(a) The Controller shall pay claimants within 15 calendar days of receipt of a correct claim from the state agency. If the Controller fails to make payment within 15 calendar days of receipt of the claim from a state agency, and payment is not issued within 45 calendar days from state agency receipt of an undisputed invoice, the Controller shall pay applicable penalties to the claimant without requiring that the claimant submit an invoice for these amounts. Penalties shall cease to accrue on the date full payment is made, and shall be paid for out of the Controller’s funds. If the claimant is a certified small business, a nonprofit organization, a nonprofit public benefit corporation, or a small business or nonprofit organization that provides services or equipment under the Medi-Cal program, the Controller shall pay to the claimant a penalty at a rate of 10 percent above the United States Prime Rate on June 30 of the prior fiscal year, from the 16th calendar day following receipt of the claim from the state agency. However, a nonprofit organization shall only be eligible to receive a penalty payment if it has been awarded a contract or grant in an amount less than five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000). If the amount of the penalty is ten dollars ($10) or less, the penalty shall be waived and not paid by the Controller. For all other businesses, the Controller shall pay penalties at a rate of 1 percent above the Pooled Money Investment Account daily rate on June 30 of the prior fiscal year, not to exceed a rate of 15 percent. If the amount of the penalty is one hundred dollars ($100) or less, the penalty shall be waived and not paid by the Controller.
(b) The Department of FISCal shall be responsible for applicable penalties if the Financial Information System for California delays the delivery of a correct claim from the state agency to the Controller, preventing the Controller from making payment within 15 calendar days and payment is not issued within 45 calendar days from state agency receipt of an undisputed invoice.
(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 29, Sec. 84. (SB 82) Effective June 27, 2019.)