The warrant (check) can be presented for payment to any financial institution in the United States. The financial institutions must then present the warrants to the State Treasurer for payment. You might say that the Treasury Division is the banker for Minnesota state government.

The Treasury Division is responsible for the State's cash management; that is, making sure there is enough money in the State's checking account, but not too much so that interest is earned on money not needed in the short term. In this sense, the Treasury Division takes care of the State's cash.

Before issuing the warrant, Minnesota Management & Budget must insure there is money in the agency's budget to pay the bill. This is accomplished by not allowing any agency to incur an obligation before first requiring the agency to encumber (obligate) money in one of the agency's accounts at Minnesota Management & Budget. Minnesota Management & Budget is responsible to insure that the sum total of all accounts for each agency does not exceed the amount the Governor and the Legislature have authorized for that agency. In this sense Minnesota Management & Budget performs the State's accounting function.

An agency pays a bill by requesting Minnesota Management & Budget to issue (print) a warrant (like a check) payable to the person or organization to whom the bill is owed.

In general, the state agency that created the obligation is responsible for paying the bill.