HB 1731 — Regarding unclaimed property held by a museum or historical society.

CERTIFICATIONH-0896.2 OF ENROLLMENT HOUSE BILL 1731 69th Legislature Regular Session Passed by the House April 22, 2025 CERTIFICATE Yeas 97 Nays 0 I, Bernard Dean, Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives of the State of Washington,Washington do69th herebyLegislature Speaker2025 ofRegular theSession HouseBy ofRepresentative certifyWaters thatRead thefirst attachedtime is01/30/25. HOUSE BILL 1731 as passed by the House of Representatives Representatives and the Senate on the dates hereon set forth.

Passed by the Senate April 15, 2025 Yeas 48 Nays 0 Chief Clerk President of the Senate Approved FILED Secretary of State State of Washington Governor of the State of Washington HOUSE BILL 1731 AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE Passed Legislature - 2025 Regular Session State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session By Representative Waters Read first time 01/30/25.

and amending RCW 63.26.040,63.26.040. 63.26.020, 63.26.030, and 63.26.050.

(a) Posting on a publicly accessible page on its official website;

1 HB 1731.PL1731 (a)(b) PostingSending onan aemail publiclyfrom accessiblean pageorganizational onemail itsaddress officialto website;any known email addresses of the owner or any publicized email lists;

(b) Sending an email from an organizational email address to any known email addresses of the owner or any publicized email lists;

or p.(ii) Physically posting a notice in a public space at the museum's or society's primary location, such as a lobby or other area accessible to visitors.

2p. HB 1731.PL (ii) Physically posting a notice in a public space at the museum's or society's primary location, such as a lobby or other area accessible to visitors.

2 HB 1731 (b) The unknown donor notification shall contain the following:

Sec.

2.

RCW 63.26.020 and 1988 c 226 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

Any property held by a museum or historical society within the state, other than by terms of a loan agreement, that has been held for five years or more and has remained unclaimed shall be deemed to be abandoned.

Such property shall become the property of the museum or historical society if the museum or society has given notice pursuant to RCW 63.26.040 and no assertion of title has been filed for the property within ((ninety)) 90 days from the date of the ((second published)) third notice provided.

Sec.

3.

RCW 63.26.030 and 1988 c 226 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Property subject to a loan agreement which is on loan to a museum or historical society shall be deemed to be donated to the museum or society if no claim is made or action filed to recover the property after termination or expiration of the loan and if the museum or society has given notice pursuant to RCW 63.26.040 and no assertion of title has been filed within ((ninety)) 90 days from the date of the ((second published)) third notice provided.

(2) A museum or society may terminate a loan of property if the property was loaned to the museum or society for an indefinite term and the property has been held by the museum or society for five p.

3 HB 1731.PL years or more.

Property on "permanent loan" shall be deemed to be loaned for an indefinite term.

(3) If property was loaned to the museum or society for a specified term, the museum or society may give notice of termination of the loan at any time after expiration of the specified term.

(4) It is the responsibility of the owner of property on loan to a museum or society to notify the museum or society promptly in writing of any change of address or change in ownership of the property.

(5) When a museum or society accepts a loan of property, the museum or society shall inform the owner in writing of the provisions of this chapter.

Sec.

4.

RCW 63.26.050 and 1988 c 226 s 7 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) If no written assertion of title has been presented by the owner to the museum or society within ((ninety)) 90 days from the date of the ((second published)) third notice provided, title to the property shall vest in the museum or historical society, free of all claims of the owner and of all persons claiming under the owner.

(2) One who purchases or otherwise acquires property from a museum or historical society acquires good title to the property if the museum or society has acquired title to the property under this chapter.

43 HB 1731.PL1731