765 ILCS 1026/15-503

(765 ILCS 1026/15-503)

Sec. 15-503. Notice by administrator.

(a) The administrator shall give notice to an apparent owner that property presumed abandoned and appears to be owned by the apparent owner is held by the administrator under this Act.

(b) In providing notice under subsection (a), the administrator shall:

(1) except as otherwise provided in paragraph (2), send written notice by first-class United States mail to each apparent owner of property valued at $100 or more held by the administrator, unless the administrator determines that a mailing by first-class United States mail would not be received by the apparent owner, and, in the case of a security held in an account for which the apparent owner had consented to receiving electronic mail from the holder, send notice by electronic mail if the electronic-mail address of the apparent owner is known to the administrator instead of by first-class United States mail; or

(2) send the notice to the apparent owner's electronic-mail address if the administrator does not have a valid United States mail address for an apparent owner, but has an electronic-mail address that the administrator does not know to be invalid.

(c) In addition to the notice under subsection (b), the administrator shall:

(1) publish every 6 months in at least one English language newspaper of general circulation in each county in this State notice of property held by the administrator which must include:

(A) the total value of property received by the administrator during the preceding 6-month period, taken from the reports under Section 15-401;

(B) the total value of claims paid by the administrator during the preceding 6-month period;

(C) the Internet web address of the unclaimed property website maintained by the administrator;

(D) an electronic-mail address to contact the administrator to inquire about or claim property; and

(E) a statement that a person may access the Internet by a computer to search for unclaimed property and a computer may be available as a service to the public at a local public library.

(2) The administrator shall maintain a website accessible by the public and electronically searchable which contains the names reported to the administrator of apparent owners for whom property is being held by the administrator. The administrator need not list property on such website when: no owner name was reported, a claim has been initiated or is pending for the property, the administrator has made direct contact with the apparent owner of the property, and in other instances where the administrator reasonably believes exclusion of the property is in the best interests of both the State and the owner of the property.

(d) The website or database maintained under subsection (c)(2) must include instructions for filing with the administrator a claim to property and an online claim form with instructions. The website may also provide a printable claim form with instructions for its use.

(e) Tax return identification of apparent owners of abandoned property.

(1) At least annually the administrator shall notify the Department of Revenue of the names of persons appearing to be owners of abandoned property under this Section. The administrator shall also provide to the Department of Revenue the social security numbers of the persons, if available.

(2) The Department of Revenue shall notify the administrator if any person under subsection (e)(1) has filed an Illinois income tax return and shall provide the administrator with the last known address of the person as it appears in Department of Revenue records, except as prohibited by federal law. The Department of Revenue may also provide additional addresses for the same taxpayer from the records of the Department, except as prohibited by federal law.

(3) In order to facilitate the return of property under this subsection, the administrator and the Department of Revenue may enter into an interagency agreement concerning protection of confidential information, data match rules, and other issues.

(4) The administrator may deliver, as provided under Section 15-904 of this Act, property or pay the amount owing to a person matched under this Section without the person filing a claim under Section 15-903 of this Act if the following conditions are met:

(A) the value of the property that is owed the person is $5,000 or less;

(B) the property is not either tangible property or securities;

(C) the last known address for the person according to the Department of Revenue records is less than 12 months old; and

(D) the administrator has evidence sufficient to establish that the person who appears in Department of Revenue records is the owner of the property and the owner currently resides at the last known address from the Department of Revenue.

(5) If the value of the property that is owed the person is greater than $5,000, or is tangible property or securities the administrator shall provide notice to the person, informing the person that he or she is the owner of abandoned property held by the State and may file a claim with the administrator for return of the property.

(6) The administrator does not need to notify the Department of Revenue of the names or social security numbers of apparent owners of abandoned property if the administrator reasonably believes that the Department of Revenue will be unable to provide information that would provide sufficient evidence to establish that the person in the Department of Revenue's records is the apparent owner of unclaimed property in the custody of the administrator.

(f) The administrator may use additional databases to verify the identity of the person and that the person currently resides at the last known address. The administrator may utilize publicly and commercially available databases to find and update or add information for apparent owners of property held by the administrator.

(g) In addition to giving notice under subsection (b), publishing the information under subsection (c)(1) and maintaining the website or database under subsection (c)(2), the administrator may use other printed publication, telecommunication, the Internet, or other media to inform the public of the existence of unclaimed property held by the administrator.

(h) Identification of apparent owners of abandoned property using other State databases.

(1) The administrator may enter into interagency agreements with the Secretary of State and the Illinois State Board of Elections to identify persons appearing to be owners of abandoned property with databases under the control of the Secretary of State and the Illinois State Board of Elections. Such interagency agreements shall include protection of confidential information, data match rules, and other necessary and proper issues.

(2) Except as prohibited by federal law, after January 1, 2022 the administrator may provide the Secretary of State with names and other identifying information of persons appearing to be owners of abandoned property. The Secretary of State may provide the administrator with the last known address as it appears in its respective records of any person reasonably believed to be the apparent owner of abandoned property.

(3) The Illinois State Board of Elections shall, upon request, annually provide the administrator with electronic data or compilations of voter registration information. The administrator may use such electronic data or compilations of voter registration information to identify persons appearing to be owners of abandoned property.

(4) The administrator may deliver, as provided under Section 15-904, property or pay the amount owing to a person matched under this Section without the person filing a claim under Section 15-903 if:

(i) the value of the property that is owed the person is $5,000 or less;

(ii) the property is not either tangible property or securities;

(iii) the last known address for the person according to the records of the Secretary of State or Illinois State Board of Elections is less than 12 months old; and

(iv) the administrator has evidence sufficient to establish that the person who appears in the records of the Secretary of State or Illinois State Board of Elections is the owner of the property and the owner currently resides at the last known address from the Secretary of State or the Illinois State Board of Elections.

(Source: P.A. 102-288, eff. 8-6-21; 102-835, eff. 5-13-22.)