To amend sections 169.01, 169.02, 169.03, 169.06, 169.08, 169.13, 169.14, and 169.16 of the Revised Code to require the director of commerce to provide the office of budget and management with the proper data file to withhold from an unclaimed funds payment for any legal amount in an agreement to compensate a registered finder and to pay that amount directly to the finder and to make other changes in the Unclaimed Funds Law.

Section 1. That sections 169.01, 169.02, 169.03, 169.06, 169.08, 169.13, 169.14, and 169.16 of the Revised Code be amended to read as follows:

Sec. 169.01.  As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires:

(A) "Financial organization" means any bank, trust company, savings bank, safe deposit company, mutual savings bank without mutual stock, savings and loan association, credit union, or investment company.

(B)(1) "Unclaimed funds" "Property presumed abandoned" means any moneys, rights to moneys, or intangible property, described in section 169.02 of the Revised Code and reported to the director of commerce as required by section 169.03 of the Revised Code, when, as shown by the records of the holder, the owner has not, within the times provided in section 169.02 of the Revised Code, done any of the following:

(a) Increased, decreased, or adjusted the amount of such funds property;

(b) Assigned, paid premiums, or encumbered such funds property;

(c) Presented an appropriate record for the crediting of such funds property or received payment of such funds property by check, draft, or otherwise;

(d) Corresponded with the holder concerning such funds property;

(e) Otherwise indicated an interest in or knowledge of such funds property;

(f) Transacted business with the holder.

(2) "Unclaimed funds" means property presumed abandoned.

(3) "Property presumed abandoned" does not include any of the following:

(a) Money received or collected under section 9.39 of the Revised Code;

(b) Any payment or credit due to a business association from a business association representing sums payable to suppliers, or payment for services rendered, in the course of business, including, but not limited to, checks or memoranda, overpayments, unidentified remittances, nonrefunded overcharges, discounts, refunds, and rebates;

(c) Any payment or credit received by a business association from a business association for tangible goods sold, or services performed, in the course of business, including, but not limited to, checks or memoranda, overpayments, unidentified remittances, nonrefunded overcharges, discounts, refunds, and rebates;

(d) Any credit due a retail customer that is represented by a gift certificate, gift card, merchandise credit, or merchandise credit card, redeemable only for merchandise.

For purposes of divisions (B)(2)(b) and (c) of this section, "business association" means any corporation, joint venture, business trust, limited liability company, partnership, association, or other business entity composed of one or more individuals, whether or not the entity is for profit.

(C) "Owner" means any person, or the person's legal representative, entitled to receive or having a legal or equitable interest in or claim against moneys, rights to moneys, or other intangible property, subject to this chapter.

(D)(1) "Holder" means any person that has possession, custody, or control of moneys, rights to moneys, or other intangible property, or that is indebted to another, if any of the following applies:

(a) Such person resides in this state;

(b) Such person is formed under the laws of this state;

(c) Such person is formed under the laws of the United States and has an office or principal place of business in this state;

(d) The records of such person indicate that the last known address of the owner of such moneys, rights to moneys, or other intangible property is in this state;

(e) The records of such person do not indicate the last known address of the owner of the moneys, rights to moneys, or other intangible property and the entity originating or issuing the moneys, rights to moneys, or other intangible property is this state or any political subdivision of this state, or is incorporated, organized, created, or otherwise located in this state. Division (D)(1)(e) of this section applies to all moneys, rights to moneys, or other intangible property that is in the possession, custody, or control of such person on or after July 22, 1994, whether the moneys, rights to moneys, or other intangible property becomes unclaimed funds property presumed abandoned prior to or on or after that date.

(2) "Holder" does not mean any hospital granted tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or any hospital owned or operated by the state or by any political subdivision. Any entity in order to be exempt from the definition of "holder" pursuant to this division shall make a reasonable, good-faith effort to contact the owner of the unclaimed funds property presumed abandoned.

(E) "Person" includes a natural person; corporation, whether for profit or not for profit; copartnership; unincorporated association or organization; public authority; estate; trust; two or more persons having a joint or common interest; eleemosynary organization; fraternal or cooperative association; other legal or community entity; the United States government, including any district, territory, possession, officer, agency, department, authority, instrumentality, board, bureau, or court; or any state or political subdivision thereof, including any officer, agency, board, bureau, commission, division, department, authority, court, or instrumentality.

(F) "Mortgage funds" means the mortgage insurance fund created by section 122.561 of the Revised Code, and the housing guarantee development fund created by division (D)(A) of section 128.11 175.11 of the Revised Code.

(G) "Lawful claims" means any vested right a holder of unclaimed funds property presumed abandoned has against the owner of such unclaimed funds property.

(H) "Public utility" means any entity defined as such by division (A) of section 745.01 or by section 4905.02 of the Revised Code.

(I) "Deposit" means to place money in the custody of a financial organization for the purpose of establishing an income-bearing account by purchase or otherwise.

(J) "Income-bearing account" means a time or savings account, whether or not evidenced by a certificate of deposit, or an investment account through which investments are made solely in obligations of the United States or its agencies or instrumentalities or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the United States or its agencies or instrumentalities, debt securities rated as investment grade by at least two nationally recognized rating services, debt securities which the director of commerce has determined to have been issued for the safety and welfare of the residents of this state, and equity interests in mutual funds that invest solely in some or all of the above-listed securities and involve no general liability, without regard to whether income earned on such accounts, securities, or interests is paid periodically or at the end of a term.

(K) "Director of commerce" may be read as the "division of unclaimed funds" or the "superintendent of unclaimed funds."

Sec. 169.02.  Subject to division (B) of section 169.01 of the Revised Code, the following constitute unclaimed funds property presumed abandoned:

(A) Except as provided in division (R) of this section, any demand, savings, or matured time deposit account, or matured certificate of deposit, together with any interest or dividend on it, less any lawful claims, that is held or owed by a holder which is a financial organization, unclaimed for a period of five years;

(B) Any funds paid toward the purchase of withdrawable shares or other interest in a financial organization, and any interest or dividends on them, less any lawful claims, that is held or owed by a holder which is a financial organization, unclaimed for a period of five years;

(C) Except as provided in division (A) of section 3903.45 of the Revised Code, moneys held or owed by a holder, including a fraternal association, providing life insurance, including annuity or endowment coverage, unclaimed for three years after becoming payable as established from the records of such holder under any life or endowment insurance policy or annuity contract that has matured or terminated. An insurance policy, the proceeds of which are payable on the death of the insured, not matured by proof of death of the insured is deemed matured and the proceeds payable if such policy was in force when the insured attained the limiting age under the mortality table on which the reserve is based.

Moneys otherwise payable according to the records of such holder are deemed payable although the policy or contract has not been surrendered as required.

(D) Any deposit made to secure payment or any sum paid in advance for utility services of a public utility and any amount refundable from rates or charges collected by a public utility for utility services held or owed by a holder, less any lawful claims, that has remained unclaimed for one year after the termination of the services for which the deposit or advance payment was made or one year from the date the refund was payable, whichever is earlier;

(E) Except as provided in division (R) of this section, any certificates, securities as defined in section 1707.01 of the Revised Code, nonwithdrawable shares, other instruments evidencing ownership, or rights to them or funds paid toward the purchase of them, or any dividend, capital credit, profit, distribution, interest, or payment on principal or other sum, held or owed by a holder, including funds deposited with a fiscal agent or fiduciary for payment of them, and instruments representing an ownership interest, unclaimed for five years. Any underlying share or other intangible instrument representing an ownership interest in a business association, in which the issuer has recorded on its books the issuance of the share but has been unable to deliver the certificate to the shareholder, constitutes unclaimed funds property presumed abandoned if such underlying share is unclaimed for five years. In addition, an underlying share constitutes unclaimed funds property presumed abandoned if a dividend, distribution, or other sum payable as a result of the underlying share has remained unclaimed by the owner for five years.

This division shall not prejudice the rights of fiscal agents or fiduciaries for payment to return the items described in this division to their principals, according to the terms of an agency or fiduciary agreement, but such a return shall constitute the principal as the holder of the items and shall not interrupt the period for computing the time for which the items have remained unclaimed.

In the case of any such funds accruing and held or owed by a corporation under division (E) of section 1701.24 of the Revised Code, such corporation shall comply with this chapter, subject to the limitation contained in section 1701.34 of the Revised Code. The period of time for which such funds have gone unclaimed specified in section 1701.34 of the Revised Code shall be computed, with respect to dividends or distributions, commencing as of the dates when such dividends or distributions would have been payable to the shareholder had such shareholder surrendered the certificates for cancellation and exchange by the date specified in the order relating to them.

Capital credits of a cooperative which after January 1, 1972, have been allocated to members and which by agreement are expressly required to be paid if claimed after death of the owner are deemed payable, for the purpose of this chapter, fifteen years after either the termination of service by the cooperative to the owner or upon the nonactivity as provided in division (B) of section 169.01 of the Revised Code, whichever occurs later, provided that this provision does not apply if the payment is not mandatory.

(F) Any sum payable on certified checks or other written instruments certified or issued and representing funds held or owed by a holder, less any lawful claims, that are unclaimed for five years from the date payable or from the date of issuance if payable on demand; except that the unclaimed period for money orders that are not third party bank checks is seven years, and the unclaimed period for traveler's checks is fifteen years, from the date payable or from the date of issuance if payable on demand.

As used in this division, "written instruments" include, but are not limited to, certified checks, cashier's checks, bills of exchange, letters of credit, drafts, money orders, and traveler's checks.

If there is no address of record for the owner or other person entitled to the funds, such address is presumed to be the address where the instrument was certified or issued.

(G) Except as provided in division (R) of this section, all moneys, rights to moneys, or other intangible property, arising out of the business of engaging in the purchase or sale of securities, or otherwise dealing in intangibles, less any lawful claims, that are held or owed by a holder and are unclaimed for five years from the date of transaction.

(H) Except as provided in division (A) of section 3903.45 of the Revised Code, all moneys, rights to moneys, and other intangible property distributable in the course of dissolution or liquidation of a holder that are unclaimed for one year after the date set by the holder for distribution;

(I) All moneys, rights to moneys, or other intangible property removed from a safe-deposit box or other safekeeping repository located in this state or removed from a safe-deposit box or other safekeeping repository of a holder, on which the lease or rental period has expired, or any amount arising from the sale of such property, less any lawful claims, that are unclaimed for three years from the date on which the lease or rental period expired;

(J) Subject to division (M)(2) of this section, all moneys, rights to moneys, or other intangible property, and any income or increment on them, held or owed by a holder which is a fiduciary for the benefit of another, or a fiduciary or custodian of a qualified retirement plan or individual retirement arrangement under section 401 or 408 of the Internal Revenue Code, unclaimed for three years after the final date for distribution;

(K) All moneys, rights to moneys, or other intangible property held or owed in this state or held for or owed to an owner whose last known address is within this state, by the United States government or any state, as those terms are described in division (E) of section 169.01 of the Revised Code, unclaimed by the owner for three years, excluding any property in the control of any court in a proceeding in which a final adjudication has not been made;

(L) Amounts payable pursuant to the terms of any policy of insurance, other than life insurance, or any refund available under such a policy, held or owed by any holder, unclaimed for three years from the date payable or distributable;

(M)(1) Subject to division (M)(2) of this section, any funds constituting rents or lease payments due, any deposit made to secure payment of rents or leases, or any sum paid in advance for rents, leases, possible damage to property, unused services, performance requirements, or any other purpose, held or owed by a holder unclaimed for one year;

(2) Any escrow funds, security deposits, or other moneys that are received by a licensed broker in a fiduciary capacity and that, pursuant to division (A)(26) of section 4735.18 of the Revised Code, are required to be deposited into and maintained in a special or trust, noninterest-bearing bank account separate and distinct from any personal or other account of the licensed broker, held or owed by the licensed broker unclaimed for two years.

(N) Any sum greater than fifty dollars payable as wages, any sum payable as salaries or commissions, any sum payable for services rendered, funds owed or held as royalties, oil and mineral proceeds, funds held for or owed to suppliers, and moneys owed under pension and profit-sharing plans, held or owed by any holder unclaimed for one year from date payable or distributable, and all other credits held or owed, or to be refunded to a retail customer, by any holder unclaimed for three years from date payable or distributable;

(O) Amounts held in respect of or represented by lay-aways sold after January 1, 1972, less any lawful claims, when such lay-aways are unclaimed for three years after the sale of them;

(P) All moneys, rights to moneys, and other intangible property not otherwise constituted as unclaimed funds property presumed abandoned by this section, including any income or increment on them, less any lawful claims, which are held or owed by any holder, other than a holder which holds a permit issued pursuant to Chapter 3769. of the Revised Code, and which have remained unclaimed for three years after becoming payable or distributable;

(Q) All moneys that arise out of a sale held pursuant to section 5322.03 of the Revised Code, that are held by a holder for delivery on demand to the appropriate person pursuant to division (I) of that section, and that are unclaimed for two years after the date of the sale.

(R)(1) Any funds that are subject to an agreement between the holder and owner providing for automatic reinvestment and that constitute dividends, distributions, or other sums held or owed by a holder in connection with a security as defined in section 1707.01 of the Revised Code, an ownership interest in an investment company registered under the "Investment Company Act of 1940," 54 Stat. 789, 15 U.S.C. 80a-1, as amended, or a certificate of deposit, unclaimed for a period of five years.

(2) The five-year period under division (R)(1) of this section commences from the date a second shareholder notification or communication mailing to the owner of the funds is returned to the holder as undeliverable by the United States postal service or other carrier. The notification or communication mailing by the holder shall be no less frequent than quarterly.

All moneys in a personal allowance account, as defined by rules adopted by the director of job and family services, up to and including the maximum resource limitation, of a medicaid patient who has died after receiving care in a long-term care facility, and for whom there is no identifiable heir or sponsor, are not subject to this chapter.

Sec. 169.03.  (A)(1) Every holder of unclaimed funds property presumed abandoned and, when requested, every person that could be the holder of unclaimed funds property presumed abandoned, under this chapter shall report to the director of commerce with respect to the unclaimed funds property presumed abandoned as provided in this section. The report shall be verified.

(2) With respect to items of unclaimed funds property presumed abandoned each having a value of fifty dollars or more, the report required under division (A)(1) of this section shall include the following:

(a) The full name, if known, and last known address, if any, of each person appearing from the records of the holder to be the owner of unclaimed funds property presumed abandoned under this chapter;

(b) In the case of unclaimed funds property presumed abandoned reported by holders providing life insurance coverage, the full name of the insured or annuitant and beneficiary, if any, and their last known addresses according to the holder's records;

(c) The nature and identifying number, if any, or description of the funds property and the amount appearing from the records to be due;

(d) The date when the funds property became payable, demandable, or returnable and the date of the last transaction with the owner with respect to the funds property;

(e) Subject to division (I) of this section, the social security number of the owner of the unclaimed funds property presumed abandoned, if it is available;

(f) If the item of unclaimed funds property presumed abandoned has a value of one thousand dollars or more and the holder has verified that the last known address as shown by the records of the holder is not accurate as provided in division (D) of this section, a statement that efforts were undertaken by the holder to verify that the address is not accurate. Any verifying documentation shall be maintained by the holder for five years from the date of the report and shall be available upon request to the director or the director's designee.

(g) Other information that the director prescribes as necessary for the administration of this chapter.

(3) With respect to items of unclaimed funds property presumed abandoned each having a value of less than fifty dollars, the report required under division (A)(1) of this section shall include the following:

(a) Each category of items of unclaimed funds property presumed abandoned as described in section 169.02 of the Revised Code;

(b) The number of items of unclaimed funds property presumed abandoned within each category;

(c) The aggregated value of the items of unclaimed funds property presumed abandoned within each category.

(B) If the holder of unclaimed funds property presumed abandoned is a successor to other organizations that previously held the funds for the owner, or if the holder has changed its name while holding the funds property, it shall file with the report all prior known names and addresses and date and state of incorporation or formation of each holder of the funds property.

(C) The report shall be filed before the first day of November of each year as of the preceding thirtieth day of June, but the report of holders providing life insurance coverage shall be filed before the first day of May of each year as of the preceding thirty-first day of December. The director may postpone, for good cause shown, the reporting date upon written request by any holder required to file a report.

(D) The holder of unclaimed funds property presumed abandoned under this chapter shall send notice to each owner of each item of unclaimed funds property presumed abandoned having a value of fifty dollars or more at the last known address of the owner as shown by the records of the holder before filing the annual report. In case of holders providing life insurance coverage, this notice shall also be mailed to each beneficiary at the last known address of the beneficiary as shown by the records of the holder, except that the notice to beneficiaries shall not be mailed if that address is the same as that of the insured and the surname of the beneficiary is the same as that of the insured. The holder shall not report an item of unclaimed funds property presumed abandoned earlier than the thirtieth day after the mailing of notice required by this division.

The notice required by this division shall set forth the nature and identifying number, if any, or description of the funds property and the amount appearing on the records of the holder to be due the owner or beneficiary, and shall inform the owner or beneficiary that the funds property will, thirty days after the mailing of the notice, be reported as unclaimed funds property presumed abandoned under this chapter. A self-addressed, stamped envelope shall be included with the notice, with instructions that the owner or beneficiary may use the envelope to inform the holder of the owner's or beneficiary's continued interest in the funds property, and, if so informed before the date for making the report to the director, the holder shall not report the funds property to the director. The notice shall be mailed by first class mail if the item of unclaimed funds property presumed abandoned has a value of fifty dollars or more but less than one thousand dollars and by certified mail, return receipt requested, if the item of unclaimed funds property presumed abandoned has a value of one thousand dollars or more, unless the holder has verified that the last known address of the owner or beneficiary as shown by the records of the holder is not accurate. For purposes of this section, a holder has verified that the last known address of the owner or beneficiary is not accurate by documenting at least two of the following:

(1) The owner or beneficiary failed to respond to a first class mail notice sent to the last known address of the owner or beneficiary.

(2) A first class mail notice sent by the holder to the last known address of the owner or beneficiary was returned as undeliverable.

(3) An electronic or manual search of available public records failed to confirm that the last known address of the owner or beneficiary is accurate. The holder shall maintain documentation of its search efforts. If a search of public records or databases identifies a more recent address for the owner or beneficiary than the address in the holder's records, the holder shall send notice to the owner or beneficiary at that more recent address in accordance with this section.

A holder that sends a notice by certified mail, return receipt requested, may charge the item of unclaimed funds property presumed abandoned up to twenty dollars for providing that notice.

If there is no address of record for the owner or beneficiary, the holder is relieved of any responsibility of sending notice, attempting to notify, or notifying the owner or beneficiary. The mailing of notice pursuant to this section shall discharge the holder from any further responsibility to give notice.

(E) Verification of the report and of the mailing of notice, where required, shall be executed by an officer of the reporting holder.

(F)(1) The director may, at reasonable times and upon reasonable notice, examine or cause to be examined, by auditors of supervisory departments or divisions of the state, the records of any holder to determine compliance with this chapter.

(2) Holders shall retain records, designated by the director as applicable to unclaimed funds property presumed abandoned, for five years beyond the relevant time period provided in section 169.02 of the Revised Code, or until completion of an audit conducted pursuant to division (F) of this section, whichever occurs first. An audit conducted pursuant to division (F) of this section shall not require a holder to make records available for a period of time exceeding the records retention period set forth in division (F) of this section, except for records pertaining to instruments evidencing ownership, or rights to them or funds paid toward the purchase of them, or any dividend, capital credit, profit, distribution, interest, or payment on principal or other sum, held or owed by a holder, including funds property deposited with a fiscal agent or fiduciary for payment of them, or pertaining to debt of a publicly traded corporation. Any holder that is audited pursuant to division (F) of this section shall only be required to make available those records that are relevant to an unclaimed funds audit of that holder as prescribed by the director.

(3) The director may enter into contracts, pursuant to procedures prescribed by the director, with persons for the sole purpose of examining the records of holders, determining compliance with this chapter, and collecting, taking possession of, and remitting to the department's division of unclaimed funds, in a timely manner, the amounts found and defined as unclaimed. The director shall not enter into such a contract with a person unless the person does all of the following:

(a) Agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the records examined, as required under division (F)(4) of this section;

(b) Agrees to conduct the audit in accordance with rules adopted under section 169.09 of the Revised Code;

(c) Obtains a corporate surety bond issued by a bonding company or insurance company authorized to do business in this state. The bond shall be in favor of the director and in the penal sum determined by the director. The bond shall be for the benefit of any holder of unclaimed funds property presumed abandoned that is audited by the principal and is injured by the principal's failure to comply with division (F)(3)(a) or (b) of this section.

(4) Records audited pursuant to division (F) of this section are confidential, and shall not be disclosed except as required by section 169.06 of the Revised Code or as the director considers necessary in the proper administration of this chapter.

(5) If a person with whom the director has entered into a contract pursuant to division (F)(3) of this section intends to conduct, in conjunction with an unclaimed funds audit under this section, an unclaimed funds audit for the purpose of administering another state's unclaimed or abandoned property laws, the person, prior to commencing the audit, shall provide written notice to the director of the person's intent to conduct such an audit, along with documentation evidencing the person's express authorization from the other state to conduct the audit on behalf of that state.

(6) Prior to the commencement of an audit conducted pursuant to division (F) of this section, the director shall notify the holder of unclaimed funds property presumed abandoned of the director's intent to audit the holder's records. If the audit will be conducted in conjunction with an audit for one or more other states, the director shall provide the holder with the name or names of those states.

(7) Any holder of unclaimed funds property presumed abandoned may appeal the findings of an audit conducted pursuant to division (F) of this section to the director. Pursuant to the authority granted by section 169.09 of the Revised Code, the director shall adopt rules establishing procedures for considering such an appeal.

(G) All holders shall make sufficient investigation of their records to ensure that the funds reported to the director are unclaimed as set forth in division (B) of section 169.01 and section 169.02 of the Revised Code.

(H) The expiration of any period of limitations on or after March 1, 1968, within which a person entitled to any moneys, rights to moneys, or intangible property could have commenced an action or proceeding to obtain these items shall not prevent these items from becoming unclaimed funds property presumed abandoned or relieve the holder of them of any duty to report and give notice as provided in this section and deliver them in the manner provided in section 169.05 of the Revised Code, provided that the holder may comply with this section and section 169.05 of the Revised Code with respect to any moneys, rights to moneys, or intangible property as to which the applicable statute of limitations has run prior to March 1, 1968, and in that event the holder shall be entitled to the protective provisions of section 169.07 of the Revised Code.

(I) No social security number contained in a report made pursuant to this section shall be used by the department of commerce for any purpose other than to enable the division of unclaimed funds to carry out the purposes of this chapter and for child support purposes in response to a request made by the office of child support in the department of job and family services made pursuant to section 3123.88 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 169.06.  (A) Before the first day of November of each year immediately following the calendar year in which the filing of reports is required by section 169.03 of the Revised Code, the director of commerce shall cause notice to be published once in an English language newspaper of general circulation in the county in this state in which is located the last known address of any person to be named in the notice required by this section. If no address is listed, the notice shall be published in the county in which the holder of the unclaimed funds property presumed abandoned has its principal place of business within this state; or if the holder has no principal place of business within this state, or if the owner's address is outside this state, publication shall be made as the director determines most effective on the department's internet web site for a period of time the director may reasonably select. If the address is outside this state, notice shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the county or parish of any state in the United States in which such last known address is located. If the last known address is in a foreign country, publication shall be made as the director determines most effective.

If the name of the owner is not available, the director may publish notice by class, identifying number, or as the director determines most effective.

(B) The published notice shall be entitled "Notice of Names of Persons Appearing to be Owners of Unclaimed Funds Property Presumed Abandoned," and shall contain:

(1) The names in alphabetical order and last known addresses, if any, of each person appearing from the records of the holder to be the owner of unclaimed funds property presumed abandoned of a value of fifty dollars or more and entitled to notice as specified in division (A) of this section;

(2) A statement that information concerning the amount of the funds and any necessary information concerning the presentment of a claim therefor may be obtained by any persons possessing a property interest in the unclaimed funds property presumed abandoned by addressing an inquiry to the director.

(C) With respect to items of unclaimed funds property presumed abandoned each having a value of ten fifty dollars or more, the director shall have available in his the director's office during business hours an alphabetical list of owners and where a holder is a person providing life insurance coverage, beneficiaries, and their last known addresses, if any, whose funds are being held by the state pursuant to this chapter.

(D) The director may give any additional notice he the director deems necessary to inform the owner of the whereabouts of his the owner's funds.

Sec. 169.08.  (A) Any person claiming a property interest in unclaimed funds property presumed abandoned delivered or reported to the state under Chapter 169. of the Revised Code, including the office of child support in the department of job and family services, pursuant to section 3123.88 of the Revised Code, may file a claim thereto on the form prescribed by the director of commerce.

(B) The director shall consider matters relevant to any claim filed under division (A) of this section and shall hold a formal hearing if requested or considered necessary and receive evidence concerning such claim. A finding and decision in writing on each claim filed shall be prepared, stating the substance of any evidence received or heard and the reasons for allowance or disallowance of the claim. The evidence and decision shall be a public record. No statute of limitations shall bar the allowance of a claim.

(C) For the purpose of conducting any hearing, the director may require the attendance of such witnesses and the production of such books, records, and papers as the director desires, and the director may take the depositions of witnesses residing within or without this state in the same manner as is prescribed by law for the taking of depositions in civil actions in the court of common pleas, and for that purpose the director may issue a subpoena for any witness or a subpoena duces tecum to compel the production of any books, records, or papers, directed to the sheriff of the county where such witness resides or is found, which shall be served and returned. The fees of the sheriff shall be the same as that allowed in the court of common pleas in criminal cases. Witnesses shall be paid the fees and mileage provided for under section 119.094 of the Revised Code. Fees and mileage shall be paid from the unclaimed funds trust fund.

(D) Interest is not payable to claimants of unclaimed funds held by the state If a claim is allowed, the director shall pay over or deliver to the claimant the property presumed abandoned in the amount the director actually received, or the net proceeds if the securities or other intangible property delivered to the director have been sold, together with any interest if required to be paid pursuant to this section. With respect to any claim paid on or after the effective date of this amendment, the director shall pay simple interest on such claim at a rate to be determined by the director, who shall adopt administrative rules governing the payment of interest on property delivered to the director. Any returns on investment or interest earned beyond what the director shall pay as interest to the owner pursuant to this section shall be retained by the director to fund the cost of the administration of this chapter. Claims shall be paid from the trust fund. If the amount available in the trust fund is not sufficient to pay pending claims, or other amounts disbursable from the trust fund, the treasurer of state shall certify such fact to the director, who shall then withdraw such amount of funds from the mortgage accounts as the director determines necessary to reestablish the trust fund to a level required to pay anticipated claims but not more than ten per cent of the net unclaimed funds reported to date.

The director may withdraw the funds paid to the director by the holders and deposited by the director with the treasurer of state or in a financial institution as agent for such funds. Whenever these funds are inadequate to meet the requirements for the trust fund, the director shall provide for a withdrawal of funds, within a reasonable time, in such amount as is necessary to meet the requirements, from financial institutions in which such funds were retained or placed by a holder and from other holders who have retained funds, in an equitable manner as prescribed by the director. In the event that the amount to be withdrawn from any one such holder is less than five hundred dollars, the amount to be withdrawn shall be at the discretion of the director. Such funds may be reimbursed in the amounts withdrawn when the trust fund has a surplus over the amount required to pay anticipated claims. Whenever the trust fund has a surplus over the amount required to pay anticipated claims, the director may transfer such surplus to the mortgage accounts.

(E) If a claim which is allowed under this section relates to funds which have been retained by the reporting holder, and if the funds, on deposit with the treasurer of state pursuant to this chapter, are insufficient to pay claims, the director may notify such holder in writing of the payment of the claim and such holder shall immediately reimburse the state in the amount of such claim. The reimbursement shall be credited to the unclaimed funds trust fund.

(F) Any person, including the office of child support, adversely affected by a decision of the director may appeal such decision in the manner provided in Chapter 119. of the Revised Code.

In the event the claimant prevails, the claimant shall be reimbursed for reasonable attorney's fees and costs.

(G) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this chapter, any holder who has paid moneys to or entered into an agreement with the director pursuant to section 169.05 of the Revised Code on certified checks, cashiers' checks, bills of exchange, letters of credit, drafts, money orders, or travelers' checks, may make payment to any person entitled thereto, including the office of child support, and upon surrender of the document, except in the case of travelers' checks, and proof of such payment, the director shall reimburse the holder for such payment without interest.

Sec. 169.13.  (A)(1) All agreements to pay a fee, compensation, commission, or other remuneration to locate, deliver, recover, or assist in the recovery of unclaimed funds reported under section 169.03 of the Revised Code, entered into within two years immediately after the date a report is filed under division (C) of section 169.03 of the Revised Code, are invalid.

(2) A person interested in entering into an agreement to locate, deliver, recover, or assist in the recovery of unclaimed funds for remuneration shall not initiate any contact with an owner during the two-year period immediately after the date a report is filed under division (C) of section 169.03 of the Revised Code. Failure to comply with this requirement is grounds for the invalidation of any such agreement between the person and the owner.

(B) An agreement entered into any time after such two-year period is valid only if all of the following conditions are met:

(1) The aggregate fee, compensation, commission, or other remuneration agreed upon is not in excess of ten per cent of the amount recovered and paid to the owner by the director of budget and management;

(2) The agreement is in writing, signed by the owner, and notarized and discloses all of the following items:

(a) The name, address, and telephone number of the owner, as shown by the records of the person or entity in possession of the unclaimed funds or contents of a safe deposit box;

(b) The name, address, and telephone number of the owner if the owner's name, address, or telephone number are different from the name, address, or telephone number of the owner as shown by the records of the person or entity in possession of the unclaimed funds or contents of a safe deposit box;

(c) The nature and value of the unclaimed funds or contents of a safe deposit box;

(d) The amount the owner will receive after the fee or compensation has been subtracted;

(e) The name and address of the person or entity in possession of the unclaimed funds or contents of a safe deposit box;

(f) That the auditor of state director of commerce will pay the direct the director of budget and management to pay from the unclaimed funds any legal amount specified in the agreement to compensate a person registered under section 169.16 of the Revised Code for services performed pursuant to the agreement, will pay the amount directly to the registrant, less any fee established pursuant to division (D) of section 169.14 of the Revised Code, and will pay any remaining unclaimed funds directly to the owner, or the director of commerce shall deliver the contents of a safe deposit box directly to the owner;

(g) That the person agreeing to locate, deliver, recover, or assist in the recovery of the unclaimed funds or contents of a safe deposit box is not an employee or agent of the director of commerce;

(h) That the director of commerce is not a party to the agreement;

(i) That the person agreeing to locate, deliver, recover, or assist in the recovery of the unclaimed funds or contents of a safe deposit box holds a valid certificate of registration issued by the director under section 169.16 of the Revised Code;

(j) The number designated on that certificate of registration and the date the certificate of registration expires.

(3) No agreement described in division (B)(2) of this section shall include a power of attorney for the payment of the unclaimed funds or delivery of the contents of a safe deposit box to any person other than the owner of the unclaimed funds or contents of a safe deposit box.

(4) If the agreement involves recovery of the contents of a safe deposit box, the agreement stipulates that the person receiving any fee, compensation, commission, or other remuneration for engaging in any activity for the purpose of locating, delivering, recovering, or assisting in the recovery of unclaimed funds or other items stored in a safe deposit box on behalf of any other person shall do all of the following:

(a) Make arrangements to have an appraiser and the director of commerce view the contents of the safe deposit box together, at a time mutually agreeable to the appraiser and director;

(b) State that the value of the property in the safe deposit box is the amount established by the appraiser who viewed the safe deposit box contents;

(c) Base the fee, compensation, commission, or other remuneration for locating, delivering, recovering, or assisting in the recovery of unclaimed funds or other items stored in a safe deposit box on the appraised value established by the appraiser who viewed the safe deposit box contents.

(C) No person shall receive a fee, compensation, commission, or other remuneration, or engage in any activity for the purpose of locating, delivering, recovering, or assisting in the recovery of unclaimed funds or contents of a safe deposit box, under an agreement that is invalid under this section.

(D) A person who receives any fee, compensation, commission, or other remuneration for engaging in any activity for the purpose of locating, delivering, recovering, or assisting in the recovery of unclaimed funds or other items stored in a safe deposit box on behalf of any other person cannot function as an appraiser of the contents of the safe deposit box for purposes of division (B)(4) of this section.

(E) The director of commerce shall not recognize or make any delivery and the auditor of state director of budget and management shall not make any payment pursuant to any power of attorney between an owner of the unclaimed funds or contents of a safe deposit box and the person with whom the owner entered into an agreement pursuant to division (B)(2) of this section to locate, deliver, recover, or assist in the recovery of the unclaimed funds or contents of a safe deposit box if that power of attorney is entered into on or after the effective date of this amendment March 23, 2007, and that power of attorney specifically provides for the payment of unclaimed funds or delivery of the contents of a safe deposit box to any person other than the owner of the unclaimed funds or contents of a safe deposit box. Nothing in this section shall be construed as prohibiting the payment of unclaimed funds or delivery of the contents of a safe deposit box to the legal representative of the owner of the unclaimed funds or contents of the safe deposit box. Notwithstanding the definition of "owner" specified in division (C) of section 169.01 of the Revised Code, for purposes of the payment of unclaimed funds or delivery of the contents of the safe deposit box, a person with whom an owner entered into an agreement under division (B)(2) of this section is not a legal representative.

Sec. 169.14. (A) Each person that files a claim with the director of commerce, pursuant to an agreement entered into under division (B) of section 169.13 of the Revised Code, shall include with that claim a copy of the agreement and the number designated on the certificate of registration that is issued to the person under section 169.16 of the Revised Code.

(B) The division of unclaimed funds shall not process any claim described in division (A) of this section that does not include the required certificate of registration number.

(C) The director of budget and management shall pay from the unclaimed funds any legal amount specified in an agreement entered into under division (B) of section 169.13 of the Revised Code to compensate a person registered under section 169.16 of the Revised Code for services performed pursuant to the agreement, shall pay the amount directly to the registrant, less any fee established pursuant to division (D) of this section, and shall pay any remaining unclaimed funds directly to the owner.

(D) The director of commerce may establish a reasonable fee for the processing and delivery of any payment made to a registrant pursuant to an agreement under division (B) of section 169.13 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 169.16. (A) No person, on behalf of any other person, shall engage in any activity for the purpose of locating, delivering, recovering, or assisting in the recovery of unclaimed funds property presumed abandoned or contents of a safe deposit box, and receive a fee, compensation, commission, or other remuneration for such activity, without first having obtained a certificate of registration from the director of commerce in accordance with this section.

(B) An application for a certificate of registration shall be in writing and in the form prescribed by the director. The application shall be accompanied by a recent full-face color photograph of the applicant and notarized character reference letters from two reputable character witnesses. The application shall, at a minimum, provide all of the following:

(1) The applicant's full name, home address, and work address;

(2) The name, address, and telephone number of the two character witnesses who have provided the character reference letters;

(3) A statement that the applicant has not, during the ten-year period immediately preceding the submission of the application, violated division (A) of this section on or after the effective date of this section, or division (C) of section 169.13 of the Revised Code, or been convicted of, or pleaded guilty to, any felony or any offense involving moral turpitude, including theft, attempted theft, falsification, tampering with records, securing writings by deception, fraud, forgery, and perjury;

(4) The notarized signature of the applicant immediately following an acknowledgment that any false or perjured statement subjects the applicant to criminal liability under section 2921.13 of the Revised Code.

(C) Upon the filing of the application with the division of unclaimed funds, the division may investigate the applicant to verify the information provided in the application and to determine the applicant's eligibility for a certificate of registration under this section. The superintendent of unclaimed funds shall request the superintendent of the bureau of criminal identification and investigation, or a vendor approved by the bureau, to conduct a criminal records check based on the applicant's fingerprints in accordance with division (A)(11) of section 109.572 of the Revised Code. Notwithstanding division (K) of section 121.08 of the Revised Code, the superintendent of unclaimed funds shall request that criminal record information from the federal bureau of investigation be obtained as part of the criminal records check. Any fee required under division (C)(3) of section 109.572 of the Revised Code shall be paid by the applicant. False information on an application is grounds for the denial or revocation of the applicant's certificate of registration.

(D) The director shall issue a certificate of registration to an applicant if the director finds that the following conditions are met:

(1) The applicant has not, during the ten-year period immediately preceding the submission of the application, violated division (A) of this section on or after the effective date of this section, or division (C) of section 169.13 of the Revised Code, or been convicted of, or pleaded guilty to, any felony or any offense involving moral turpitude, including theft, attempted theft, falsification, tampering with records, securing writings by deception, fraud, forgery, and perjury.

(2) The applicant's character and general fitness command the confidence of the public and warrant the belief that the applicant's business will be conducted honestly and fairly.

(E) The certificate of registration issued pursuant to division (D) of this section may be renewed annually if the director finds that the following conditions are met:

(1) The applicant submits a renewal application form prescribed by the director.

(2) The applicant meets the conditions set forth in division (D) of this section.

(3) The applicant's certificate of registration is not subject to an order of revocation by the director.

Section 2. That existing sections 169.01, 169.02, 169.03, 169.06, 169.08, 169.13, 169.14, and 169.16 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.

Section 3.  Section 169.13 of the Revised Code is presented in this act as a composite of the section as amended by both Am. Sub. H.B. 699 and Am. Sub. S.B. 223 of the 126th General Assembly. The General Assembly, applying the principle stated in division (B) of section 1.52 of the Revised Code that amendments are to be harmonized if reasonably capable of simultaneous operation, finds that the composite is the resulting version of the section in effect prior to the effective date of the section as presented in this act.