Sec. 403.249. DUTIES OF COMPTROLLER. (a) The comptroller shall notify the state auditor when a state agency requests a certification under Section 403.247(b) for a petty cash account.

(b) The comptroller shall use the agency's estimate of probable disbursements from the account during the fiscal year to determine whether the agency has a sufficient appropriation from the fund during the fiscal year to cover those disbursements. The comptroller shall notify the state agency of the determination.

(c) The comptroller may approve a state agency's written request to increase or decrease the petty cash accounts limitations specified in Section 403.246 if the comptroller determines that the increase or decrease is appropriate. The comptroller shall notify the state auditor of any increase or decrease of a petty cash account.

(d) When a state agency submits documentation to the comptroller as part of the procedure for replenishing a petty cash account, the comptroller shall treat the documentation as a proposed expenditure of appropriated funds.

(e) The comptroller shall follow the regular procedures used for auditing claims against the state.

(f) As soon as possible after the beginning of each fiscal year, the comptroller shall review:

(1) each petty cash account to ensure that the corresponding state agency has a sufficient appropriation from the fund to cover projected disbursements from the account during the following fiscal year; and

(2) each petty cash account for advancing travel expense money to ensure that the current amount of the account complies with the limits specified in Section 403.246.

(g) The comptroller shall send the results of the review required by Subsection (f) to the state auditor.

(h) The comptroller may temporarily lapse a state agency's unencumbered appropriations from the fund in an amount equal to the shortage in its petty cash account if the state auditor certifies the existence of that shortage to the comptroller.

(i) The comptroller shall reinstate the lapsed unencumbered appropriations of a state agency if the state auditor certifies to the comptroller that the agency has adopted procedures to prevent similar shortages from occurring in the future.

(j) The comptroller, after consulting with the state auditor, shall adopt necessary rules for the efficient administration of this section.

Added by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 744, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1991.