Today, Governor Steve Sisolak signed Senate Bill 71. He was joined by Treasurer Zach Conine, whose Office sponsored the legislation.
Senate Bill 71 modernizes and enhances the State’s Unclaimed Property statute to ensure unclaimed property being held by the State is returned to Nevadans more quickly and easily.
“I am proud to sign Senate Bill 71, which will ensure that thousands of Nevadans can quickly receive funds that are rightfully owed to them,” said Governor Sisolak. “The changes in this bill will go a long way to making sure Nevadans who need a little extra help can more easily receive their Unclaimed Property.”
At the beginning of the pandemic, the Treasurer’s Office launched a pilot program in collaboration with the Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation to proactively return Unclaimed Property to individuals who filed for unemployment assistance. The two agencies have returned over $2.3 million to people negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Senate Bill 71 now allows the Treasurer’s Office to initiate a claim on a property owner’s behalf, allowing for greater efficiencies to return unclaimed property to Nevadans, especially those in need of financial assistance.
“The Treasurer’s Office has worked tirelessly to connect Nevadans with their Unclaimed Property,” said Treasurer Zach Conine. “This bill will allow our Office to return more money to people who need it the most.”
The Treasurer’s Office administers Nevada’s Unclaimed Property program. In this role, the Office takes custody of lost or abandoned property from businesses and works to reunite it with the rightful owner. All Unclaimed Property is held in perpetuity by the State until the property owner or heir can be identified.
In the first two years of his first term, Treasurer Conine’s Office has returned more unclaimed property to more Nevadans than in any two-year period in Nevada history.
Nevadans are encouraged to search for their own unclaimed property by visiting ClaimItNevada.org.