﻿<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><CertifiedBill type="pl" xmlns="http://leg.wa.gov/2012/document"><EnrollingCertificate xmlns="http://leg.wa.gov/2012/document" type="hBill"><Table align="center" pubwidth="wide" width="504.0pt" fontFamily="Courier New"><Col width="252.0pt" /><Col width="228.0pt" /><TR><TDEnroll><Passage><PassedBy chamber="h"><PassedDate>April 22, 2025</PassedDate><Yeas>97</Yeas><Nays>0</Nays><Signer /></PassedBy><PassedBy chamber="s"><PassedDate>April 15, 2025</PassedDate><Yeas>48</Yeas><Nays>0</Nays><Signer /></PassedBy></Passage></TDEnroll><TDEnroll><Certificate><P><TextRun>I, Bernard Dean, Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is </TextRun><TextRun fontWeight="bold">HOUSE BILL 1731</TextRun><TextRun> as passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on the dates hereon set forth.</TextRun></P><Certifier /><CertifierPosition>Chief Clerk</CertifierPosition></Certificate></TDEnroll></TR><TR><TDEnroll><ApprovedDate /></TDEnroll><TDEnroll><FiledDate /></TDEnroll></TR><TR><TDEnroll><Governor /></TDEnroll><TDEnroll><P textAlign="center"><TextRun fontWeight="bold">Secretary of State</TextRun></P><P textAlign="center"><TextRun fontWeight="bold"> State of Washington</TextRun></P></TDEnroll></TR></Table></EnrollingCertificate><Bill type="bill" xmlns="http://leg.wa.gov/2012/document"><BillHeading><ShortBillId>HB 1731.PL</ShortBillId><LongBillId>HOUSE BILL 1731</LongBillId><AsAmended>SENATE</AsAmended><PLMessage><Message>Passed Legislature</Message><PLSession>2025 Regular Session</PLSession></PLMessage><Legislature>69th Legislature</Legislature><Session>2025 Regular Session</Session><Sponsors>Representative Waters</Sponsors><BillHistory><ReadDate>Read first time 01/30/25.</ReadDate><ReferredCommittee>Referred to Committee on Civil Rights &amp; Judiciary.</ReferredCommittee></BillHistory><BriefDescription>Regarding unclaimed property held by a museum or historical society.</BriefDescription></BillHeading>

<BillBody>
<BillTitle>AN ACT Relating to unclaimed property held by a museum or historical society; and amending RCW 63.26.040, 63.26.020, 63.26.030, and 63.26.050.</BillTitle>
<EnactedClause />
<BillSection type="amendatory" action="amend">
<BillSectionHeader><BillSectionNumber><TextRun>Sec. </TextRun><Value>1</Value><TextRun>.  </TextRun></BillSectionNumber><SectionCite><TextRun>RCW </TextRun><TitleNumber>63</TitleNumber><TextRun>.</TextRun><ChapterNumber>26</ChapterNumber><TextRun>.</TextRun><SectionNumber>040</SectionNumber></SectionCite> and 1988 c 226 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:<Caption>Notice of abandonment of property.</Caption></BillSectionHeader>
<P>(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 <TextRun amendingStyle="strike">mail such</TextRun> <TextRun amendingStyle="add">send an initial</TextRun> 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 <TextRun amendingStyle="strike">thirty</TextRun> <TextRun amendingStyle="add">30</TextRun> days of the date the notice was mailed, the museum or society shall <TextRun amendingStyle="strike">publish</TextRun> <TextRun amendingStyle="add">provide</TextRun> notice, at least once each week for <TextRun amendingStyle="strike">two</TextRun> <TextRun amendingStyle="add">three</TextRun> consecutive weeks, <TextRun amendingStyle="strike">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</TextRun> <TextRun amendingStyle="add">using one or more of the following methods:</TextRun></P>
<P><TextRun amendingStyle="add">(a) Posting on a publicly accessible page on its official website;</TextRun></P>
<P><TextRun amendingStyle="add">(b) Sending an email from an organizational email address to any known email addresses of the owner or any publicized email lists;</TextRun></P>
<P><TextRun amendingStyle="add">(c) Posting on the official social media accounts of the museum or society;</TextRun></P>
<P><TextRun amendingStyle="add">(d) 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;</TextRun></P>
<P><TextRun amendingStyle="add">(e) Documenting a phone call attempt to any known phone numbers of the owner; or</TextRun></P>
<P><TextRun amendingStyle="add">(f) Any other electronic communication methods reasonably expected to reach the owner or interested parties</TextRun>.</P>
<P>(2) The <TextRun amendingStyle="strike">published</TextRun> notice<TextRun amendingStyle="add">, whether digital or printed,</TextRun> shall contain <TextRun amendingStyle="add">the following</TextRun>:</P>
<P>(a) A description of the unclaimed property;</P>
<P>(b) The name and last known address of the owner;</P>
<P>(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</P>
<P>(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 <TextRun amendingStyle="strike">published</TextRun> notice, the property shall be deemed abandoned or donated and shall become the property of the museum or society.</P>
<P>(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.</P>
<P><TextRun amendingStyle="add">(4)(a) When property is found in the collection of a museum or historical society without donor documentation or when property is abandoned at a museum or historical society without the donor's identity being provided, the museum or historical society shall follow a process to establish ownership of the property. The process must include an unknown donor notification, where notice is given to the public through at least one of the following methods:</TextRun></P>
<P><TextRun amendingStyle="add">(i) Posting on a publicly accessible page on the museum's or society's official website; or</TextRun></P>
<P><TextRun amendingStyle="add">(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.</TextRun></P>
<P><TextRun amendingStyle="add">(b) The unknown donor notification shall contain the following:</TextRun></P>
<P><TextRun amendingStyle="add">(i) A general description of the property;</TextRun></P>
<P><TextRun amendingStyle="add">(ii) A statement requesting that any person claiming ownership or having information about the possible donor contact the museum or society in writing;</TextRun></P>
<P><TextRun amendingStyle="add">(iii) Contact information for the museum or society, including an address and email address where claims or inquiries may be sent; and</TextRun></P>
<P><TextRun amendingStyle="add">(iv) A statement that if no claim or information establishing ownership is received by the museum or society within 90 days from the date of the notice, the property shall be deemed donated and shall become the property of the museum or society.</TextRun></P>
<P><TextRun amendingStyle="add">(c) Any person claiming ownership of the property must provide proof of ownership in writing to the museum or historical society.</TextRun></P>
</BillSection>
<BillSection type="amendatory" action="amend">
<BillSectionHeader><BillSectionNumber><TextRun>Sec. </TextRun><Value>2</Value><TextRun>.  </TextRun></BillSectionNumber><SectionCite><TextRun>RCW </TextRun><TitleNumber>63</TitleNumber><TextRun>.</TextRun><ChapterNumber>26</ChapterNumber><TextRun>.</TextRun><SectionNumber>020</SectionNumber></SectionCite> and 1988 c 226 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:<Caption>Abandoned property<TextRun fontFamily="Times New Roman">—</TextRun>Notice.</Caption></BillSectionHeader>
<P>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 <TextRun amendingStyle="strike">ninety</TextRun> <TextRun amendingStyle="add">90</TextRun> days from the date of the <TextRun amendingStyle="strike">second published</TextRun> <TextRun amendingStyle="add">third</TextRun> notice <TextRun amendingStyle="add">provided</TextRun>.</P>
<History>1988 c 226 s 4.</History>
</BillSection>
<BillSection type="amendatory" action="amend">
<BillSectionHeader><BillSectionNumber><TextRun>Sec. </TextRun><Value>3</Value><TextRun>.  </TextRun></BillSectionNumber><SectionCite><TextRun>RCW </TextRun><TitleNumber>63</TitleNumber><TextRun>.</TextRun><ChapterNumber>26</ChapterNumber><TextRun>.</TextRun><SectionNumber>030</SectionNumber></SectionCite> and 1988 c 226 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:<Caption>Loaned property deemed donated<TextRun fontFamily="Times New Roman">—</TextRun>Notice of owner's change of address<TextRun fontFamily="Times New Roman">—</TextRun>Notice of provisions of chapter.</Caption></BillSectionHeader>
<P>(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 <TextRun amendingStyle="strike">ninety</TextRun> <TextRun amendingStyle="add">90</TextRun> days from the date of the <TextRun amendingStyle="strike">second published</TextRun> <TextRun amendingStyle="add">third</TextRun> notice <TextRun amendingStyle="add">provided</TextRun>.</P>
<P>(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 years or more. Property on "permanent loan" shall be deemed to be loaned for an indefinite term.</P>
<P>(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.</P>
<P>(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.</P>
<P>(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.</P>
<History>1988 c 226 s 5.</History>
</BillSection>
<BillSection type="amendatory" action="amend">
<BillSectionHeader><BillSectionNumber><TextRun>Sec. </TextRun><Value>4</Value><TextRun>.  </TextRun></BillSectionNumber><SectionCite><TextRun>RCW </TextRun><TitleNumber>63</TitleNumber><TextRun>.</TextRun><ChapterNumber>26</ChapterNumber><TextRun>.</TextRun><SectionNumber>050</SectionNumber></SectionCite> and 1988 c 226 s 7 are each amended to read as follows:<Caption>Vesting of title in museum or historical society<TextRun fontFamily="Times New Roman">—</TextRun>Subsequent purchase from museum or historical society.</Caption></BillSectionHeader>
<P>(1) If no written assertion of title has been presented by the owner to the museum or society within <TextRun amendingStyle="strike">ninety</TextRun> <TextRun amendingStyle="add">90</TextRun> days from the date of the <TextRun amendingStyle="strike">second published</TextRun> <TextRun amendingStyle="add">third</TextRun> notice <TextRun amendingStyle="add">provided</TextRun>, 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.</P>
<P>(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.</P>
</BillSection>
</BillBody>
</Bill></CertifiedBill>