Bill Text: NY S04109 | 2025-2026 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Extends the term for claiming unclaimed property from three to five years.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2025-02-03 - REFERRED TO FINANCE [S04109 Detail]
Download: New_York-2025-S04109-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 4109 2025-2026 Regular Sessions IN SENATE February 3, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sen. COMRIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance AN ACT to amend the abandoned property law, in relation to extending the term for claiming unclaimed property from three to five years The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Paragraphs (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g), (i) and (k) 2 of subdivision 1 of section 300 of the abandoned property law, para- 3 graphs (a), (b) and (k) as amended by section 1 of part A of chapter 61 4 of the laws of 2011, paragraph (c) as amended by section 5 of part T of 5 chapter 62 of the laws of 2006, paragraph (d) as amended by chapter 48 6 of the laws of 1978, paragraphs (e) and (f) as amended by chapter 41 of 7 the laws of 1987 and paragraphs (g) and (i) as added by chapter 15 of 8 the laws of 1983, are amended to read as follows: 9 (a) Any amounts due on deposits or any amounts to which a shareholder 10 of a savings and loan association or a credit union is entitled, held or 11 owing by a banking organization, which shall have remained unclaimed for 12 [three] five years by the person or persons appearing to be entitled 13 thereto, including any interest or dividends credited thereon, excepting 14 (i) any such amount which has been reduced or increased, exclusive of 15 dividend or interest payment, within [three] five years, or 16 (ii) any such amount which is represented by a passbook not in the 17 possession of the banking organization, which has been presented for 18 entry of dividend or interest credit within [three] five years, or 19 (iii) any such amount with respect to which the banking organization 20 has on file written evidence received within [three] five years that the 21 person or persons appearing to be entitled to such amounts had knowledge 22 thereof, or 23 (iv) any such amount payable only at or by a branch office located in 24 a foreign country, or payable in currency other than United States 25 currency, or EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD05395-01-5S. 4109 2 1 (v) any such amount that is separately identifiable and has been set 2 aside to meet the burial and related expenses of an individual, provided 3 however that said amount shall be deemed abandoned property where it 4 remains unclaimed for [three] five years subsequent to the death of the 5 individual for whom the amount was deposited. 6 (b) Any amounts, together with all accumulations of interest or other 7 increment thereon, held or owing by a banking organization for the 8 payment of an interest in a bond and mortgage apportioned or transferred 9 by it pursuant to subdivision seven of former section one hundred eight- 10 y-eight of the banking law as it existed prior to July first, nineteen 11 hundred thirty-seven, which shall have remained unclaimed by the person 12 or persons appearing to be entitled thereto for [three] five years after 13 the full and final liquidation of such mortgage, excepting 14 (i) any such amount which has been reduced by payment to the person or 15 persons appearing to be entitled thereto within [three] five years, or 16 (ii) any such amount which is represented by a certificate of share 17 ownership not in the possession of the banking organization, which 18 certificate has been presented for transfer within [three] five years, 19 or 20 (iii) any such amount with respect to which the banking organization 21 has on file written evidence received within [three] five years that the 22 person or persons appearing to be entitled to such amount had knowledge 23 thereof. 24 (c) Any amount held or owing by a banking organization for the payment 25 of a negotiable instrument under article three of the uniform commercial 26 code or a certified check whether negotiable or not, on which such 27 organization is directly liable, which instrument shall have been 28 outstanding for more than [three] five years from the date it was paya- 29 ble or from the date of its issuance, if payable on demand; provided, 30 however, the provisions of this paragraph shall not apply 31 (i) to any negotiable instrument payable outside the continental 32 limits of the United States, or 33 (ii) to any instrument payable in currency other than United States 34 currency. 35 (d) After the expiration of [three] five years from the opening of any 36 vault, safe deposit box or other receptacle by a banking organization 37 pursuant to the provisions of the banking law, any surplus amounts aris- 38 ing from a sale by such banking organization of the contents of such 39 vault, safe deposit box or other receptacle pursuant to the provisions 40 of the banking law, the balance remaining of any United States coin or 41 currency among the contents of such vault, safe deposit box or other 42 receptacle and the balance remaining of the proceeds of the principal of 43 or interest or dividends on any securities among the contents of such 44 vault, safe deposit box or other receptacle or the securities themselves 45 which have remained unsold by the banking organization. 46 (e) Any amount or security representing a dividend or other payment 47 received (i) after June thirtieth, nineteen hundred forty, by a banking 48 organization or its nominee as the record holder of any stock, bond, or 49 other security of any corporation, association or joint stock company to 50 which amount or security an unknown person (except a person entitled to 51 such dividend or other payment upon the surrender of other outstanding 52 securities) is entitled or (ii) on or after July first, nineteen hundred 53 seventy-four by a banking organization or its nominee other than as a 54 holder of record or as holder of record for known persons on any stock, 55 bond or other security of any corporation, association or joint stock 56 company or (iii) on or after July first, nineteen hundred eighty-four byS. 4109 3 1 a banking organization or its nominee on any stock, bond, or other secu- 2 rity of a governmental or other public issuer, (1) which shall have 3 remained unclaimed by the person entitled thereto for [three] five years 4 after receipt thereof by such banking organization or its nominee, or 5 (2) when the stock, bond or other security with respect to which such 6 amount or security representing a dividend or other payment is payable 7 has been deemed abandoned. 8 (f) Except as provided in paragraph (e) of this subdivision, any 9 stock, bond or other security of any corporation, association or joint 10 stock company received on or after July first, nineteen hundred seven- 11 ty-seven or any stock, bond or other security of any governmental or 12 other public issuer received on or after July first, nineteen hundred 13 eighty-four by a banking organization or its nominee and held by such 14 banking organization or its nominee (1) as holder of record of such 15 stock, bond or other security, or (2) as custodian, trustee or fiduciary 16 for a person other than the issuer with respect to such stock, bond or 17 other security, or (3) for unknown persons where, for [three] five 18 successive years, (i) all amounts payable upon such stocks, bonds, or 19 other securities of any corporation, association or joint stock company 20 and received by such banking organization or its nominee on or after 21 July first, nineteen hundred seventy-seven or all amounts payable upon 22 such stocks, bonds, or other securities of any governmental or other 23 public issuer and received by such banking organization or its nominee 24 on or after July first, nineteen hundred eighty-four have remained 25 unclaimed by the person entitled thereto, and (ii) no written communi- 26 cation concerning such stock, bond or other security has been received 27 from the person entitled thereto by such banking organization or its 28 nominee. 29 (g) Any stock, bond, or other security held by a banking organization 30 in any vault or other storage area in any capacity other than as set 31 forth in paragraphs (d), (e) or (f) of this subdivision where, for 32 [three] five successive years, (i) such stock, bond, or other security 33 has remained unclaimed by the person entitled thereto, and (ii) no writ- 34 ten communication concerning such stock, bond or other security has been 35 received from the person entitled thereto by such banking organization. 36 (i) Any amount or security which shall have become payable or deliver- 37 able by a banking organization, as agent or trustee for a corporation, 38 association or joint stock company which shall have discontinued the 39 conduct of its business, or the corporate existence of which shall have 40 terminated, without the right to receive such amount having passed to a 41 successor or successors, and which shall have remained unpaid or unde- 42 livered to the person or persons entitled thereto for [three] five 43 years. 44 (k) Lost property or instruments as defined in section two hundred 45 fifty-one of the personal property law which shall have been held by a 46 safe deposit company or bank for [three] five years pursuant to the 47 provisions of section two hundred fifty-six of the personal property 48 law. 49 § 2. Subdivisions 1, 2 and 3 of section 501 of the abandoned property 50 law, subdivisions 1 and 2 as added by chapter 166 of the laws of 1991, 51 paragraph (b) of subdivision 1 as amended by section 2 of part T of 52 chapter 62 of the laws of 2006, paragraph (a) of subdivision 2 as 53 amended by section 3 of part T of chapter 62 of the laws of 2006, 54 subparagraph (i) of paragraph (b) of subdivision 2 as amended by section 55 4 of part T of chapter 62 of the laws of 2006 and subdivision 3 asS. 4109 4 1 amended by chapter 61 of the laws of 1989, are amended to read as 2 follows: 3 1. (a) Any amount which, on or after January first, nineteen hundred 4 forty-seven, shall have become payable or distributable by a domestic, 5 foreign or public corporation or by a fiduciary to a resident as the 6 owner or former owner of a security as defined in paragraph (a) of 7 subdivision two of section five hundred of this article, shall be deemed 8 abandoned when the security with respect to which such amount is payable 9 or distributable has been deemed abandoned, or when such amount: 10 (i) is payable or distributable to such resident as the owner or 11 former owner of such security; and 12 (ii) has, on the thirty-first day of December in any year, remained 13 unpaid to or unclaimed by such resident for a period of [three] five 14 years. For the purposes of this article, a security as defined in para- 15 graph (a) of subdivision two of section five hundred of this article 16 shall not be deemed abandoned until a period of [three] five years has 17 elapsed from the earlier of the maturity date of such security or the 18 date such security has been called for redemption. 19 (b) Any amount which, on or after January first, nineteen hundred 20 forty-seven shall have become payable or distributable by a domestic or 21 foreign corporation or a fiduciary to a resident as the owner or former 22 owner of a security as defined in paragraph (b) of subdivision two of 23 section five hundred of this article, shall be deemed abandoned when the 24 security with respect to which such amount is payable or distributable 25 has been deemed abandoned or when such amount: 26 (i) is payable or distributable to such resident as the owner or 27 former owner of such security; and 28 (ii) has, on the thirty-first day of December in any year, remained 29 unpaid to or unclaimed by such resident for a period of [three] five 30 years. 31 2. (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this subdivision, any 32 security, as defined in paragraph (b) of subdivision two of section five 33 hundred of this article, of any domestic corporation or foreign corpo- 34 ration owned by or formerly owned by a resident shall be deemed aban- 35 doned where, for [three] five successive years: 36 (i) all amounts, if any, payable or distributable thereon or with 37 respect thereto have remained unpaid to or unclaimed by such resident, 38 and 39 (ii) no written communication has been received from such resident by 40 the holder. 41 (b) (i) Any security, as defined in paragraph (b) of subdivision two 42 of section five hundred of this article, of any domestic or foreign 43 corporation in which a resident has an ownership interest and which is 44 enrolled in a plan that provides for the automatic reinvestment of divi- 45 dends, distributions, or other sums payable as the result of such inter- 46 est shall be deemed abandoned when any security owned by such resident 47 which is not enrolled in the plan has been deemed abandoned pursuant to 48 paragraph (a) of this subdivision or when, for [three] five successive 49 years: 50 (1) all amounts, if any, payable thereon or with respect thereto have 51 remained unpaid to or unclaimed by such resident, and 52 (2) no written communication has been received from such resident by 53 the holder, and 54 (3) the holder does not know the location of such resident at the end 55 of such [three] five year period.S. 4109 5 1 (ii) For purposes of this paragraph, the reinvestment of any dividend, 2 distribution or other sum payable shall not be considered as payment of 3 an amount for the purpose of extending the statutory period of inactiv- 4 ity after the expiration of which securities enrolled in a reinvestment 5 plan are deemed abandoned. 6 (iii) Any corporation or fiduciary holding or evidencing on its books 7 and records securities enrolled in a reinvestment plan shall notify the 8 apparent owner by certified mail that such securities will be delivered 9 to the state comptroller as abandoned property, pursuant to the 10 provisions of section five hundred two of this article, unless such 11 corporation or fiduciary receives written communication from the appar- 12 ent owner of such securities indicating knowledge of such securities 13 prior to the date that such securities are required to be delivered to 14 the state comptroller. Such letter by certified mail shall be sent 15 during the calendar year prior to the year in which such property would 16 be required to be delivered to the state comptroller, but no later than 17 the thirty-first day of December of such year. For purposes of this 18 subdivision, a signed return receipt shall constitute written communi- 19 cation received by the holder from the apparent owner. 20 (iv) All corporations or fiduciaries holding or evidencing on its 21 books and records securities enrolled in a reinvestment plan shall 22 retain, for a period of five years following the thirty-first day of 23 December of the year for which a report of abandoned property has been 24 filed, a list of (1) the dates and nature of any and all corporate 25 notices which have been sent via first class mail to owners of such 26 securities during the period to which such report relates, and (2) the 27 names and addresses of all owners of such securities for whom postal 28 authorities have returned any first class mail sent by the holder during 29 the period to which such report relates, and the dates on which such 30 mail was returned for each such owner. Nothing contained herein or in 31 any other provision of this chapter shall preclude the state comp- 32 troller, in the performance of [his] such comptroller's duties under 33 this chapter, from verifying that all such notices have been sent and 34 whether or not such notices have been returned to the holder by the 35 postal authorities. 36 3. Any wages payable on or after July first, nineteen hundred sixty- 37 three by a domestic or foreign corporation and held for a resident by 38 such issuing corporation or held and payable by a fiduciary other than a 39 broker or dealer as defined in section five hundred ten of this chapter 40 for a resident shall be deemed to be abandoned property, where for 41 [three] five successive years: 42 (a) All such wages have remained unpaid to such resident, and 43 (b) No written communication has been received from such resident by 44 the holder, and 45 (c) Notice regarding such wages has been sent by the corporation or 46 fiduciary, via first class mail, to such resident at [his] their last 47 known address and such notice has been returned to the corporation or 48 fiduciary by the postal authorities for inability to locate such resi- 49 dent. 50 § 3. Subdivisions 1, 1-a, 2, 3, 4 and 5 of section 511 of the aban- 51 doned property law, subdivisions 1, 2, 3 and 4 as amended by chapter 617 52 of the laws of 1973 and subdivisions 1-a and 5 as amended by chapter 767 53 of the laws of 1983, are amended to read as follows: 54 1. Any amount (a) received in this state after June thirtieth, nine- 55 teen hundred forty-six by a broker or dealer or nominee of such broker 56 or dealer as the holder of record of a security remaining unpaid to theS. 4109 6 1 person entitled thereto for [three] five years following the receipt 2 thereof, or (b) when paid to such broker, dealer or nominee on or with 3 respect to a security which has been deemed abandoned. 4 1-a. Any amount (a) received in this state on or after July first, 5 nineteen hundred seventy-four by a broker or dealer or nominee of such 6 broker or dealer other than as the holder of record of a security 7 remaining unpaid to the person entitled thereto for [three] five years 8 following the receipt thereof, or (b) when paid to such broker, dealer 9 or nominee on or with respect to a security which has been deemed aban- 10 doned. 11 2. Any amount (a) received in this state after June thirtieth, nine- 12 teen hundred forty-six due from a broker or dealer or nominee of such 13 broker or dealer to a customer which has remained unpaid to the customer 14 for [three] five years after the date of the last entry, other than the 15 receipt of dividends or interest in the account of such broker, dealer 16 or nominee with such customer, or (b) payable on or with respect to a 17 security which has been deemed abandoned. 18 3. Any security held in this state by a broker or dealer, or nominee 19 of such broker or dealer, as the holder of record of a security for a 20 customer or for a person or persons unknown to such broker or dealer or 21 nominee where, for [three] five successive years, all amounts paid ther- 22 eon or with respect thereto and received after June thirtieth, nineteen 23 hundred forty-six by such broker or dealer or nominee have remained 24 unclaimed. Provided, however, that if any amount or security specified 25 in this subdivision or subdivision one[,] or subdivision two [or three] 26 of this section is reflected, recorded, or included in an account with 27 respect to which such broker or dealer has on file evidence in writing 28 received within the [three] five years immediately preceding the thir- 29 ty-first day of December preceding the date such amount or security 30 would otherwise be payable or deliverable pursuant to section five 31 hundred twelve of this article that the person entitled thereto had 32 knowledge of such account, then such amount or security shall not be 33 deemed abandoned property. 34 4. Any security held by a broker or dealer or nominee of such broker 35 or dealer reflected, recorded, or included in an account with respect to 36 which, for [three] five successive years, all statements of account or 37 other communications which have been sent, via first class mail, to the 38 customer at [his] their last known address have been returned to such 39 broker, dealer or nominee by the postal authorities for inability to 40 locate the customer, and no written communication has been received from 41 the customer by such broker, dealer or nominee, provided such security 42 was received or is held in this state by such broker, dealer or nominee 43 or the last known address of the customer is located in this state. 44 5. Any wages held and payable on or after July first, nineteen hundred 45 sixty-six by a broker or dealer, as defined in section five hundred ten 46 of this article, for the benefit of a person or persons, known or 47 unknown shall be deemed to be abandoned property, where for [three] five 48 successive years: 49 (a) All such wages have remained unpaid to such person, and 50 (b) No written communication has been received from such person by the 51 holder, and 52 (c) Notice regarding such wages, if sent by the broker or dealer, via 53 first class mail, to such person at [his] their last known address has 54 been returned to the broker or dealer by the postal authorities for 55 inability to locate such person.S. 4109 7 1 § 4. Subdivision 1 of section 700 of the abandoned property law, as 2 amended by chapter 695 of the laws of 1964, paragraphs (a) and (c) as 3 amended by chapter 78 of the laws of 1976, paragraph (b) as amended by 4 section 13 of part A of chapter 61 of the laws of 2011, paragraph (d) as 5 amended by chapter 767 of the laws of 1983 and paragraph (e) as added 6 and paragraph (f) as amended by chapter 61 of the laws of 1989, is 7 amended to read as follows: 8 1. The following unclaimed property held or owing by life insurance 9 corporations shall be deemed abandoned property: 10 (a) Any moneys held or owing by any life insurance corporation which 11 shall have remained unclaimed for [three] five years by the person or 12 persons appearing to be entitled thereto under matured life insurance 13 policies on the endowment plan and which are payable to any person whose 14 last-known address, according to the records of the corporation, is 15 within this state. 16 (b) Any moneys held or owing by any life insurance corporation which 17 are payable under other kinds of life insurance policies to any person 18 whose last-known address, according to the records of the corporation, 19 is within this state, where the insured, if living, would have attained 20 the limiting age under the mortality table on which the reserves are 21 based, exclusive of 22 (i) any policy which has within [three] five years been assigned, 23 readjusted, kept in force by payment of premium, reinstated or subjected 24 to loan, or 25 (ii) any policy with respect to which such corporation has on file 26 written evidence received within [three] five years that the person or 27 persons apparently entitled to claim thereunder have knowledge thereof. 28 (c) Any moneys held or owing by any life insurance corporation due to 29 beneficiaries or other persons entitled thereto under policies on the 30 lives of persons who have died where the last-known address, according 31 to the records of the corporation, of the person or persons appearing to 32 be entitled thereto is within this state, which moneys shall have 33 remained unclaimed by the person or persons entitled thereto for [three] 34 five years. 35 (d) Any other moneys which are held or owing by any life insurance 36 corporation on or after July first, nineteen hundred sixty-seven consti- 37 tuting or representing refunds of any kind due upon or in connection 38 with life insurance policies payable to any person whose last known 39 address, according to the records of the corporation, is within this 40 state, which moneys shall have remained unclaimed by the person entitled 41 thereto for [three] five years. 42 (e) Any moneys held or owing by any life insurance corporation on or 43 after July first, nineteen hundred eighty-three upon or in connection 44 with an annuity contract payable to any person whose last-known address, 45 according to the records of the corporation, is within this state, which 46 moneys shall have remained unclaimed by the person entitled thereto for 47 [three] five years. 48 (f) If no address of the person or persons appearing to be entitled to 49 the unclaimed funds pursuant to paragraph (a), (b), (c), (d) or (e) of 50 this subdivision is known to such corporation, or if it is not definite 51 and certain from the records of such corporation what person is entitled 52 to such funds, it shall be presumed that the last-known address of the 53 person entitled to such funds is the same as the last-known address of 54 the insured or annuitant according to the records of such corporation. 55 Where no address can be ascertained, pursuant to this paragraph, for the 56 insured, annuitant or person or persons entitled to the unclaimed funds,S. 4109 8 1 such person's last-known address shall be presumed to be within this 2 state if the unclaimed funds are held or owing by life insurance corpo- 3 ration organized under the laws of this state. 4 § 5. This act shall take effect immediately.
