The comptroller must pay certain miscellaneous claims only if they meet specified verification requirements, stay within a $50,000 limit, and are filed within the allowed time.
Sec. 403.074. MISCELLANEOUS CLAIMS. (a) The comptroller shall pay, from available funds appropriated for that purpose, miscellaneous claims for which an appropriation does not otherwise exist or for which the appropriation has lapsed. For the purpose of this section, "miscellaneous claims" does not include claims concerning warrants that have expired because they were not presented to the comptroller for payment within the time period specified in Section 210.012, Labor Code. (b) Except as provided by Subsection (g), the comptroller may not pay a miscellaneous claim unless the claim has been: (1) verified and substantiated by an authorized employee of the state agency whose special fund or account is to be charged for the claim; (2) verified by the attorney general as a legally enforceable obligation of the state; and (3) certified by the claimant as due and unpaid. (c) The comptroller shall keep a record of each transaction made under this section, showing: (1) the amount of the claim paid; (2) the identity of the claimant; (3) the purpose of the claim; and (4) the fund or account against which the claim is to be charged. (d) Except as provided by Subsection (g), the comptroller may not pay under this section a single claim in excess of $50,000, or an aggregate of claims by a single claimant during a biennium in excess of $50,000. For the purposes of this subsection, all claims that were originally held by one person are considered held by a single claimant regardless of whether those claims were later transferred. (e) Unless another law provides a period within which a particular claim must be made, a claim may not be made under this section after eight years from the date on which the claim arose. A claim arises on the day after the last day that payment was due on the original claim. A person who fails to make a claim within the period provided by law waives any right to a payment of the claim. (f) This section does not apply to a claim for a refund of a tax or fee. (g) The comptroller shall pay under this section any claim that satisfies the requirements of Subchapter B, Chapter 103, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, as provided by Section 103.151, Civil Practice and Remedies Code. Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 147, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987. Amended by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 232, Sec. 20, eff. Sept. 1, 1989; Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 584, Sec. 5, eff. Sept. 1, 1989; Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 641, Sec. 10, eff. Sept. 1, 1991; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 76, Sec. 9.57, eff. Sept. 1, 1995; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1423, Sec. 7.13, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1488, Sec. 2, eff. June 15, 2001. Amended by: Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1388 (S.B. 1719), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2007.