17-3-1002. Persons who may make gifts to state institutions. (1) A donation, gift, grant, bequest, devise, or testamentary disposition of property, real or personal, may be made by any person over the age of 18 years and of sound mind to the state, a unit of the Montana university system, the state school for deaf and blind, an institution in the department of corrections or the department of public health and human services, and any and all institutions now created or established or that may be created or established and supported, in whole or in part, by the state for any purpose. Any person, corporation, or association of persons may make any gift, donation, or grant of property, real or personal, to the state, or to any of the institutions referred to in this section.
     (2) In the event that any gift, donation, grant, devise, or bequest is made to any institution or to any officer or board of any institution, the same must be construed as a gift, donation, grant, devise, or bequest to the state and must be administered and used for the state for the particular purpose for which the same was given, donated, granted, bequeathed, or devised. In the event that a particular purpose is not mentioned in the gift, grant, devise, or bequest, then the same must be used for the general support, maintenance, or improvement of the institution by the state.

     History: En. Sec. 2, Ch. 17, L. 1913; re-en. Sec. 6979, R.C.M. 1921; re-en. Sec. 6979, R.C.M. 1935; amd. Sec. 97, Ch. 199, L. 1965; R.C.M. 1947, 91-106; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 262, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 56, Ch. 546, L. 1995.