SCS/SB 129 - This act establishes the Missouri Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act, which allows fiduciaries to access electronic records or "digital assets" of an account holder or "user". A user may allow or prohibit the disclosure of his or her digital assets to a fiduciary in a will, trust, or other record. The user may also use an online tool to direct the custodian of the digital assets to disclose some or all of the digital assets. In certain situations, the direction of the user to the custodian using the online tool can override a conflicting direction contained in the user's will, trust, or other record.
The user's direction regarding the disclosure of the digital assets under an online tool or other record overrides a contrary provision in a terms-of-service agreement that does not require the user to take affirmative action regarding the agreement. A fiduciary's access to digital assets may be modified or eliminated by a user, federal law, or a terms-of-service agreement if the user has not provided direction through the use of an online tool or will, trust, or other record.
A custodian has the discretion to grant to a fiduciary full access to the user's account, partial access, or provide a copy of the digital assets requested. The custodian may charge a fee for disclosure, but may not disclose a digital asset that the user has deleted.
A custodian shall disclose to the fiduciary the content of an electronic communication sent or received by the user, a catalogue of electronic communications, and digital assets of the user if the fiduciary provides certain documentation as specified in the act. If the fiduciary is an agent acting under a power of attorney, then the power of attorney must expressly grant the agent authority over the content of electronic communications sent or received by the user for the custodian to disclose the digital assets.
A custodian may disclose to a conservator the user's catalogue of electronic communications and any digital assets if the conservator is given authority by the court and provides the court order to the custodian. Additionally, a conservator may request the suspension or termination of a user's account for good cause.
A fiduciary may terminate the user's account in writing and such request must be accompanied with certain documents as provided in the act.
A custodian has sixty days to comply with a fiduciary's request for disclosure or account termination. If the custodian does not comply with the request, then the fiduciary may apply to the court to order compliance.
This act is identical to provisions in HCS/HB 380 (2017), HCS/HB 597 (2017), SCS/HCB 1 (2017), and the truly agreed to and finally passed version of SB 128 (2017).
JESSI BAKER