Government Code section 12478

Upon receipt of proof, satisfactory to the Controller, that a payroll warrant issued by the Controller has been lost or destroyed prior to its delivery to the employee to whom it is payable, the Controller shall, upon certification by the payee’s appointing power, issue a replacement warrant in payment of the same amount, without requiring a bond from the payee, and any loss incurred in connection therewith shall be charged against the account from which the payment was derived. Without limiting the generality of the preceding sentence, a payroll warrant shall be considered to have been lost if it has been sent to the payee but not received by him within a reasonable time, consistent with the policy of prompt payment of employees or if it has been sent to a state officer or employee for delivery to the payee or for forwarding to another state officer or employee for such delivery, and has not been received within such reasonable time.
A replacement warrant is void if not presented for payment to the Treasurer within the same time limit provided by law for the original warrant.

Source: Section 12478, https://leginfo.­legislature.­ca.­gov/faces/codes_displaySection.­xhtml?lawCode=GOV§ionNum=12478.­ (updated Jun. 20, 2014; accessed Jul. 14, 2025).

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Verified:
Jul. 14, 2025

§ 12478's source at ca​.gov