HB2193 HFAT Summers 3-6

Fisher 3258

Delegate Summers moved to amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting therefor a new title, to read as follows:

Eng. House Bill No. 2193 -- H. B. 2193 -- A Bill to amend and reenact §36-8-1 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended; and to amend said code by adding thereto a new section, designated §36-8-2a, all relating to providing for the specific escheat of United States savings bonds and all rights and legal title thereto; defining “United States savings bond”; providing that a United States savings bond held or owing in West Virginia shall be presumed abandoned if the last known address of the owner is in West Virginia and the United States savings bond has remained unclaimed and unredeemed for a period of five years after final maturity; setting forth a procedure by which abandoned, lost, stolen and destroyed United States savings bonds may escheat to the state; requiring the State Treasurer to commence a civil action for a determination that a United States savings bond shall escheat to the state; requiring service by publication; providing that claimants may appear in court to defend their right to the subject bond or bonds; requiring the court to enter a judgment vesting title in the state if the State Treasurer has substantially complied with required procedure and no valid claim is made for a United States savings bond; requiring the Treasurer to redeem United States savings bonds that have escheated to the state; permitting the State Treasurer to pay collection and recovery costs from United States savings bond proceeds; requiring the State Treasurer to deposit remaining balance of proceeds into the Unclaimed Property Fund; permitting persons to file claims for escheated United States savings bonds or proceeds thereof after a United States savings bond has escheated to the state; and barring subsequent actions against the state after payment has been made to a claimant.

Adopted

Rejected