Tenn. Code Ann. § 9-4-301 (2026)

• (a) It is the duty of every department, institution, office and agency of the state and every officer and employee of state government, including the state treasurer, collecting or receiving state funds, to deposit them immediately into the state treasury or to the account of the state treasurer in a bank designated as a state depository or to the appropriate departmental account if authorized by § 9-4-302. The state funding board has the authority to establish a cash management policy to govern the cash management and deposit practices of every department, institution, office and agency of state government. The board is authorized to review cash management practices and make recommendations to appropriate state officials regarding modifications to current practices as well as the cash processing equipment needs of various state agencies.

• (b) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, and notwithstanding any written comment on the payment instrument or any other verbal or written comment, whenever any official deposits state funds in accordance with subsection (a), in any form or description, including, but not limited to, checks, drafts or warrants, that deposit shall in no manner relieve the person or organization submitting the amount of any liability which has or is subsequently determined to be owed to the state except to the extent that the amount deposited discharges the amount owed to the state. When an instrument is tendered by such person or organization and is deposited by the state for an amount which is less than the full amount owed, the remaining liability is enforceable in the same manner as the original amount owed to the state.

• (c)
  • (1) Such deposit shall be made without any deductions on account of salaries, fees, costs, charges, expenses, refunds, claims, or demands of any description whatsoever.
  • (2) Notwithstanding subdivision (c)(1), a department, institution, office, or agency of the state may enter into an agreement with a third party to collect state funds on its behalf under which the third party is permitted to deduct its service fee from the funds collected prior to deposit when such agreement is approved in accordance with title 4, chapter 56.
  • (3) The chief procurement officer shall file an annual report listing the contracts approved pursuant to subdivision (c)(2) with the chairs of the finance, ways and means committees of the house of representatives and the senate no later than July 1 each year. It is the duty of all state agencies to furnish to the central procurement office, upon request, data relating to such revenue contracts.

• (d) Unless otherwise provided by law, all county and other officials collecting moneys for the use and benefit of the state shall remit the same to the commissioner of revenue in accordance with procedures established by the commissioner of finance and administration and approved by the state treasurer and the comptroller of the treasury.

Amended by 2021 Tenn. Acts, ch. 172, s 1, eff. 4/20/2021.

Acts 1985, ch. 118, § 24; 1986, ch. 923, § 2; 1988, ch. 602, § 7.