34-23-104. Intent to preserve an interest.

(a) The lender may file with a museum a notice of intent to preserve an interest in the property on loan to the museum within sixty (60) days of receipt of the notice required in W.S. 34-23-102. Filing of the notice does not validate or make enforceable any claim which would be extinguished under the terms of a written loan agreement or which would otherwise be invalid or unenforceable. The notice of intent to preserve an interest shall be effective for ten (10) years. The museum shall notify the lender by certified mail, return receipt requested, within thirty (30) days of the expiration of the initial ten (10) year period covered by the lender's notice of intent to preserve an interest. The lender may extend his intent to preserve an interest for ten (10) years by filing another notice in accordance with this section.

(b) Failure to timely file a notice of intent after notification by a museum as provided for in W.S. 34-23-102, or failure to timely refile a notice of intent within ten (10) years of the original filing of notice, or failure to claim loaned property at the termination of the loan period shall result in transfer to the museum of ownership of the loaned property.

(c) Failure to file a notice of intent, or to refile a notice of intent within ten (10) years of the original filing of notice pursuant to this section, shall result in transfer to the museum of ownership of the loaned property immediately, or if any lending agreement is in effect the termination of any lending agreement.

(d) Notice of intent to preserve an interest shall:

(i) Be in writing;

(ii) Contain a description of the property adequate to enable the museum to identify the property;

(iii) Be accompanied by documentation sufficient to establish the lender as the owner of the property; and

(iv) Be signed under penalty of perjury by the lender or by a person authorized to act on behalf of the lender.

(e) A museum is not required to retain a notice of intent to preserve an interest which does not meet the requirements of subsection (d) of this section. Any museum not retaining the notice pursuant to this subsection shall promptly notify the lender at the address given on the notice of its determination that the notice is ineffective to preserve an interest and the reasons the notice is ineffective. Retention of a notice under this section is not an implication that the museum accepts the sufficiency or accuracy of the notice or that the notice is effective to preserve an interest in property on loan to the museum.

(f) Unless the loaned property is returned to the lender, the museum shall retain the original or a copy of each notice to preserve an interest for a period of not less than ten (10) years.

(g) The museum shall furnish any person filing notice under this section proof of receipt of notice by mailing a receipt to the lender at the address given on the notice within thirty (30) days after receipt of the notice.

(h) The provisions of this section are not intended to affect or alter the terms of a written loan agreement.

(j) All rights and obligations of a lender in property loaned to a museum under this chapter shall pass to the lender's estate upon the death of the lender.

(k) The notice requirements of this section do not apply to loaned property held by a museum pursuant to W.S. 34-23-102(f).