Legislature amends public notice rules for unclaimed property and restricts commercial access to records

The Legislature advanced LB183 with committee amendment AM308 after floor statements from the sponsor and committee members describing the bill as an administrative update requested by the State Treasurer’s Unclaimed Property Division.

Sponsor Senator DeKay explained that the Unclaimed Property Division sought flexibility to publish its annual unclaimed‑property newspaper notices at any time during the calendar year rather than being limited to a March 1–10 window. The bill also limits commercial finders or property locators from obtaining unclaimed property records for reproduction, a privacy protection for owners.

The Nebraska Press Association testified in opposition during earlier committee work over concerns about public‑notice statutes; committee members said the association and the State Treasurer's Office met after the hearing and worked out language that became AM109 and then AM308 (a technical correction made by committee staff). Senator Anderson, speaking for the committee, noted the committee amended section 1 to remove the strict notice window and replace it with a county‑by‑county annual notice requirement.

The committee amendment was adopted unanimously (committee recorded 40‑0 in adoption on the floor) and the bill advanced to Enrollment & Review‑Initial. The stated policy goals are administrative flexibility for the treasurer’s office and additional privacy for owners of unclaimed property.