34-24-107. Bank deposits and funds in financial organizations.

(a) Any demand, savings or matured time deposit with a banking or financial organization, including a deposit that is automatically renewable, and any funds paid toward the purchase of a share, a mutual investment certificate or any other interest in a banking or financial organization is deemed abandoned after five (5) years if the location of the owner is unknown, except where the owner, within five (5) years, has:

(i) In the case of a deposit, increased or decreased its amount or presented the passbook or other similar evidence of the deposit for the crediting of interest;

(ii) Communicated in writing with the banking or financial organization concerning the property;

(iii) Otherwise indicated an interest in the property as evidenced by a memorandum or other record on file prepared by an employee of the banking or financial organization;

(iv) Owned other property to which paragraph (i), (ii) or (iii) of this subsection applies and if the banking or financial organization communicates in writing with the owner with regard to the property that would otherwise be deemed abandoned under this subsection at the address to which communications regarding the other property regularly are sent; or

(v) Had another relationship with the banking or financial organization concerning which the owner has:

(A) Communicated in writing with the banking or financial organization; or

(B) Otherwise indicated an interest as evidenced by a memorandum or other record on file prepared by an employee of the banking or financial organization and if the banking or financial organization communicates in writing with the owner with regard to the property that would otherwise be abandoned under this subsection at the address to which communications regarding the other relationship regularly are sent.

(b) For purposes of subsection (a) of this section, property includes interest and dividends.

(c) A holder may not impose with respect to property described in subsection (a) of this section any charge due to dormancy or inactivity or cease payment of interest unless:

(i) There is an enforceable written contract between the holder and the owner of the property pursuant to which the holder may impose a charge or cease payment of interest and the holder regularly imposes such charges or ceases payment of interest and does not regularly reverse or otherwise cancel them or retroactively credit interest with respect to the property; or

(ii) The holder is specifically exempted by federal law.

(d) Any property described in subsection (a) of this section that is automatically renewable is matured for purposes of subsection (a) of this section upon the expiration of its initial time period, but in the case of any renewal to which the owner consents at or about the time of renewal by communicating in writing with the banking or financial organization or otherwise indicating consent as evidenced by a memorandum or other record on file prepared by an employee of the organization, the property is matured upon the expiration of the last time period for which consent was given. If, at the time provided for delivery in W.S. 34-24-120, a penalty or forfeiture in the payment of interest would result from the delivery of the property, the time for delivery is extended until the time when no penalty or forfeiture would result.