-dated warrants totaling $672.00.

The first claim is for reissuance of a $600.00 check to Christina Chang, originally issued by the FTB on May 28, 2021, as part of the Golden State Stimulus program. Ms. Chang had not cashed the original check by May 28, 2024, when it expired.

The second claim is for reissuance of a $72.00 check to Flor Albert, originally issued by the DMV on August 21, 2001, for a rebate of vehicle license fee paid by Ms. Flor. Ms. Flor never cashed the check, which has since expired.

Analysis Prepared by: Jay Dickenson / APPR. / (916) 319-2081