00HOUSE BILL NO. 318                                                                                                    
01 "An Act relating to property disposal by law enforcement agencies."                                                     
02 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                               
03    * Section 1.  AS 12.36 is amended by adding a new section to read:                                                 
04  Sec. 12.36.045.  When finder of property is considered the owner.  (a)                                              
05 When a private individual obtains property of another that is lost, mislaid, or delivered                               
06 to the individual by mistake, the individual delivers that property to a law enforcement                                
07 agency, and the true owner of the property remains unknown for a period of one year                                     
08 or does not claim the property within one year, the individual delivering the property                                  
09 shall be considered the owner of the property under this chapter if possession of the                                   
10 property by the individual is otherwise legal.                                                                          
11  (b)  This section does not apply to property that comes into the custody of a                                         
12 law enforcement agency of a municipality that has adopted an ordinance providing for                                    
13 the custody and disposition of property that meets the requirements specified in                                        
14 AS 12.36.030(c).