HB0851 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB102 05120 LNS 15141 b

102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
HB0851

Introduced 2/10/2021, by Rep. Michael J. Zalewski

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

765 ILCS 1026/15-201
765 ILCS 1026/15-210
765 ILCS 1026/15-503
765 ILCS 1026/15-603
765 ILCS 1026/15-1002.1
765 ILCS 1026/15-1004
765 ILCS 1026/15-1401
765 ILCS 1026/15-1402

Amends the Revised Uniform Unclaimed Property Act. Makes changes concerning the time and circumstances under which financial organization deposits are presumed abandoned. Makes changes in provisions governing extending the reporting date of certain reported renewable time deposits. Deletes language requiring a holder to inform the State Treasurer, as administrator, to provide a telephone number that persons may call to inquire about or claim property. Provides that the administrator does not need to notify the Department of Revenue of the names or social security numbers of apparent owners of abandoned property if he or she reasonably believes that the Department of Revenue will be unable to provide information that would provide sufficient evidence to establish that the person in the Department of Revenue's records is the apparent owner of unclaimed property in the custody of the administrator. Provides that the State Treasurer may, at reasonable times and upon reasonable notice: (1) examine the records of specified types of financial organizations under certain conditions; (2) issue an administrative subpoena requiring the financial organization to make records available for examination; and (3) bring an action seeking judicial enforcement of the subpoena. Provides that records obtained in examinations of State-regulated financial organizations are subject to the same provisions concerning use and confidentiality as records obtained in examinations of other persons. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning civil law.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Revised Uniform Unclaimed Property Act is amended by changing Sections 15-201, 15-210, 15-503, 15-603, 15-1002.1, 15-1004, 15-1401, and 15-1402 as follows:

(765 ILCS 1026/15-201)

Sec. 15-201. When property presumed abandoned. Subject to Section 15-210, the following property is presumed abandoned if it is unclaimed by the apparent owner during the period specified below:

(1) a traveler's check, 15 years after issuance;

(2) a money order, 7 years after issuance;

(3) any instrument on which a financial organization or business association is directly liable, 3 years after issuance;

(4) a state or municipal bond, bearer bond, or original-issue-discount bond, 3 years after the earliest of the date the bond matures or is called or the obligation to pay the principal of the bond arises;

(5) a debt of a business association, 3 years after the obligation to pay arises;

(6) financial organization deposits as follows:

(i) a demand deposit, 3 years after the date of the last indication of interest in the property by the apparent owner;

(ii) a savings deposit, 3 years after the date of last indication of interest in the property by the apparent owner;

(iii) a time deposit for which the owner has not consented to automatic renewal of the time deposit, 3 years after the date of last indication of interest in the property by the apparent owner;

(iv) an automatically renewable time deposit for which the owner consented to the automatic renewal in a record on file with the holder, 3 years after the date of last indication of interest in the property by the apparent owner, following the completion of the initial term of the time deposit and one automatic renewal term of the time deposit a demand, savings, or time deposit, 3 years after the later of maturity or the date of the last indication of interest in the property by the apparent owner, except for a deposit that is automatically renewable, 3 years after its initial date of maturity unless the apparent owner consented in a record on file with the holder to renewal at or about the time of the renewal;

(7) money or a credit owed to a customer as a result of a retail business transaction, other than in-store credit for returned merchandise, 3 years after the obligation arose;

(8) an amount owed by an insurance company on a life or endowment insurance policy or an annuity contract that has matured or terminated, 3 years after the obligation to pay arose under the terms of the policy or contract or, if a policy or contract for which an amount is owed on proof of death has not matured by proof of the death of the insured or annuitant, as follows:

(A) with respect to an amount owed on a life or endowment insurance policy, the earlier of:

(i) 3 years after the death of the insured; or

(ii) 2 years after the insured has attained, or would have attained if living, the limiting age under the mortality table on which the reserve for the policy is based; and

(B) with respect to an amount owed on an annuity contract, 3 years after the death of the annuitant.

(9) funds on deposit or held in trust pursuant to the Illinois Funeral or Burial Funds Act, the earliest of:

(A) 2 years after the date of death of the beneficiary;

(B) one year after the date the beneficiary has attained, or would have attained if living, the age of 105 where the holder does not know whether the beneficiary is deceased;

(C) 40 years after the contract for prepayment was executed, unless the apparent owner has indicated an interest in the property more than 40 years after the contract for prepayment was executed, in which case, 3 years after the last indication of interest in the property by the apparent owner;

(10) property distributable by a business association in the course of dissolution or distributions from the termination of a retirement plan, one year after the property becomes distributable;

(11) property held by a court, including property received as proceeds of a class action, 3 years after the property becomes distributable;

(12) property held by a government or governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality, including municipal bond interest and unredeemed principal under the administration of a paying agent or indenture trustee, 3 years after the property becomes distributable;

(13) wages, commissions, bonuses, or reimbursements to which an employee is entitled, or other compensation for personal services, including amounts held on a payroll card, one year after the amount becomes payable;

(14) a deposit or refund owed to a subscriber by a utility, one year after the deposit or refund becomes payable, except that any capital credits or patronage capital retired, returned, refunded or tendered to a member of an electric cooperative, as defined in Section 3.4 of the Electric Supplier Act, or a telephone or telecommunications cooperative, as defined in Section 13-212 of the Public Utilities Act, that has remained unclaimed by the person appearing on the records of the entitled cooperative for more than 2 years, shall not be subject to, or governed by, any other provisions of this Act, but rather shall be used by the cooperative for the benefit of the general membership of the cooperative; and

(15) property not specified in this Section or Sections 15-202 through 15-208, the earlier of 3 years after the owner first has a right to demand the property or the obligation to pay or distribute the property arises.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 15-201, and subject to Section 15-210, a deceased owner cannot indicate interest in his or her property. If the owner is deceased and the abandonment period for the owner's property specified in this Section 15-201 is greater than 2 years, then the property, other than an amount owed by an insurance company on a life or endowment insurance policy or an annuity contract that has matured or terminated, shall instead be presumed abandoned 2 years from the date of the owner's last indication of interest in the property.

(Source: P.A. 100-22, eff. 1-1-18; 100-566, eff. 1-1-18; 101-552, eff. 1-1-20.)

(765 ILCS 1026/15-210)

Sec. 15-210. Indication of apparent owner interest in property.

(a) The period after which property is presumed abandoned is measured from the later of:

(1) the date the property is presumed abandoned under this Article; or

(2) the latest indication of interest by the apparent owner in the property.

(b) Under this Act, an indication of an apparent owner's interest in property includes:

(1) a record communicated by the apparent owner to the holder or agent of the holder concerning the property or the account in which the property is held;

(2) an oral communication by the apparent owner to the holder or agent of the holder concerning the property or the account in which the property is held, if the holder or its agent contemporaneously makes and preserves a record of the fact of the apparent owner's communication;

(3) presentment of a check or other instrument of payment of a dividend, interest payment, or other distribution, or evidence of receipt of a distribution made by electronic or similar means, with respect to an account, underlying security, or interest in a business association;

(4) activity directed by an apparent owner in the account in which the property is held, including accessing the account or information concerning the account, or a direction by the apparent owner to increase, decrease, or otherwise change the amount or type of property held in the account;

(5) a deposit into or withdrawal from an account at a financial organization, except for a recurring Automated Clearing House (ACH) debit or credit previously authorized by the apparent owner or an automatic reinvestment of dividends or interest; and

(6) subject to subsection (e), payment of a premium on an insurance policy.

(c) An action by an agent or other representative of an apparent owner, other than the holder acting as the apparent owner's agent, is presumed to be an action on behalf of the apparent owner.

(d) A communication with an apparent owner by a person other than the holder or the holder's representative is not an indication of interest in the property by the apparent owner unless a record of the communication evidences the apparent owner's knowledge of a right to the property.

(e) If the insured dies or the insured or beneficiary of an insurance policy otherwise becomes entitled to the proceeds before depletion of the cash surrender value of the policy by operation of an automatic-premium-loan provision or other nonforfeiture provision contained in the policy, the operation does not prevent the policy from maturing or terminating.

(f) If the apparent owner has another property with the holder to which Section 201(6) applies, then activity directed by an apparent owner in any other accounts, including loan accounts, at a financial organization holding an inactive account of the apparent owner shall be an indication of interest in all such accounts if:

(A) the apparent owner engages in one or more of the following activities:

(i) the apparent owner undertakes one or more of the actions described in subsection (b) of this Section regarding any of the other accounts the apparent owner has with the financial organization account that appears on a consolidated statement with the inactive account;

(ii) the apparent owner increases or decreases the amount of funds in any other account the apparent owner has with the financial organization; or

(iii) the apparent owner engages in any other relationship with the financial organization, including payment of any amounts due on a loan; and

(B) the foregoing apply so long as the mailing address for the apparent owner in the financial organization's books and records is the same for both the inactive account and the active account.

(Source: P.A. 100-22, eff. 1-1-18.)

(765 ILCS 1026/15-503)

Sec. 15-503. Notice by administrator.

(a) The administrator shall give notice to an apparent owner that property presumed abandoned and appears to be owned by the apparent owner is held by the administrator under this Act.

(b) In providing notice under subsection (a), the administrator shall:

(1) except as otherwise provided in paragraph (2), send written notice by first-class United States mail to each apparent owner of property valued at $100 or more held by the administrator, unless the administrator determines that a mailing by first-class United States mail would not be received by the apparent owner, and, in the case of a security held in an account for which the apparent owner had consented to receiving electronic mail from the holder, send notice by electronic mail if the electronic-mail address of the apparent owner is known to the administrator instead of by first-class United States mail; or

(2) send the notice to the apparent owner's electronic-mail address if the administrator does not have a valid United States mail address for an apparent owner, but has an electronic-mail address that the administrator does not know to be invalid.

(c) In addition to the notice under subsection (b), the administrator shall:

(1) publish every 6 months in at least one English language newspaper of general circulation in each county in this State notice of property held by the administrator which must include:

(A) the total value of property received by the administrator during the preceding 6-month period, taken from the reports under Section 15-401;

(B) the total value of claims paid by the administrator during the preceding 6-month period;

(C) the Internet web address of the unclaimed property website maintained by the administrator;

(D) an a telephone number and electronic-mail address to contact the administrator to inquire about or claim property; and

(E) a statement that a person may access the Internet by a computer to search for unclaimed property and a computer may be available as a service to the public at a local public library.

(2) The administrator shall maintain a website accessible by the public and electronically searchable which contains the names reported to the administrator of apparent owners for whom property is being held by the administrator. The administrator need not list property on such website when: no owner name was reported, a claim has been initiated or is pending for the property, the administrator has made direct contact with the apparent owner of the property, and in other instances where the administrator reasonably believes exclusion of the property is in the best interests of both the State and the owner of the property.

(d) The website or database maintained under subsection (c)(2) must include instructions for filing with the administrator a claim to property and an online claim form with instructions. The website may also provide a printable claim form with instructions for its use.

(e) Tax return identification of apparent owners of abandoned property.

(1) At least annually the administrator shall notify the Department of Revenue of the names of persons appearing to be owners of abandoned property under this Section. The administrator shall also provide to the Department of Revenue the social security numbers of the persons, if available. The administrator does not need to notify the Department of Revenue of the names or social security numbers of apparent owners of abandoned property if he or she reasonably believes that the Department of Revenue will be unable to provide information that would provide sufficient evidence to establish that the person in the Department of Revenue's records is the apparent owner of unclaimed property in the custody of the administrator.

(2) The Department of Revenue shall notify the administrator if any person under subsection (e)(1) has filed an Illinois income tax return and shall provide the administrator with the last known address of the person as it appears in Department of Revenue records, except as prohibited by federal law. The Department of Revenue may also provide additional addresses for the same taxpayer from the records of the Department, except as prohibited by federal law.

(3) In order to facilitate the return of property under this subsection, the administrator and the Department of Revenue may enter into an interagency agreement concerning protection of confidential information, data match rules, and other issues.

(4) The administrator may deliver, as provided under Section 15-904 of this Act, property or pay the amount owing to a person matched under this Section without the person filing a claim under Section 15-903 of this Act if the following conditions are met:

(A) the value of the property that is owed the person is $2,000 or less;

(B) the property is not either tangible property or securities;

(C) the last known address for the person according to the Department of Revenue records is less than 12 months old; and

(D) the administrator has evidence sufficient to establish that the person who appears in Department of Revenue records is the owner of the property and the owner currently resides at the last known address from the Department of Revenue.

(5) If the value of the property that is owed the person is greater than $2,000, or is tangible property or securities the administrator shall provide notice to the person, informing the person that he or she is the owner of abandoned property held by the State and may file a claim with the administrator for return of the property.

(f) The administrator may use additional databases to verify the identity of the person and that the person currently resides at the last known address. The administrator may utilize publicly and commercially available databases to find and update or add information for apparent owners of property held by the administrator.

(g) In addition to giving notice under subsection (b), publishing the information under subsection (c)(1) and maintaining the website or database under subsection (c)(2), the administrator may use other printed publication, telecommunication, the Internet, or other media to inform the public of the existence of unclaimed property held by the administrator.

(Source: P.A. 100-22, eff. 1-1-18; 100-566, eff. 1-1-18.)

(765 ILCS 1026/15-603)

Sec. 15-603. Payment or delivery of property to administrator.

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this Section, on filing a report under Section 15-401, the holder shall pay or deliver to the administrator the property described in the report.

(b) If property in a report under Section 15-401 is an automatically renewable time deposit and the holder determines that a penalty or forfeiture in the payment of interest would result from paying the deposit to the administrator at the time of the report, the date for reporting and delivering payment of the property to the administrator is extended until a penalty or forfeiture no longer would result from delivery of the property to the administrator. The holder shall report and deliver the property on the next regular date prescribed for reporting by the holder under this Act after this extended date, and the holder shall indicate in its report to the administrator that the property is being reported on an extended date pursuant to this subsection (b) payment, if the holder informs the administrator of the extended date.

(c) Tangible property in a safe-deposit box may not be delivered to the administrator until a mutually agreed upon date that is no sooner than 60 days after filing the report under Section 15-401.

(d) If property reported to the administrator under Section 15-401 is a security, the administrator may:

(1) make an endorsement, instruction, or entitlement order on behalf of the apparent owner to invoke the duty of the issuer, its transfer agent, or the securities intermediary to transfer the security; or

(2) dispose of the security under Section 15-702.

(e) If the holder of property reported to the administrator under Section 15-401 is the issuer of a certificated security, the administrator may obtain a replacement certificate in physical or book-entry form under Section 8-405 of the Uniform Commercial Code. An indemnity bond is not required.

(f) The administrator shall establish procedures for the registration, issuance, method of delivery, transfer, and maintenance of securities delivered to the administrator by a holder.

(g) An issuer, holder, and transfer agent or other person acting in good faith under this Section under instructions of and on behalf of the issuer or holder is not liable to the apparent owner for a claim arising with respect to property after the property has been delivered to the administrator.

(h) A holder is not required to deliver to the administrator a security identified by the holder as a non-freely transferable security in a report filed under Section 15-401. If the administrator or holder determines that a security is no longer a non-freely transferable security, the holder shall report and deliver the security on the next regular date prescribed for delivery of securities by the holder under this Act. The holder shall make a determination annually whether a security identified in a report filed under Section 15-401 as a non-freely transferable security is no longer a non-freely transferable security.

(Source: P.A. 100-22, eff. 1-1-18.)

(765 ILCS 1026/15-1002.1)

Sec. 15-1002.1. Examination of State-regulated financial organizations.

(a) Notwithstanding Section 15-1002 of this Act, for any financial organization for which the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation is the primary prudential regulator, the administrator shall not examine such financial institution unless the administrator has consulted with the Secretary of Financial and Professional Regulation and the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation has not examined such financial organization for compliance with this Act within the past 5 years. The Secretary of Financial and Professional Regulation may waive in writing the provisions of this subsection (a) in order to permit the administrator to examine a financial organization or group of financial organizations for compliance with this Act.

(b) Nothing in this Section shall be construed to prohibit the administrator from examining a financial organization for which the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation is not the primary prudential regulator. Further, nothing in this Act shall be construed to limit the authority of the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to examine financial organizations.

(c) Notwithstanding Section 15-1002, the administrator may, at reasonable times and upon reasonable notice:

(1) examine the records of a financial organization that is a federally chartered bank, savings bank, or credit union if the administrator has reason to believe that the financial organization has failed to comply with this Act;

(2) issue an administrative subpoena requiring the financial organization or an agent of the financial organization to make records available for examination; and

(3) bring an action seeking judicial enforcement of the subpoena.

The administrator may adopt administrative rules that specify conditions under which the administrator has a reason to believe that a financial organization is not in compliance with this Act.

(Source: P.A. 100-22, eff. 1-1-18; 100-566, eff. 1-1-18; 101-81, eff. 7-12-19.)

(765 ILCS 1026/15-1004)

Sec. 15-1004. Records obtained in examination. Records obtained and records, including work papers, compiled by the administrator or administrator's agent in the course of conducting an examination under Section 15-1002 or Section 15-1002.1:

(1) are subject to the confidentiality and security provisions of Article 14 and are exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act;

(2) may be used by the administrator in an action to collect property or otherwise enforce this Act;

(3) may be used in a joint examination conducted with another state, the United States, a foreign country or subordinate unit of a foreign country, or any other governmental entity if the governmental entity conducting the examination is legally bound to maintain the confidentiality and security of information obtained from a person subject to examination in a manner substantially equivalent to Article 14;

(4) may be disclosed, on request, to the person that administers the unclaimed property law of another state for that state's use in circumstances equivalent to circumstances described in this Article, if the other state is required to maintain the confidentiality and security of information obtained in a manner substantially equivalent to Article 14;

(5) must be produced by the administrator under an administrative or judicial subpoena or administrative or court order; and

(6) must be produced by the administrator on request of the person subject to the examination in an administrative or judicial proceeding relating to the property.

(Source: P.A. 100-22, eff. 1-1-18.)

(765 ILCS 1026/15-1401)

Sec. 15-1401. Confidential information.

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this Section, information that is confidential under law of this State other than this Act, another state, or the United States, including "private information" as defined in the Freedom of Information Act and "personal information" as defined in the Personal Information Protection Act, continues to be confidential when disclosed or delivered under this Act to the administrator or administrator's agent.

(b) Information provided in reports filed pursuant to Section 15-401, information obtained in the course of an examination pursuant to Section 15-1002 or Section 15-1002.1, and the database required by Section 15-503 is exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act.

(c) If reasonably necessary to enforce or implement this Act, the administrator or the administrator's agent may disclose confidential information concerning property held by the administrator or the administrator's agent to:

(1) an apparent owner or the apparent owner's representative under the Probate Act of 1975, attorney, other legal representative, or relative;

(2) the representative under the Probate Act of 1975, other legal representative, relative of a deceased apparent owner, or a person entitled to inherit from the deceased apparent owner;

(3) another department or agency of this State or the United States;

(4) the person that administers the unclaimed property law of another state, if the other state accords substantially reciprocal privileges to the administrator of this State if the other state is required to maintain the confidentiality and security of information obtained in a manner substantially equivalent to Article 14;

(5) a person subject to an examination as required by Section 15-1004; and

(6) an agent of the administrator.

(d) The administrator may include on the website or in the database the names and addresses of apparent owners of property held by the administrator as provided in Section 15-503. The administrator may include in published notices, printed publications, telecommunications, the Internet, or other media and on the website or in the database additional information concerning the apparent owner's property if the administrator believes the information will assist in identifying and returning property to the owner and does not disclose personal information as defined in the Personal Information Protection Act.

(e) The administrator and the administrator's agent may not use confidential information provided to them or in their possession except as expressly authorized by this Act or required by law other than this Act.

(Source: P.A. 100-22, eff. 1-1-18; 100-566, eff. 1-1-18.)

(765 ILCS 1026/15-1402)

Sec. 15-1402. Confidentiality agreement. A person to be examined under Section 15-1002 or Section 15-1002.1 may require, as a condition of disclosure of the records of the person to be examined, that the administrator or the administrator's agent execute and deliver to the person to be examined a confidentiality agreement that:

(1) is in a form that is reasonably satisfactory to the administrator; and

(2) requires the person having access to the records to comply with the provisions of this Article applicable to the person.

(Source: P.A. 100-22, eff. 1-1-18.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.