Sec 35-151. Encumbrance documents; issuance and disposition

A. An encumbrance document shall be processed in the state's accounting system before a budget unit issues a purchase order or encumbrance document against appropriations to cover an obligation, actual or anticipated, except that encumbrance documents are not required for gross payrolls and related employee expenses of a budget unit, or, under procedures prescribed in the state accounting manual of the department of administration, for expenditures not exceeding one thousand dollars. Copies of these documents shall be submitted immediately to or entered into the state accounting system of the department of administration. The budget unit shall certify that the proposed expenditure is authorized by appropriation and allotment and that the amount involved does not exceed the unencumbered and unexpended balance of the appropriation as recorded in the state's accounting system. If any proposed certified expenditure is found to exceed the unencumbered and unexpended balance or to be contrary to the provisions of this chapter or any other law, the head of the budget unit or his designee shall disallow the proposed expenditure. If the encumbrance is found to be in order it shall be immediately submitted or electronically transmitted to the department of administration central accounting system, which shall not accept an encumbrance in excess of the appropriation. The amount of the encumbrance shall be set aside to be used exclusively for payment of the claim when presented. If an adequate appropriation balance is not available, the accounting system shall reject the transaction.

B. The department of administration may require encumbrances for all funds of the state, except for the investment of public monies or permanent endowment funds, which are not appropriated but are held in custody by the state treasurer.

C. No encumbrance document may be approved by or for any budget unit which will involve an expenditure of any amount in excess of the unencumbered and unexpended balance of the appropriation or fund source to which the resulting expenditure will be chargeable.

D. Notwithstanding subsection A of this section, an expenditure under section 35-191 shall be encumbered regardless of the dollar amount of the expenditure.