Sen. Karina Villa

Filed: 3/8/2024

 

 


 

 


 
10300SB2758sam001LRB103 36614 JRC 70543 a

1
AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 2758

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 2758 by replacing
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4    "Section 5. The Probate Act of 1975 is amended by changing
5Section 11a-17 as follows:
 
6    (755 ILCS 5/11a-17)  (from Ch. 110 1/2, par. 11a-17)
7    Sec. 11a-17. Duties of personal guardian.
8    (a) To the extent ordered by the court and under the
9direction of the court, the guardian of the person shall have
10custody of the ward and the ward's minor and adult dependent
11children and shall procure for them and shall make provision
12for their support, care, comfort, health, education and
13maintenance, and professional services as are appropriate, but
14the ward's spouse may not be deprived of the custody and
15education of the ward's minor and adult dependent children,
16without the consent of the spouse, unless the court finds that

 

 

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1the spouse is not a fit and competent person to have that
2custody and education. The guardian shall assist the ward in
3the development of maximum self-reliance and independence. The
4guardian of the person may petition the court for an order
5directing the guardian of the estate to pay an amount
6periodically for the provision of the services specified by
7the court order. If the ward's estate is insufficient to
8provide for education and the guardian of the ward's person
9fails to provide education, the court may award the custody of
10the ward to some other person for the purpose of providing
11education. If a person makes a settlement upon or provision
12for the support or education of a ward, the court may make an
13order for the visitation of the ward by the person making the
14settlement or provision as the court deems proper. A guardian
15of the person may not admit a ward to a mental health facility
16except at the ward's request as provided in Article IV of the
17Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code and unless
18the ward has the capacity to consent to such admission as
19provided in Article IV of the Mental Health and Developmental
20Disabilities Code.
21    (a-3) If a guardian of an estate has not been appointed,
22the guardian of the person may, without an order of court,
23open, maintain, and transfer funds to an ABLE account on
24behalf of the ward and the ward's minor and adult dependent
25children as specified under Section 16.6 of the State
26Treasurer Act.

 

 

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1    (a-5) If the ward filed a petition for dissolution of
2marriage under the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of
3Marriage Act before the ward was adjudicated a person with a
4disability under this Article, the guardian of the ward's
5person and estate may maintain that action for dissolution of
6marriage on behalf of the ward. Upon petition by the guardian
7of the ward's person or estate, the court may authorize and
8direct a guardian of the ward's person or estate to file a
9petition for dissolution of marriage or to file a petition for
10legal separation or declaration of invalidity of marriage
11under the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act on
12behalf of the ward if the court finds by clear and convincing
13evidence that the relief sought is in the ward's best
14interests. In making its determination, the court shall
15consider the standards set forth in subsection (e) of this
16Section.
17    (a-10) A ward who understands the nature, effect, duties,
18and obligations of marriage retains the fundamental right to
19marriage. Prior consent of the guardian of the person or
20estate or approval of the court is not required for the ward to
21enter into a marriage. The ward, guardian of the person, or
22guardian of the estate may petition for the approval or
23ratification of marriage. Upon petition by the guardian of the
24ward's person or estate, the court may authorize and direct a
25guardian of the ward's person or estate to consent, on behalf
26of the ward, to the ward's marriage pursuant to Part II of the

 

 

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1Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act if the court
2finds by clear and convincing evidence that the marriage is in
3the ward's best interests. In making its determination, the
4court shall consider the standards set forth in subsection (e)
5of this Section. Upon presentation of a court order
6authorizing and directing a guardian of the ward's person and
7estate to consent to the ward's marriage, the county clerk
8shall accept the guardian's application, appearance, and
9signature on behalf of the ward for purposes of issuing a
10license to marry under Section 203 of the Illinois Marriage
11and Dissolution of Marriage Act.
12    (a-15) A court may remove the ward's right to marriage if
13the request for removal is brought at the time of the petition
14for appointment of a limited or plenary guardian. A court may
15remove the ward's right to marriage based on evidence
16presented at a hearing under Section 11a-11 if it finds, while
17taking into consideration the expressed preferences of the
18ward, by clear and convincing evidence that the ward lacks the
19capacity to understand the nature, effect, duties, and
20obligations of marriage or if the court finds other good
21cause, by clear and convincing evidence, that the right to
22marriage should be removed. A guardian may petition the court
23to remove the right to marriage at any time during the
24guardianship if not addressed at the time of appointment. Any
25marriage entered into after the removal of the right to
26marriage is void unless the court had reinstated the right to

 

 

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1marriage. A ward, guardian of the person, or guardian of the
2estate may seek judicial approval to reinstate the right to
3marriage and, if the court finds that the right to marriage
4should be reinstated, the court may enter an order declaring
5the right restored.
6    (a-20) A guardian may petition the probate court for an
7order voiding the marriage for the reason that the marriage
8will result in substantial harm to the ward or the ward's
9estate; this petition must be proved by clear and convincing
10evidence and the guardian bears the burden of proof. Any
11action brought to void the marriage, pursuant to this
12provision, is brought before the probate court. An action to
13void the marriage survives the death of the ward and may be
14brought as an action in an estate administration.
15    (b) If the court directs, the guardian of the person shall
16file with the court at intervals indicated by the court, a
17report that shall state briefly: (1) the current mental,
18physical, and social condition of the ward and the ward's
19minor and adult dependent children; (2) their present living
20arrangement, and a description and the address of every
21residence where they lived during the reporting period and the
22length of stay at each place; (3) a summary of the medical,
23educational, vocational, and other professional services given
24to them; (4) a resume of the guardian's visits with and
25activities on behalf of the ward and the ward's minor and adult
26dependent children; (5) a recommendation as to the need for

 

 

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1continued guardianship; (6) any other information requested by
2the court or useful in the opinion of the guardian. The Office
3of the State Guardian shall assist the guardian in filing the
4report when requested by the guardian. The court may take such
5action as it deems appropriate pursuant to the report.
6    (c) Absent court order pursuant to the Illinois Power of
7Attorney Act directing a guardian to exercise powers of the
8principal under an agency that survives disability, the
9guardian has no power, duty, or liability with respect to any
10personal or health care matters covered by the agency. This
11subsection (c) applies to all agencies, whenever and wherever
12executed.
13    (d) A guardian acting as a surrogate decision maker under
14the Health Care Surrogate Act shall have all the rights of a
15surrogate under that Act without court order including the
16right to make medical treatment decisions such as decisions to
17forgo or withdraw life-sustaining treatment. Any decisions by
18the guardian to forgo or withdraw life-sustaining treatment
19that are not authorized under the Health Care Surrogate Act
20shall require a court order. Nothing in this Section shall
21prevent an agent acting under a power of attorney for health
22care from exercising his or her authority under the Illinois
23Power of Attorney Act without further court order, unless a
24court has acted under Section 2-10 of the Illinois Power of
25Attorney Act. If a guardian is also a health care agent for the
26ward under a valid power of attorney for health care, the

 

 

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1guardian acting as agent may execute his or her authority
2under that act without further court order.
3    (e) Decisions made by a guardian on behalf of a ward shall
4be made in accordance with the following standards for
5decision making. The guardian shall consider the ward's
6current preferences to the extent the ward has the ability to
7participate in decision making when those preferences are
8known or reasonably ascertainable by the guardian. Decisions
9by the guardian shall conform to the ward's current
10preferences: (1) unless the guardian reasonably believes that
11doing so would result in substantial harm to the ward's
12welfare or personal or financial interests; and (2) so long as
13such decisions give substantial weight to what the ward, if
14competent, would have done or intended under the
15circumstances, taking into account evidence that includes, but
16is not limited to, the ward's personal, philosophical,
17religious and moral beliefs, and ethical values relative to
18the decision to be made by the guardian. Where possible, the
19guardian shall determine how the ward would have made a
20decision based on the ward's previously expressed preferences,
21and make decisions in accordance with the preferences of the
22ward. If the ward's wishes are unknown and remain unknown
23after reasonable efforts to discern them, or if the guardian
24reasonably believes that a decision made in conformity with
25the ward's preferences would result in substantial harm to the
26ward's welfare or personal or financial interests, the

 

 

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1decision shall be made on the basis of the ward's best
2interests as determined by the guardian. In determining the
3ward's best interests, the guardian shall weigh the reason for
4and nature of the proposed action, the benefit or necessity of
5the action, the possible risks and other consequences of the
6proposed action, and any available alternatives and their
7risks, consequences and benefits, and shall take into account
8any other information, including the views of family and
9friends, that the guardian believes the ward would have
10considered if able to act for herself or himself.
11    (f) Upon petition by any interested person (including the
12standby or short-term guardian), with such notice to
13interested persons as the court directs and a finding by the
14court that it is in the best interests of the person with a
15disability, the court may terminate or limit the authority of
16a standby or short-term guardian or may enter such other
17orders as the court deems necessary to provide for the best
18interests of the person with a disability. The petition for
19termination or limitation of the authority of a standby or
20short-term guardian may, but need not, be combined with a
21petition to have another guardian appointed for the person
22with a disability.
23    (g)(1) Unless there is a court order to the contrary, the
24guardian, consistent with the standards set forth in
25subsection (e) of this Section, shall use reasonable efforts
26to notify the ward's known adult children, who have requested

 

 

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1notification and provided contact information, of the ward's
2admission to a hospital, hospice, or palliative care program,
3the ward's death, and the arrangements for the disposition of
4the ward's remains.
5    (2) If a guardian unreasonably prevents an adult child,
6spouse, adult grandchild, parent, or adult sibling of the ward
7from visiting the ward, the court, upon a verified petition,
8may order the guardian to permit visitation between the ward
9and the adult child, spouse, adult grandchild, parent, or
10adult sibling. In making its determination, the court shall
11consider the standards set forth in subsection (e) of this
12Section. The court shall not allow visitation if the court
13finds that the ward has capacity to evaluate and communicate
14decisions regarding visitation and expresses a desire not to
15have visitation with the petitioner. This subsection (g) does
16not apply to duly appointed public guardians or the Office of
17State Guardian.
18(Source: P.A. 101-329, eff. 8-9-19; 102-72, eff. 1-1-22;
19102-258, eff. 8-6-21; 102-813, eff. 5-13-22.)".