Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System

The California State Controller's Office has announced that it may issue registered warrants, or IOUs, for some payments as early as today. These registered warrants would not be payable immediately, but rather on a future date. These warrants will be identified with the word "REGISTERED" on the front.

Customers are advised to consult with their banks before depositing a registered warrant and should ask the following:

• Will the bank accept the registered warrant for deposit? Some banks may have arrangements to advance funds to depositors prior to the warrant's payment date.
• When will the funds be made available for withdrawal? These warrants will not be subject to the normal, federal check-hold limits and therefore could be subject to extended holds.
• Is there a potential to incur fees? The State of California will likely return unpaid any registered warrants that it receives before the payment date. Therefore, depositors of these warrants may be subject to returned-deposit fees if their banks attempt to collect these warrants before they are payable. In addition, if customers rely on these funds to make other payments, they may be subject to overdraft or bounced-check fees if the warrants are returned.

The State of California has provided additional information on these registered warrants at http://www.sco.ca.gov/5935.html.