Government Code section 16351
(a)
When any special fund in the treasury is exhausted, and there is money in the General Fund not required to meet any demand which has accrued or may accrue against it, the Controller shall so report to the Governor and the Treasurer. If the Governor and Treasurer find that the money is not needed in the General Fund, the Governor may order the Controller to transfer that money, or any part thereof, to the special fund in need.(b)
Money transferred pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be returned to the General Fund as soon as there is sufficient money in the special fund to return it.(c)
If sufficient money does not accumulate in the special fund within one year, the amount of money transferred or whatever portion of that amount is in the fund at that time shall be then returned, and the balance, if any, shall be returned thereafter in monthly installments as it accumulates. Any fund which fails to return the full amount of any transfer within one year from and after the transfer is ineligible to receive further transfers until it has returned the full amount.
Source:
Section 16351, https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=GOV§ionNum=16351. (accessed May 26, 2025).