Ciresi’s legislation to expand access to simplified unclaimed property claims unanimously passes the House
Southeast Delegation October 1, 2025 | 3:55 PM
HARRISBURG, Oct. 1 – State Rep. Joe Ciresi’s longstanding commitment to legislation making it easier and less expensive for Pennsylvanians to claim property that’s rightfully theirs, H.B. 1176, unanimously passed the PA House today.
The legislation would:
- Increase the amount of unclaimed property that heirs can claim from the Pennsylvania Treasury using a notarized relationship affidavit from $11,000 up to $20,000.
- Raise the amount a financial institution may release to a family member of a deceased individual from $10,000 to $20,000 if the family member presents a receipt verifying funeral expenses have been paid.
- Redirect the estates of decedents who die with no will and no heirs to an endowed community fund near the place of the decedent’s last residence.
The legislation included language from state Rep. Tim Bonner’s H.B. 167 and state Rep. Torren Ecker’s H.B. 1091, both of which were passed approved unanimously by the House Judiciary Committee earlier this year.
“Look, millions of properties totaling more than $4 billion are currently sitting in the PA Treasury as unclaimed property because the process to claim it is just too challenging or too expensive -- or both,” Ciresi said. “Part of the reason the money is just sitting there is because we haven’t updated the $11,000 limit for simplified heir claims since 2002. We need to keep up with the times by increasing the threshold to reflect inflation to $20,000 and enable heirs to use the simplified, inexpensive notarized relationship affidavit process to access the money that’s rightfully theirs.
“Expanding eligibility for this simpler process would allow more Pennsylvanians to use it and receive money that’s rightfully theirs with less cost, less paperwork and less delay.”
Ciresi’s H.B. 1176 builds on the legislator’s previous legislation, Act 65 of 2024, which expanded who could claim unclaimed property by a notarized sworn affidavit to include grandchildren and their descendants, nieces and nephews and their descendants, and grandparents of the deceased.
According to Ciresi, his bill would make an important adjustment to bring it more in line with thresholds for small estates and simplified unclaimed property claims used in other states.
“This is a no-nonsense bill that was strengthened by bipartisan input and passed with the unanimous support of both Democrats and Republicans,” Ciresi said.
The bill is now on its way to the state Senate for consideration.