765 ILCS 1026/15-213

(765 ILCS 1026/15-213)

Sec. 15-213. United States savings bonds.

(a) As used in this Section, "United States savings bond" means property, tangible or intangible, in the form of a savings bond issued by the United States Treasury, whether in paper, electronic, or paperless form, along with all proceeds thereof.

(b) Notwithstanding any provision of this Act to the contrary, a United States savings bond subject to this Section or held or owing in this State by any person is presumed abandoned when such bond has remained unclaimed and unredeemed for 5 years after its date of final extended maturity.

(c) United States savings bonds that are presumed abandoned and unclaimed under subsection (b) shall escheat to the State of Illinois and all property rights and legal title to and ownership of the United States savings bonds, or proceeds from the bonds, including all rights, powers, and privileges of survivorship of any owner, co-owner, or beneficiary, shall vest solely in the State according to the procedure set forth in subsections (d) through (f).

(d) Within 180 days after a United States savings bond has been presumed abandoned, in the absence of a claim having been filed with the administrator for the savings bond, the administrator shall commence a civil action in the Circuit Court of Sangamon County for a determination that the United States savings bonds has escheated to the State. The administrator may postpone the bringing of the action until sufficient United States savings bonds have accumulated in the administrator's custody to justify the expense of the proceedings.

(e) The administrator shall make service by publication in the civil action in accordance with Sections 2-206 and 2-207 of the Code of Civil Procedure, which shall include the filing with the Circuit Court of Sangamon County of the affidavit required in Section 2-206 of that Code by an employee of the administrator with personal knowledge of the efforts made to contact the owners of United States savings bonds presumed abandoned under this Section. In addition to the diligent inquiries made pursuant to Section 2-206 of the Code of Civil Procedure, the administrator may also utilize additional discretionary means to attempt to provide notice to persons who may own a United States savings bond registered to a person with a last known address in the State of Illinois subject to a civil action pursuant to subsection (d).

(f) The owner of a United States savings bond registered to a person with a last known address in the State of Illinois subject to a civil action pursuant to subsection (d) may file a claim for such United States savings bond with either the administrator or by filing a claim in the civil action in the Circuit Court of Sangamon County in which the savings bond registered to that person is at issue prior to the entry of a final judgment by the Circuit Court pursuant to this subsection, and unless the Circuit Court determines that such United States savings bond is not owned by the claimant, then such United States savings bond shall no longer be presumed abandoned. If no person files a claim or appears at the hearing to substantiate a disputed claim or if the court determines that a claimant is not entitled to the property claimed by the claimant, then the court, if satisfied by evidence that the administrator has substantially complied with the laws of this State, shall enter a judgment that the United States savings bonds have escheated to this State, and all property rights and legal title to and ownership of such United States savings bonds or proceeds from such bonds, including all rights, powers, and privileges of survivorship of any owner, co-owner, or beneficiary, shall vest in this State.

(g) The administrator shall redeem from the Bureau of the Fiscal Service of the United States Treasury the United States savings bonds escheated to the State and deposit the proceeds from the redemption of United States savings bonds into the Unclaimed Property Trust Fund.

(h) Any person making a claim for the United States savings bonds escheated to the State under this subsection, or for the proceeds from such bonds, may file a claim with the administrator. Upon providing sufficient proof of the validity of such person's claim, the administrator may, in his or her sole discretion, pay such claim. If payment has been made to any claimant, no action thereafter may be maintained by any other claimant against the State or any officer thereof for or on account of such funds.

(Source: P.A. 102-288, eff. 8-6-21.)