Civil actions: statutes of limitation: theft.

Existing law provides that a civil action, in the case of a theft, shall be commenced within 3 years. Existing law provides that in the case of a theft of any article of historical, interpretive, scientific, cultural, or artistic significance, a cause of action is not deemed to have accrued until the discovery of the whereabouts of the article by the aggrieved party, his or her agent, or a law enforcement agency. This bill would authorize a civil action against a museum, gallery, auctioneer, or dealer for the recovery of works of fine art that were unlawfully taken or stolen, including a taking or theft by means of fraud or duress, to be commenced within 6 years of the actual discovery by the claimant or his or her agent of the identity and whereabouts of the work of fine art and information or facts that are sufficient to indicate that the claimant has a claim for a possessory interest in the work of fine art. This bill would apply to pending and future actions commenced on or before December 31, 2017, and would include any actions that were dismissed based on the expiration of statutes of limitation in effect prior to the date of the enactment of this bill if, prior to that date, the judgment in the action was not final or the time for filing an appeal from a decision on that action had not expired, provided that the action concerns a work of fine art that was taken within 100 years prior to the date this bill is enacted. This bill contains the Legislature's findings and declarations in support of a finding that this bill is in agreement and conformity with a specified court decision.