§ 19-4-1906 - Letters of credit. - Arkansas Statutes

19-4-1906. Letters of credit.

(a) As used in this subchapter, unless the context otherwise requires:

(1) "Checks-paid letter of credit" means a system which requires state warrants to be issued without federal moneys on deposit in the State Treasury. The federal share of the warrants would only become available to the Treasurer of State on the day the warrants are presented for redemption. A receipt would be processed and credited to the proper fund before the warrants are redeemed;

(2) "Delay-of-drawdown letter of credit" means a system which requires the Auditor of State to issue warrants without federal moneys on deposit in the State Treasury for specific programs primarily financed by federal moneys. Moneys are drawn upon the letter of credit and deposited with the Treasurer of State based on an agreement with the federal government establishing warrant redemption patterns. Deposits are made each day based on estimates of the amount of warrants to be redeemed each day. In the event that warrants are presented for redemption on a given day in excess of the amount deposited in the State Treasury, an additional amount of moneys may be requested on a letter of credit and deposited with the Treasurer of State to enable proper warrant redemption and to prevent deficit spending; and

(3) "Federal letter of credit" means an instrument certified by an authorized official of a grantor agency which authorizes a grantee to draw funds needed for immediate disbursement in accordance with the provisions of Treasury Circular 1075.

(b) (1) Upon approval of the Chief Fiscal Officer of the State and under procedures prescribed by the Chief Fiscal Officer of the State, Letters of credit, either individually or under a single, unified, checks-paid, or delay-of-drawdown system may be included and accounted for on the books of record of the Auditor of State, Chief Fiscal Officer of the State, and applicable state agency as deferred federal revenues to be treated as an asset comparable to "cash on hand". In connection therewith, the Chief Fiscal Officer of the State may direct the creation and establishment of a revolving paying account on the books of records of the applicable state's accounting records. Furthermore, upon implementation of a checks-paid or delay-of-drawdown system, the affected agency may issue vouchers, the Department of Finance and Administration may approve vouchers for payment, and the Auditor of State may issue warrants for federal programs without regard to federal fund or paying account balances on deposit in the State Treasury.

(2) (A) In no event shall the Treasurer of State redeem any warrants without sufficient fund balances on deposit equal to the total amount of warrants presented for redemption.

(B) In no event shall the implementation of a checks-paid or delay-of-drawdown letter of credit system be construed as deficit spending.

(C) The Chief Fiscal Officer of the State, after consulting with the Auditor of State and the Treasurer of State, may prescribe such rules and regulations as necessary to implement a checks-paid or delay-of-drawdown letter of credit system.

(3) No agency shall implement a checks-paid or delay-of-drawdown letter of credit system except upon approval of the Chief Fiscal Officer of the State and upon advice of the Legislative Council.