HOUSE BILL No. 6115

 

May 30, 2006, Introduced by Rep. Mortimer and referred to the Committee on Tax Policy.

 

     A bill to amend 1995 PA 29, entitled

 

"Uniform unclaimed property act,"

 

by amending section 19 (MCL 567.239), as amended by 2004 PA 385.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 19. (1) The administrator shall cause a notice to be

 

published once every 6 months in a newspaper that has statewide

 

circulation.

 

     (2) The published notice shall be entitled "notice to persons

 

and entities who may be owners of abandoned property" and contain

 

all of the following:

 

     (a) A statement of the number of new properties that have been

 

added to the department of treasury website and that the list of

 

new properties will be available for not less than 1 year.

 


     (b) The department's website address. The website shall enable

 

persons and entities to search for their abandoned property.

 

     (c) The department's telephone number for persons and entities

 

wishing to contact the department via telephone in search of their

 

abandoned property.

 

     (d) A statement that anyone interested in searching the

 

department of treasury website may search the internet at his or

 

her local public library.

 

     (3) The website shall contain all of the following:

 

     (a) The name of any person for whom property has been added to

 

the unclaimed property division database.

 

     (b) A statement that information concerning the property may

 

be obtained by any person possessing an interest in the property by

 

addressing an inquiry to the administrator.

 

     (c) A claim form.

 

     (d) A statement informing an owner of property held by the

 

administrator how to file a claim with the administrator to receive

 

his or her property.

 

     (4) The administrator is not required to publish  on the

 

website any items of less than $50.00 unless the administrator

 

considers  publication of 1 or more of those items to be in the

 

public interest.

 

     (5) This section is not applicable to sums payable on

 

travelers checks, money orders, and other written instruments

 

presumed abandoned under section 5.

 

     (6) Beginning October 1, 2006, the department of treasury and

 

the administrator shall develop a link to the state main website

 


that is prominently displayed on the state's main website that

 

clearly shows how to access the unclaimed property division

 

database.