§153. Definitions

            As used in this Chapter:

            (1) "Administrator" means the state treasurer.

            (2) "Apparent owner" means a person whose name appears on the records of a holder as the person entitled to property held, issued, or owed by the holder.

            (3) "Business association" means a corporation, joint stock company, investment company, partnership, unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, business trust, trust company, savings and loan association, building and loan association, savings bank, industrial bank, land bank, safe deposit company, safekeeping depository, bank, banking organization, financial organization, insurance company, mutual fund, credit union, utility, or other business entity consisting of one or more persons, whether or not for profit.

            (4) "Domicile" means the state of incorporation of a corporation and the state of the principal place of business of a holder other than a corporation.

            (5) "Fiduciary agent" means a representative of an owner whose services provided to the owner include locating, delivering, recovering, or assisting in the recovery of property to the owner, and shall be limited to Louisiana licensed attorneys, certified public accountants, and financial advisors.

            (6) "Holder" means a person obligated to hold for the account of, or deliver or pay to, the owner of property that is subject to this Chapter.

            (7) "Insurance company" means an association, corporation, or fraternal or mutual benefit organization, whether or not for profit, engaged in the business of providing insurance including accident, burial, casualty, credit life, contract performance, dental, fidelity, fire, health, hospitalization, illness, life insurance, life endowments and annuities, malpractice, marine, mortgage, surety, and wage protection insurance.

            (8) "Mineral" means gas, oil, coal, other gaseous liquid and solid hydrocarbons, oil shale, cement material, sand and gravel, road material, building stone, chemical substance, gemstone, fissionable and nonfissionable ores, colloidal and other clay, steam and other geothermal resource, or any other substance defined as a mineral by the law of this state.

            (9) "Mineral proceeds" means amounts payable for the extraction, production, or sale of minerals, or, upon the abandonment of those payments, all payments that become payable thereafter. The term includes amounts payable for all of the following:

            (a) For the acquisition and retention of a mineral lease, including bonuses, royalties, compensatory royalties, shut-in royalties, minimum royalties, and delay rentals.

            (b) For the extraction, production, or sale of minerals, including net revenue interests, royalties, overriding royalties, extraction payments, and production payments.

            (c) Resulting from an agreement or option, including a joint operating agreement, unit agreement, pooling agreement, and farm-out agreement.

            (10) "Money order" includes an express money order and a personal money order, on which the remitter is the purchaser. The term does not include a bank money order or any other instrument sold by a banking or financial organization if the seller has obtained the name and address of the payee.

            (11) "Owner" means a person who has a legal or equitable interest in property subject to this Chapter or the person's legal representative. The term includes a depositor in the case of a deposit, a beneficiary in the case of a trust other than a deposit in trust, and a creditor, claimant, or payee in the case of other property.

            (12) "Person" means an individual, business association, estate, trust, partnership, government, governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality, public corporation, or any other legal or commercial entity.

            (13) "Property" means a fixed and certain interest in intangible property that is held, issued, or owed in the course of a holder's business, or by a government or governmental entity, and all income or increments therefrom. The term includes property that is referred to as or evidenced by the following:

            (a) Money, a check, draft, deposit, interest, or dividend.

            (b) Credit balance, customer's overpayment, gift certificate, security deposit, refund, credit memorandum, unpaid wage, unused ticket, mineral proceeds, or unidentified remittance.

            (c) Stock or other evidence of ownership of an interest in a business association.

            (d) A bond, debenture, note, or other evidence of indebtedness.

            (e) Money deposited to redeem stocks, bonds, coupons, or other securities or to make distributions.

            (f) An amount due and payable under the terms of an annuity or insurance policy, including policies providing life insurance, property and casualty insurance, workers' compensation insurance, or health and disability insurance.

            (g) An amount distributable from a trust or custodial fund established under a plan to provide health, welfare, pension, vacation, severance, retirement, death, stock purchase, profit sharing, employee savings, supplemental unemployment insurance, or similar benefits.

            (h) Any certificate, rebate, coupon, or other instrument issued in connection with a class action judgment or court-approved settlement of a class action proceeding which represents a refund on, or reduction of, the purchase price of an item or services purchased or to be purchased shall not constitute property within the meaning of this statute.

            (i) A sports wagering account, as defined in R.S. 27:602.

            (14) "Record" means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in perceivable form.

            (15) "State" means a state of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any territory or insular possession subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.

            (16) "Utility" means a person who owns or operates for public use any plant, equipment, real property, franchise, or license for the transmission of communications or the production, storage, transmission, sale, delivery, or furnishing of electricity, water, steam, or gas.

            Acts 1991, No. 209, §1, eff. July 2, 1991; Acts 1997, No. 809, §1, eff. July 10, 1997; Acts 2000, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 135, §2, eff. July 1, 2000; Acts 2022, No. 510, §1; Acts 2023, No. 351, §1, eff. June 12, 2023.