AK House Bill 108

Legislation

State: Alaska
Signed: August 03, 2017

Effective: October 31, 2017
Chapter: 18

Summary

House Bill 108 enacts the Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act, allowing an individual to grant the power of accessing and controlling the individual’s electronic communications and digital assets in a power of attorney that must be acknowledged before a Notary.

Affects

Creates new Subchapter 63 in Chapter 13 of the Alaska Statutes.

Changes

Provides that a user may use an online tool to direct a custodian to disclose to a designated recipient or not disclose some or all of the user’s digital assets, including the content of electronic communications sent or received by the user.
Provides that if the online tool allows the user to modify or delete a direction at all times, a direction in an online tool overrides a contrary direction by the user in a will, trust, power of attorney, or other record.
Provides that if the user does not use an online tool to give direction or if the custodian fails to provide an online tool, the user may, in a will, trust, power of attorney, or other record, allow or prohibit disclosure to a fiduciary of some or all of the user’s digital assets, including the content of electronic communications sent or received by the user.
Adds to the statutory power of attorney the power to take control of the content of any of my electronic communications of the principal.

Analysis

House Bill 108 is a comprehensive law modeled after The Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act (UFADAA) adopted by the Uniform Law Commission that authorizes access and control to a wide range of digital assets. The Prefatory Note to the UFADAA reads: “As the number of digital assets held by the average person increases, questions surrounding the disposition of these assets upon the individual’s death or incapacity are becoming more common. These assets, ranging from online gaming items to photos, to digital music, to client lists, can have real economic or sentimental value. Yet few laws exist on the rights of fiduciaries over digital assets. Holders of digital assets may not consider the fate of their online presences once they are no longer able to manage their assets, and may not expressly provide for the disposition of their digital assets or electronic communications in the event of their death or incapacity.” House Bill 108 allows an individual to grant by a power of attorney the power of accessing and taking control of the individual’s electronic communications and digital assets. The statutory power of attorney form has been amended to grant this power. The power of attorney must be acknowledged before a Notary.

Read House Bill 108.