TINS Warrant Hold Web-Based Training
Lesson 8: Warrants on Hold
Payments Subject to Warrant Hold
Almost all payments are subject to being held if the payee is on hold for a state debt. There are some exceptions and limitations based on state laws. For example:
- Payments issued in whole or in part with federal funds will be held, but the paying agency may certify to the Comptroller that the payment is issued with federal funds to request the payment be released.
- A hold source agency may authorize the Comptroller to release a payee’s held warrant on a warrant-by-warrant basis.
Vendor Payments
- Payments issued by the Comptroller’s office pursuant to Texas Government Code, Sections 403.055
. - Payments issued from an agency’s local funds pursuant to Texas Government Code, Section 2107.008 .
State Employee Payments
State employees receive payments that include compensation (salary and wages) and travel reimbursement. Based on state statutes for these payment types, employee payments are held as follows:
- Employee compensation payments can only be held for delinquent child support owed to the Office of the Attorney General (OAG).
- Texas Government Code, Sections 403.055(d)(1) and 2107.008(h) exclude employee “compensation” payments, which cannot be held.
- However, Family Code, Section 231.007(c) includes payments of “compensation” in the types of payments that must be held for delinquent child support.
- Texas Government Code, Sections 403.055(d)(1)
- Lump-sum payments to state employees, such as for accrued vacation, are excluded from the definition of employee compensation and are subject to all holds, including delinquent child support per Texas Government Code,
Section 403.055(l)(1) .
- Employee travel and other types of reimbursement payments are subject to being held for all holds, including delinquent child support.
- A state employee who is on hold cannot be issued an advance travel payment from the agency’s local funds without the consent of the hold source agency. If the employee is on hold by multiple agencies, consent must be obtained from each hold source agency. The employee’s agency must retain the consent for audit purposes, per Texas Government Code Section 2107.008(k) .
State Annuity Payments
State annuity payments are defined as “payroll” and are subject to being held only for delinquent child support. These payments are issued by:
- Employees Retirement System of Texas
- Teacher Retirement System of Texas
- Texas Emergency Services Retirement System