California Code, Financial Code - FIN § 1456

It shall be unlawful for any officer or employee of a bank to certify any check drawn upon such bank, unless the drawer has on deposit with the bank, at the time such check is certified, an amount to his credit on the books of the bank not less than the amount specified therein.

Any bank officer or employee who wilfully violates the provisions of this section or who resorts to any device or receives any fictitious obligations directly or indirectly in order to evade the provisions of this section is guilty of a felony.