Claims against the state: appropriation.

Senator Caballero's proposal to streamline state claim payments would establish a direct appropriation from California's General Fund to the Attorney General for settling an unspecified legal judgment. The measure modifies the existing process, which requires the Attorney General to report insufficient claim funding to legislative appropriations committees for subsequent legislative action.

The bill creates a fiscal safeguard by requiring any unused funds to return to the General Fund by June 30 of the fiscal year when final payment occurs. As an urgency statute, the measure would take effect immediately upon enactment, with bill authors citing the need to expedite payments and prevent hardship to claimants. The exact appropriation amount and specific legal case remain undefined in the current bill text.

This approach alters the role of legislative appropriations committees in the claims process by centralizing payment authority with the Attorney General's office. While the bill establishes the funding mechanism and reversion timeline, it maintains the Attorney General's existing oversight of fund utilization without adding new compliance requirements.