SB 822: Unclaimed property: digital financial assets.

1501.

As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) “Apparent owner” means the person who appears from the records of the holder to be entitled to property held by the holder.

(b) “Banking organization” means any national or state bank, trust company, banking company, land bank, savings bank, safe-deposit company, private banker, or any similar organization.

(c) “Business association” means any private corporation, joint stock company, business trust, partnership, or any association for business purposes of two or more individuals, whether or not for profit, including, but not by way of limitation, a banking organization, financial organization, life insurance corporation, and utility.

(d) “Digital financial asset” has the same meaning as in subdivision (g) of Section 3102 of the Financial Code.

(e) “Employee benefit plan distribution” means any money, life insurance, endowment or annuity policy or proceeds thereof, securities or other intangible property, or any tangible property, distributable to a participant, former participant, or the beneficiary or estate or heirs of a participant or former participant or beneficiary, from a trust or custodial fund established under a plan to provide health and welfare, pension, vacation, severance, retirement benefit, death benefit, stock purchase, profit sharing, employee savings, supplemental unemployment insurance benefits or similar benefits, or which is established under a plan by a business association functioning as or in conjunction with a labor union that receives for distribution residuals on behalf of employees working under collective-bargaining agreements.

(f) “Financial organization” means any federal or state savings and loan association, building and loan association, credit union, investment company, or any similar organization.

(g) “Holder” means any person in possession of property subject to this chapter belonging to another, or who is trustee in case of a trust, or is indebted to another on an obligation subject to this chapter.

(h) “Life insurance corporation” means any association or corporation transacting the business of insurance on the lives of persons or insurance appertaining thereto, including, but not by way of limitation, endowments, and annuities.

(i) “Owner” means a depositor in case of a deposit, a beneficiary in case of a trust, or creditor, claimant, or payee in case of other choses in action, or any person having a legal or equitable interest in property subject to this chapter, or their legal representative.

(j) “Person” means any individual, business association, government or governmental subdivision or agency, two or more persons having a joint or common interest, or any other legal or commercial entity, whether that person is acting in their own right or in a representative or fiduciary capacity.

(k) “Private key” means a unique element of cryptographic data used for signing transactions on a blockchain that is known to the owner of the element.

(l) “Residuals” means payments pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement of additional compensation for domestic and foreign uses of recorded materials.

1516.5.

(a) Pursuant to Section 1510, any digital financial asset held or owing by a business association escheats to the state if unclaimed by the owner for more than three years from either of the following:

(1) The date a written or electronic communication to the owner is returned undelivered by the United States Postal Service or by electronic mail or other electronic messaging method, as applicable.

(2) The date of the last exercise of an act of ownership interest by the owner in the digital asset account if the owner does not receive written or electronic communications from the holder or the holder does not have the means of systematically tracking or monitoring the nondelivery of those communications.

(b) The running of the three-year period under paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) shall cease immediately upon the exercise of an act of ownership interest in the digital asset account or written, oral, or electronic communication with the holder as evidenced by a memorandum or other record on file with the holder or its agents.

(c) For purposes of this section, an “exercise of an act of ownership interest” includes any of the following actions by the owner regarding the digital asset account:

(1) Conducting a transaction regarding the digital asset account, including buying or selling digital assets, depositing into or withdrawing from the account fiat currency or other property whether by a one-time transaction or a recurring transaction previously authorized by the owner.

(2) Electronically accessing the digital asset account.

(3) Conducting any activity with respect to another digital asset account or any other property owned by the owner with the same holder.

(4) Taking any other action that reasonably demonstrates to the holder that the owner knows that the property exists.

(d) (1) The last known address of an apparent owner, for the purpose of determining the jurisdiction over property subject to escheat pursuant to this section, is either of the following:

(A) The address used for purposes of delivering first-class United States mail.

(B) Any description, code, or other indication of the location of the apparent owner that identifies the state of last known address, even if the description, code, or indication of the location is not sufficient to direct the delivery of first-class United States Postal Service mail to the apparent owner.

(2) If there is a conflict between the address identified in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) and any description, code, or other indication identified in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1), the address identified in subparagraph (A) shall be deemed as the last known address of the apparent owner.

(e) If the business association has a mailing address for the apparent owner of a digital financial asset in its records, which is not known to be inaccurate, the business association shall send a notice to the owner via certified mail, return receipt requested.

(f) If the business association does not have a mailing address for the apparent owner of a digital financial asset in its records, and the apparent owner has consented to electronic service, the notice may be sent electronically.

(g) Notice pursuant to this subdivision shall be sent not less than 6 nor more than 12 months before the time the digital financial asset becomes reportable to the Controller under this chapter.

(1) The notice shall state at the top of the communication: “THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA REQUIRES US TO NOTIFY YOU THAT YOUR UNCLAIMED PROPERTY MAY BE TRANSFERRED TO THE STATE IF YOU DO NOT CONTACT US,” or substantially similar language.

(2) The notice shall specify the time when the digital financial asset will escheat and the effects of escheat, including the need to file a claim for the return of the digital financial asset.

(3) The notice shall do all of the following, in boldface type or in a font a minimum of two points larger than the rest of the notice, exclusive of the heading:

(A) Specify that since the date of last interest, or for the last two years, there has been no indication of owner interest in the digital financial asset.

(B) Identify the digital financial asset by number or identifier, which need not exceed four digits.

(C) Indicate that the digital financial asset is in danger of escheating to the state.

(D) Specify that the Unclaimed Property Law requires business associations to transfer a digital financial asset if it has been unclaimed for three years.

(4) The notice shall include a form, prescribed by the Controller, by which the owner may confirm the owner’s current address. If that form is completed, signed by the owner, and returned to the holder of the digital financial asset, or other device in which the owner’s property is being held, it is no longer considered inactive and the escheat period restarts. In lieu of returning the form, the holder may provide a telephone number or electronic means to enable the owner to contact the holder. If a holder is contacted by a presumed owner by telephone or electronic means, the holder shall document that contact in a memorandum which the holder is required to keep on file. That contact serves to indicate owner interest in the digital financial asset and restarts the escheat period.

(h) In addition to the notice required pursuant to subdivision (b) or (c), the holder may give additional notice at any time between the date of last owner interest and the date the holder transfers the digital financial asset to the Controller.

(i) The holder of any partial key to any digital financial asset that is subject to Section 1516.5 shall attempt to obtain the minimum number of keys required to transfer the digital financial assets within 60 days of determination that the digital financial assets are eligible for escheatment.

1520.

(a) All tangible personal property located in this state and, subject to Section 1510, all intangible personal property, except property of the classes mentioned in Sections 1511, 1513, 1514, 1515, 1515.5, 1516, 1516.5, 1517, 1518, 1518.5, 1519, and 1521, including any income or increment thereon and deducting any lawful charges, that is held or owing in the ordinary course of the holder’s business and has remained unclaimed by the owner for more than three years after it became payable or distributable escheats to this state.

(b) Except as provided in subdivision (a) of Section 1513.5, subdivision (b) of Section 1514, subdivision (d) of Section 1516, and subdivisions (b) and (c) of Section 1516.5, if the holder has in its records an address for the apparent owner of property valued at fifty dollars ($50) or more, which the holder’s records do not disclose to be inaccurate, the holder shall make reasonable efforts to notify the owner by mail or, if the owner has consented to electronic notice, electronically, that the owner’s property will escheat to the state pursuant to this chapter. The notice shall be mailed not less than 6 nor more than 12 months before the time when the owner’s property held by the business becomes reportable to the Controller in accordance with this chapter. The face of the notice shall contain a heading at the top that reads as follows: “THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA REQUIRES US TO NOTIFY YOU THAT YOUR UNCLAIMED PROPERTY MAY BE TRANSFERRED TO THE STATE IF YOU DO NOT CONTACT US,” or substantially similar language. The notice required by this subdivision shall specify the time when the property will escheat and the effects of escheat, including the need to file a claim in order for the owner’s property to be returned to the owner. The notice required by this section shall, in boldface type or in a font a minimum of two points larger than the rest of the notice, exclusive of the heading, (1) specify that since the date of last activity, or for the last two years, there has been no owner activity on the deposit, account, shares, or other interest; (2) identify the deposit, account, shares, or other interest by number or identifier, which need not exceed four digits; (3) indicate that the deposit, account, shares, or other interest is in danger of escheating to the state; and (4) specify that the Unclaimed Property Law requires holders to transfer funds of a deposit, account, shares, or other interest if it has been inactive for three years. It shall also include a form, as prescribed by the Controller, by which the owner may confirm the owner’s current address. If that form is filled out, signed by the owner, and returned to the holder, it shall be deemed that the account, or other device in which the owner’s property is being held, remains currently active and recommences the escheat period. In lieu of returning the form, the holder may provide a telephone number or other electronic means to enable the owner to contact the holder. With that contact, as evidenced by a memorandum or other record on file with the holder, the account or other device in which the owner’s property is being held shall be deemed to remain currently active and shall recommence the escheat period. The holder may impose a service charge on the deposit, account, shares, or other interest for this notice in an amount not to exceed the administrative cost of mailing or electronically sending the notice and form, and in no case to exceed two dollars ($2).

(c) In addition to the notice required pursuant to subdivision (b), the holder may give additional notice as described in subdivision (b) at any time between the date of last activity by, or communication with, the owner and the date the holder transfers the property to the Controller.

(d) For purposes of this section, “lawful charges” means charges that are specifically authorized by statute, other than the Unclaimed Property Law, or by a valid, enforceable contract.

1532.

(a) Every person filing a report as provided by Section 1530 shall, no sooner than seven months and no later than seven months and 15 days after the final date for filing the report, pay or deliver to the Controller all escheated property specified in the report. Any payment of unclaimed cash in an amount of at least two thousand dollars ($2,000) shall be made by electronic funds transfer pursuant to regulations adopted by the Controller. The Controller may postpone the date for payment or delivery of the property, and the date for any report required by subdivision (b), upon the Controller’s own motion or upon written request by any person required to pay or deliver the property or file a report as required by this section.

(b) If a person establishes their right to receive any property specified in the report to the satisfaction of the holder before that property has been delivered to the Controller, or it appears that, for any other reason, the property may not be subject to escheat under this chapter, the holder shall not pay or deliver the property to the Controller but shall instead file a report with the Controller, on a form and in a format prescribed or approved by the Controller, containing information pertaining to the property subject to escheat.

(c) Any property not paid or delivered pursuant to subdivision (b) that is later determined by the holder to be subject to escheat under this chapter shall not be subject to the interest provision of Section 1577.

(d) The holder of any interest under subdivision (b) of Section 1516 shall deliver a duplicate certificate to the Controller or shall register the securities in uncertificated form in the name of the Controller. Upon delivering a duplicate certificate or providing evidence of registration of the securities in uncertificated form to the Controller, the holder, any transfer agent, registrar, or other person acting for or on behalf of the holder in executing or delivering the duplicate certificate or registering the uncertificated securities, shall be relieved from all liability of every kind to any person including, but not limited to, any person acquiring the original certificate or the duplicate of the certificate issued to the Controller for any losses or damages resulting to that person by the issuance and delivery to the Controller of the duplicate certificate or the registration of the uncertificated securities to the Controller.

(e) (1) The holder of any digital financial asset that is subject to Section 1516.5 shall, no more than 30 days after the final date for filing the report required by this section, transfer the exact digital financial asset type, private keys, and amount, unliquidated, to the Controller’s cryptocurrency custodian or as the Controller by regulation may designate.

(2) If the holder possess only a partial private key to the digital financial asset or is otherwise unable to move the digital financial asset to the Controller, the holder shall maintain the digital financial asset until the additional keys required to transfer the digital financial asset become available to the holder or the holder is otherwise able to transfer the digital financial asset to the Controller.

(f) Payment of any intangible property to the Controller shall be made at the office of the Controller in Sacramento or at another location as the Controller by regulation may designate. Except as otherwise agreed by the Controller and the holder, tangible personal property shall be delivered to the Controller at the place where it is held.

(g) Payment is deemed complete on the date the electronic funds transfer is initiated if the settlement to the state’s demand account occurs on or before the banking day following the date the transfer is initiated. If the settlement to the state’s demand account does not occur on or before the banking day following the date the transfer is initiated, payment is deemed to occur on the date settlement occurs.

(h) Any person required to pay cash by electronic funds transfer who makes the payment by means other than an authorized electronic funds transfer shall be liable for a civil penalty of 2 percent of the amount of the payment that is due pursuant to this section, in addition to any other penalty provided by law. Penalties are due at the time of payment. If the Controller finds that a holder’s failure to make payment by an appropriate electronic funds transfer in accordance with the Controller’s procedures is due to reasonable cause and circumstances beyond the holder’s control, and occurred notwithstanding the exercise of ordinary care and in the absence of willful neglect, that holder shall be relieved of the penalties.

(i) An electronic funds transfer shall be accomplished by an automated clearinghouse debit, an automated clearinghouse credit, a Federal Reserve Wire Transfer (Fedwire), or by an international funds transfer. Banking costs incurred for the automated clearinghouse debit transaction by the holder shall be paid by the state. Banking costs incurred by the state for the automated clearinghouse credit transaction may be paid by the holder originating the credit. Banking costs incurred for the Fedwire transaction charged to the holder and the state shall be paid by the person originating the transaction. Banking costs charged to the holder and to the state for an international funds transfer may be charged to the holder.

(j) For purposes of this section:

(1) “Electronic funds transfer” means any transfer of funds, other than a transaction originated by check, draft, or similar paper instrument, that is initiated through an electronic terminal, telephonic instrument, modem, computer, or magnetic tape, so as to order, instruct, or authorize a financial institution to credit or debit an account.

(2) “Automated clearinghouse” means any federal reserve bank, or an organization established by agreement with the National Automated Clearing House Association or any similar organization, that operates as a clearinghouse for transmitting or receiving entries between banks or bank accounts and that authorizes an electronic transfer of funds between those banks or bank accounts.

(3) “Automated clearinghouse debit” means a transaction in which the state, through its designated depository bank, originates an automated clearinghouse transaction debiting the holder’s bank account and crediting the state’s bank account for the amount of payment.

(4) “Automated clearinghouse credit” means an automated clearinghouse transaction in which the holder, through its own bank, originates an entry crediting the state’s bank account and debiting the holder’s bank account.

(5) “Fedwire” means any transaction originated by the holder and utilizing the national electronic payment system to transfer funds through federal reserve banks, pursuant to which the holder debits its own bank account and credits the state’s bank account.

(6) “International funds transfer” means any transaction originated by the holder and utilizing the international electronic payment system to transfer funds, pursuant to which the holder debits its own bank account, and credits the funds to a United States bank that credits the Unclaimed Property Fund.

1533.

Tangible personal property may be excluded from the notices required by Section 1531, shall not be delivered to the Controller, and shall not escheat to the state, if the Controller, in their discretion, determines that it is not in the interest of the state to take custody of the property and notifies the holder in writing, within 120 days from receipt of the report required by Section 1530, of their determination not to take custody of the property.

1563.

(a) Except as provided in subdivisions (b) and (c), all escheated property delivered to the Controller under this chapter shall be sold by the Controller to the highest bidder at public sale in whatever city in the state affords in the Controller’s judgment the most favorable market for the property involved, or the Controller may conduct the sale by electronic media, including, but not limited to, the internet, if in the Controller’s judgment it is cost effective to conduct the sale of the property involved in that manner. However, no sale shall be made pursuant to this subdivision until 18 months after the final date for filing the report required by Section 1530. The Controller may decline the highest bid and reoffer the property for sale if the Controller considers the price bid insufficient. The Controller need not offer any property for sale if, in the Controller’s opinion, the probable cost of sale exceeds the value of the property. Any sale of escheated property held under this section shall be preceded by a single publication of notice thereof, at least one week in advance of sale, in an English language newspaper of general circulation in the county where the property is to be sold.

(b) Securities listed on an established stock exchange shall be sold at the prevailing prices on that exchange. Other securities may be sold over the counter at prevailing prices or by any other method that the Controller may determine to be advisable. These securities shall be sold by the Controller no sooner than 18 months, but no later than 20 months, after the actual date of filing of the report required by Section 1530. If securities delivered to the Controller remain in the custody of the Controller, a person making a valid claim for those securities under this chapter shall be entitled to receive the securities from the Controller. If the securities or digital financial assets have been sold, the person shall be entitled to receive the net proceeds received by the Controller from its sale. United States government savings bonds and United States war bonds shall be presented to the United States for payment. Subdivision (a) does not apply to the property described in this subdivision.

(c) Digital financial assets held by the Controller may be converted to fiat currency at prevailing prices by any method that the Controller may determine to be advisable. The Controller shall convert such digital financial assets no sooner than 18 months, but no later than 20 months, after the actual date of filing of the report required by Section 1530. If digital financial assets delivered to the Controller remain in the custody of the Controller, a person making a valid claim for those assets under this chapter shall be entitled to receive the digital financial assets from the Controller. If the digital financial assets have been converted, the person shall be entitled to receive the net proceeds received by the Controller from its sale.

(d) (1) All escheated property consisting of military awards, decorations, equipment, artifacts, memorabilia, documents, photographs, films, literature, and any other item relating to the military history of California and Californians that is delivered to the Controller is exempt from subdivision (a) and may, at the discretion of the Controller, be held in trust for the Controller at the California State Military Museum and Resource Center, or successor entity. All escheated property held in trust pursuant to this subdivision is subject to the applicable regulations of the United States Army governing Army museum activities as described in Section 179 of the Military and Veterans Code. A person claiming an interest in the escheated property may file a claim to the property pursuant to Article 4 (commencing with Section 1540).

(2) The California State Military Museum and Resource Center, or successor entity, shall be responsible for the costs of storage and maintenance of escheated property delivered by the Controller under this subdivision.

(e) The purchaser at any sale conducted by the Controller pursuant to this chapter shall receive title to the property purchased, free from all claims of the owner or prior holder thereof and of all persons claiming through or under them. The Controller shall execute all documents necessary to complete the transfer of title.

1568.

(a) The Controller may select one or more custodians for the management and safekeeping of digital financial assets that have escheated to the state. Any entity selected as a custodian shall hold a valid license issued by the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation pursuant to Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 3201) of Division 1.25 of the Financial Code.

(b) If the Controller selects a custodian pursuant to subdivision (a), the Controller shall consider the following criteria in making the selection:

(1) Storage security to ensure the safekeeping of digital financial assets, including robust cybersecurity measures to prevent unauthorized access.

(2) Capability to manage private keys associated with digital financial assets and ensure the ability to transfer or transact with the assets when required.

(3) Proven experience in handling digital financial assets.

(4) Compliance with all applicable federal and state regulations related to digital financial asset custody.

(5) Regular reporting mechanisms to the Controller regarding the status and value of the digital financial assets in their custody.

(6) Processes to reunite owners with their digital financial assets, including maintaining updated contact records and issuing timely notifications.

(7) Qualifying as a “financial institution” under Chapter X of Title 31 of the Code of Federal Regulations, which subjects the qualified custodian to the anti-money laundering obligations of the federal Bank Secrecy Act (31 U.S.C. Sec. 5311 et seq.), in addition to any state-imposed anti-money laundering obligations.

(8) Any other factor that the Controller deems relevant.