§ 1154 - Notice requirements by museums for loaned property - Vermont Statutes

§ 1154. Notice requirements by museums for loaned property

(a) A museum required to provide notice pursuant to this chapter shall mail by certified mail, return receipt requested, written notice to the last known owner at the most recent address. If the museum has no record of the owner's address or the museum has not received written proof of receipt of the mailed notice within 30 days after mailing, the museum shall publish at least one notice each month for three consecutive months in the principal newspaper of general circulation in each of the following:

(1) the county of the last known address of the owner, if known.

(2) the county in which the museum is located. For the purposes of this subdivision, if property is loaned to a branch of a museum, the museum shall be considered to be located in the county in which the branch is located, otherwise a museum shall be located in the county in which it has its principal place of business.

(b) The published notice shall contain all the following:

(1) The notice shall be entitled: "Notice of Abandonment."

(2) A clear description of the unclaimed property.

(3) The last known name and address of the owner.

(4) A request that any person who has any knowledge of the whereabouts of the owner provide written notice to the museum.

(5) The name and address of the museum.

(6) The name, address, and contact information of the person to be contacted regarding the property.

(7) A statement that if written assertion of title is not presented by the owner to the museum within 180 days after the date of the final published notice, the property shall be considered abandoned or donated and shall become the property of the museum.

(c) A copy of all notices required in this chapter relating to property in the form of identifiable works of art that changed hands in Europe between the years 1933 and 1945 shall be sent to The Art Loss Register or any successor organization having similar purposes on or before the date on which the notices are mailed or first published. (Added 2007, No. 127 (Adj. Sess.), § 1.)