63.26.040 - Notice of abandonment of property.

Notice of abandonment of property.

(1) When a museum or historical society is required to give notice of abandonment of property or of termination of a loan, the museum or historical society shall mail such notice by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the last known owner at the most recent address of such owner as shown on the museum's or society's records. If the museum or society has no address on record, or the museum or society does not receive written proof of receipt of the mailed notice within thirty days of the date the notice was mailed, the museum or society shall publish notice, at least once each week for two consecutive weeks, in a newspaper of general circulation in both the county in which the museum is located and the county in which the last known address, if available, of the owner is located.

     (2) The published notice shall contain:

     (a) A description of the unclaimed property;

     (b) The name and last known address of the owner;

     (c) A request that all persons who may have any knowledge of the whereabouts of the owner provide written notice to the museum or society; and

     (d) A statement that if written assertion of title is not presented by the owner to the museum or society within ninety days from the date of the second published notice, the property shall be deemed abandoned or donated and shall become the property of the museum or society.

     (3) For purposes of this chapter, if the loan of property was made to a branch of a museum or society, the museum or society is deemed to be located in the county in which the branch is located. Otherwise the museum or society is located in the county in which it has its principal place of business.

[1988 c 226 § 6.]