Public Act 096-1338
 
SB3386 EnrolledLRB096 14818 AJO 35372 b

    AN ACT concerning civil law.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The Probate Act of 1975 is amended by changing
Sections 11-5 and 11-14.1 as follows:
 
    (755 ILCS 5/11-5)  (from Ch. 110 1/2, par. 11-5)
    Sec. 11-5. Appointment of guardian.
    (a) Upon the filing of a petition for the appointment of a
guardian or on its own motion, the court may appoint a guardian
of the estate or of both the person and estate, of a minor, or
may appoint a guardian of the person only of a minor or minors,
as the court finds to be in the best interest of the minor or
minors.
    (a-1) A parent, adoptive parent or adjudicated parent,
whose parental rights have not been terminated, may designate
in any writing, including a will, a person qualified to act
under Section 11-3 to be appointed as guardian of the person or
estate, or both, of an unmarried minor or of a child likely to
be born. A parent, adoptive parent or adjudicated parent, whose
parental rights have not been terminated, or a guardian or a
standby guardian of an unmarried minor or of a child likely to
be born may designate in any writing, including a will, a
person qualified to act under Section 11-3 to be appointed as
successor guardian of the minor's person or estate, or both.
The designation must be witnessed by 2 or more credible
witnesses at least 18 years of age, neither of whom is the
person designated as the guardian. The designation may be
proved by any competent evidence. If the designation is
executed and attested in the same manner as a will, it shall
have prima facie validity. The designation of a guardian or
successor guardian does not affect the rights of the other
parent in the minor.
    (b) The court lacks jurisdiction to proceed on a petition
for the appointment of a guardian of a minor if it finds that
(i) the minor has a living parent, adoptive parent or
adjudicated parent, whose parental rights have not been
terminated, whose whereabouts are known, and who is willing and
able to make and carry out day-to-day child care decisions
concerning the minor, unless: (1) the parent or parents
voluntarily relinquished physical custody of the minor; (2)
consent to the appointment or, after receiving notice of the
hearing under Section 11-10.1, the parent or parents fail to
object to the appointment at the hearing on the petition; or
(3) the parent or parents consent to the appointment as
evidenced by a written document that has been notarized and
dated, or by a personal appearance and consent in open court;
or (ii) there is a guardian for the minor appointed by a court
of competent jurisdiction. There shall be a rebuttable
presumption that a parent of a minor is willing and able to
make and carry out day-to-day child care decisions concerning
the minor, but the presumption may be rebutted by a
preponderance of the evidence.
    (b-1) If the court finds the appointment of a guardian of
the minor to be in the best interest of the minor, and if a
standby guardian has previously been appointed for the minor
under Section 11-5.3, the court shall appoint the standby
guardian as the guardian of the person or estate, or both, of
the minor unless the court finds, upon good cause shown, that
the appointment would no longer be in the best interest of the
minor.
    (c) If the minor is 14 years of age or more, the minor may
nominate the guardian of the minor's person and estate, subject
to approval of the court. If the minor's nominee is not
approved by the court or if, after notice to the minor, the
minor fails to nominate a guardian of the minor's person or
estate, the court may appoint the guardian without nomination.
    (d) The court shall not appoint as guardian of the person
of the minor any person whom the court has determined had
caused or substantially contributed to the minor becoming a
neglected or abused minor as defined in the Juvenile Court Act
of 1987 unless 2 years have elapsed since the last proven
incident of abuse or neglect and the court determines that
appointment of such person as guardian is in the best interests
of the minor.
    (e) Previous statements made by the minor relating to any
allegations that the minor is an abused or neglected child
within the meaning of the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting
Act, or an abused or neglected minor within the meaning of the
Juvenile Court Act of 1987, shall be admissible in evidence in
a hearing concerning appointment of a guardian of the person or
estate of the minor. No such statement, however, if
uncorroborated and not subject to cross-examination, shall be
sufficient in itself to support a finding of abuse or neglect.
(Source: P.A. 90-430, eff. 8-16-97; 90-472, eff. 8-17-97;
90-796, eff. 12-15-98.)
 
    (755 ILCS 5/11-14.1)  (from Ch. 110 1/2, par. 11-14.1)
    Sec. 11-14.1. Revocation of letters.
    (a) Upon the minor reaching the age of majority, the
letters of office shall be revoked only as to that minor and
the guardianship over that minor shall be terminated. The
letters of office and the guardianship shall remain as to any
other minors included in the same letters of office or
guardianship order.
    (b) Upon the filing of a petition by a minor's living,
adoptive, or adjudicated parent whose parental rights have not
been terminated, the court shall discharge the guardian and
terminate the guardianship if the parent establishes, by a
preponderance of the evidence, that a material change in the
circumstances of the minor or the parent has occurred since the
entry of the order appointing the guardian; unless the guardian
establishes, by clear and convincing evidence, that
termination of the guardianship would not be in the best
interests of the minor. In determining the minor's best
interests, the court shall consider all relevant factors
including:
        (1) The interaction and interrelationship of the minor
    with the parent and members of the parent's household.
        (2) The ability of the parent to provide a safe,
    nurturing environment for the minor.
        (3) The relative stability of the parties and the
    minor.
        (4) The minor's adjustment to his or her home, school,
    and community, including the length of time that the minor
    has lived with the parent and the guardian.
        (5) The nature and extent of visitation between the
    parent and the minor and the guardian's ability and
    willingness to facilitate visitation.
(Source: P.A. 90-796, eff. 12-15-98.)
 
    (755 ILCS 5/11-7 rep.)
    Section 10. The Probate Act of 1975 is amended by repealing
Section 11-7.