Gov. Code, § 17221

Whenever the Controller draws a warrant upon the Treasurer payable out of the General Fund in an amount in excess of the balance remaining in the unapplied money in the General Fund after first deducting from the unapplied money the amount, as estimated by the Controller, that is required by law to be earmarked, reserved, or set apart from the unapplied money for the payment of obligations of the state having priority over the obligation to which the warrant is applicable, the Controller shall upon the same day present it to the Treasurer, or seek the Treasurer’s delegation to endorse the warrant as required by this section. The Treasurer shall endorse, or delegate to the Controller to endorse, upon its back the date of presentation or endorsement by the Controller; that it is not paid for want of funds; and that it bears interest at the rate fixed pursuant to law from the date of the registration to the date of maturity, or the date upon which the Treasurer advertises that it is payable upon presentation if it bears no date of maturity. Warrants so endorsed are registered warrants. The Controller shall supply the Treasurer with a daily list of the numbers of the warrants so registered.