The Florida Senate

717.118  Notice and publication of lists of abandoned property.--

(1)  It is specifically recognized that the state has an obligation to make an effort to notify owners of abandoned property in a cost-effective manner. In order to provide all the citizens of this state an effective and efficient program for the recovery of abandoned property, the department shall use cost-effective means to make a single attempt to notify owners of the existence of abandoned property held by the department. The means of notification may include post, print, visual, telecommunications, or electronic media. Publication of the names of owners on the Internet is not an attempt to notify owners under this subsection. The department shall implement such notification within 13 months following the receipt of the report required by s. 717.117.

(2)  The following notification requirements shall apply:

(a)  Notifications that are published or televised shall consist of the names of apparent owners of abandoned property, listed in alphabetical order, and information regarding recovery of abandoned property from the department. Such notification shall be televised or published in the county in which the last known address of the apparent owner is located or, if the address is unknown, in the county in which the holder has its principal place of business. Published notifications must be in accordance with s. 50.011.

(b)  Notification provided directly to individual apparent owners shall consist of a description of the property and information regarding recovery of abandoned property from the department.

(3)  The department shall publish in the notice any items of more than $100.

(4)  This section is not applicable to sums payable on traveler's checks, money orders, and other written instruments presumed abandoned under s. 717.104.

History.--s. 19, ch. 87-105; s. 2, ch. 88-256; s. 31, ch. 92-319; s. 2, ch. 93-280; s. 10, ch. 96-301.