Chapter 829 Oregon Laws 1999

Session Law

AN ACT

SB 304

Relating to Department of Human Resources accounts; creating new provisions; and amending ORS 179.130, 409.070, 430.170 and 431.230.

Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:

SECTION 1. ORS 179.130 is amended to read:

179.130. (1) The executive head of each institution may execute a claim voucher against the Institutional Betterment Fund to the credit of the institution, in favor of the executive head of the institution, in such amount as shall be approved by the Director of the Oregon Department of Administrative Services, for use by the institution as a [cash] revolving fund in paying the petty claims and incidental expenses arising in the proper conduct of the institution. The executive head may establish petty cash funds within the revolving fund by drawing checks upon the revolving fund payable to the custodians. Petty cash funds established to disburse funds to residents shall be kept separate from petty cash funds established to pay incidental expenses of the institution.

(2) The executive head shall [present claims on the first of each month, with proper vouchers attached, showing the expenditures from the revolving fund during the preceding month. The claims, when approved by the director of the department, shall be paid by warrant upon the State Treasurer against the appropriation for that institution, and when so paid shall be used to reimburse the revolving fund of such institution created under subsection (1) of this section] reimburse the revolving fund by drawing upon funds appropriated for the expenses of the institution or, when funds have been disbursed to a resident, by drawing upon the trust account created in ORS 179.510.

SECTION 2. ORS 409.070 is amended to read:

409.070. (1) There is established a Department of Human Resources Special Checking Account in the State Treasury. Upon the written request of the Director of Human Resources, the Oregon Department of Administrative Services shall draw [warrants] payments in favor of the Department of Human Resources to be charged against appropriations and other moneys available to the Department of Human Resources in the same manner as other claims against the state, as provided in ORS chapter 293. All such [warrants] payments shall be deposited in the special checking account and may be disbursed by check or other means acceptable to the State Treasurer.

(2) The special checking account may be used for the purpose of paying the administrative expenses of programs and services as assigned to the Department of Human Resources by law, including the payment of expenses to be reimbursed by the federal government.

(3) In addition to the authority provided in ORS 293.180, the Department of Human Resources may establish petty cash funds out of the special checking account or any account established in the State Treasury for the department or its divisions. Small cash disbursements to pay the expenses of the department or its divisions may be made from a petty cash fund. Periodically, the department shall request reimbursement for disbursements made from a petty cash fund. Upon receipt of a reimbursement payment from an appropriate account, the department shall use the payment to reimburse the petty cash fund.

SECTION 3. (1) There is established a Volunteer Emergency Services Fund in the State Treasury. The amount of the fund shall not exceed the aggregate sum of $10,000.

(2) The fund may be used to pay for purchases, by check or other acceptable means, necessary to assist clients of the Department of Human Resources with emergency circumstances that qualify such clients for assistance from the fund.

(3) Claims for reimbursement of moneys paid from the Volunteer Emergency Services Fund shall be submitted to the Department of Human Resources and the Oregon Department of Administrative Services for approval. When the claims have been approved, the Oregon Department of Administrative Services shall draw a warrant or make an electronic transfer in favor of the Department of Human Resources to be charged to the appropriate fund or account to reimburse the Volunteer Emergency Services Fund.

SECTION 4. Notwithstanding any other law, the Department of Human Resources may, with the approval of the Oregon Department of Administrative Services and the State Treasurer, combine or eliminate any accounts that are established in statute within the authority of the Department of Human Resources or its divisions when the Department of Human Resources determines that economy and efficiency in operations can be obtained and that the combination or elimination of accounts does not substantially alter the intent of the authorizing statutes. When accounts are combined, the Department of Human Resources retains the authority granted by the statutes establishing the accounts.

SECTION 5. ORS 430.170 is amended to read:

430.170. (1) On [written] request of the Mental Health and Developmental Disability Services Division, the Oregon Department of Administrative Services shall draw [warrants] on amounts appropriated to the division for operating expenses for use by the division as a revolving fund. The revolving fund shall not exceed the aggregate sum of $25,000 including unreimbursed advances. The revolving fund shall be deposited with the State Treasurer to be held in a special account against which the division may draw checks. The division may establish petty cash funds within the revolving fund by drawing checks upon the revolving fund payable to the custodians of the petty cash funds.

(2) The revolving fund may be used by the division to pay [for travel expenses for employees of the division and for any consultants or advisers for whom payment of travel expenses is authorized by law, or advances therefor, or for purchases required from time to time or for receipt or disbursement of federal funds available under federal law] incidental expenses for which the division has appropriated funds.

(3) [All] Claims for reimbursement of amounts paid from the revolving fund shall be [approved by] submitted to the division and [by] the Oregon Department of Administrative Services for approval. When such claims have been approved by the division and the department, a [warrant] payment covering them shall be drawn in favor of the division and charged against the appropriate fund or account, and shall be used to reimburse the revolving fund.

SECTION 6. ORS 431.230 is amended to read:

431.230. (1) The Assistant Director for Health may request [in writing] the Oregon Department of Administrative Services to, and when so requested, the Oregon Department of Administrative Services shall, draw a [warrant] payment on the Health Division Account in favor of the Assistant Director for Health in a sum not exceeding [$20,000] $25,000, which sum shall be used by the assistant director as an emergency or revolving fund.

(2) The emergency or revolving fund shall be deposited with the State Treasurer, and shall be at the disposal of the Assistant Director for Health. It may be used to pay advances for salaries, travel expenses or any other proper claim against, or expense of, the Health Division, the Department of Human Resources or the health-related licensing boards for whom the division provides accounting services.

(3) [All] Claims for reimbursement of advances paid from the emergency or revolving fund shall be [approved by] submitted to the [Health] division for approval. When such claims are so approved, [warrants] payments covering them shall be drawn in favor of the Assistant Director for Health and charged against the appropriate fund or account, and shall be used to reimburse the emergency or revolving fund.

(4) The division may establish petty cash funds within the emergency or revolving fund by drawing checks upon the emergency or revolving fund payable to the custodians of the petty cash funds.

SECTION 7. (1) The Mental Health and Developmental Disability Services Division may receive funds that are the property of the division's clients or are contributed for the use of the division's clients. The division shall deposit such funds in trust accounts established under ORS 293.445. Interest earned by a trust account shall be credited to the account.

(2) Disbursements from a trust account shall be made for purposes for which the contributions or payments were made to the division. When such purposes include the care or maintenance of a client, the division may reimburse itself for care and services provided to the client.

(3) The division may by interagency agreement authorize another state agency to exercise the authority granted under this section. Any system of accounts used for purposes of this subsection shall provide detailed accountability for each receipt and disbursement of funds for each client. The division shall remain accountable for the proper handling of the trust accounts authorized by this section.

Approved by the Governor July 21, 1999

Filed in the office of Secretary of State July 21, 1999

Effective date October 23, 1999

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