HB2562eng 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB2562 Engrossed LRB104 08064 JRC 18110 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 Guardianship and Advocacy Act is amended by changing Section 33.5 as follows:

(20 ILCS 3955/33.5)

Sec. 33.5. Guardianship training program. The State Guardian shall provide a training program that outlines the duties and responsibilities of guardians appointed under Article XIa of the Probate Act of 1975. The training program shall be offered to courts at no cost, and shall outline the responsibilities of a guardian and the rights of a person under with a disability in a guardianship proceeding under Article XIa of the Probate Act of 1975. The training program shall have two components: one for guardians of the person and another for guardians of the estate. The State Guardian shall determine the content of the training. The component for guardians of the person shall also include content regarding Alzheimer's disease and dementia, including, but not limited to, the following topics: effective communication strategies; best practices for interacting with people living with Alzheimer's disease or related forms of dementia; and strategies for supporting people living with Alzheimer's disease or related forms of dementia in exercising their rights. In developing the training program content, the State Guardian shall consult with the courts, State and national guardianship organizations, public guardians, advocacy organizations, and persons and family members with direct experience with adult guardianship. In the preparation and dissemination of training materials, the State Guardian shall give due consideration to making the training materials accessible to persons with disabilities.

(Source: P.A. 103-64, eff. 1-1-24.)

Section 10. The Probate Act of 1975 is amended by changing Section 11a-12, 11a-17, and 11a-18 as follows:

(755 ILCS 5/11a-12) (from Ch. 110 1/2, par. 11a-12)

Sec. 11a-12. Order of appointment.

(a) If basis for the appointment of a guardian as specified in Section 11a-3 is not found, the court shall dismiss the petition.

(b) If the respondent is adjudged to be a person with a disability and to lack some but not all of the capacity as specified in Section 11a-3, and if the court finds that guardianship is necessary for the protection of the person with a disability, his or her estate, or both, the court shall appoint a limited guardian for the respondent's person or estate or both. The court shall enter a written order stating the factual basis for its findings and specifying the duties and powers of the guardian and the legal disabilities to which the respondent is subject.

(c) If the respondent is adjudged to be a person with a disability and to be totally without capacity as specified in Section 11a-3, and if the court finds that limited guardianship will not provide sufficient protection for the person with a disability, his or her estate, or both, the court shall appoint a plenary guardian for the respondent's person or estate or both. The court shall enter a written order stating the factual basis for its findings.

(d) The selection of the guardian shall be in the discretion of the court, which shall give due consideration to the preference of the person with a disability as to a guardian, as well as the qualifications of the proposed guardian, in making its appointment. However, the paramount concern in the selection of the guardian is the best interests and well-being of the person with a disability.

One person or agency may be appointed a limited or plenary guardian of the person and another person or corporate trustee appointed as a limited or plenary guardian of the estate. If different persons are appointed, the court shall consider the factors set forth in subsection (b-5) of Section 11a-5. The court shall enter a written order stating the factual basis for its findings.

(e) The order of appointment of a guardian of the person shall include the requirement that the guardian of the person complete the training program as provided in Section 33.5 of the Guardianship and Advocacy Act that outlines the responsibilities of the guardian of the person and the rights of the person under guardianship and file with the court a certificate of completion within one year from the date of issuance of the letters of guardianship, except that: (1) the chief judge of any circuit may order implementation of another training program by a suitable provider containing substantially similar content; (2) employees of the Office of the State Guardian, public guardians, attorneys currently authorized to practice law, corporate fiduciaries, and persons certified by the Center for Guardianship Certification are exempt from this training requirement; and (3) the court may, for good cause shown, exempt from this requirement an individual not otherwise listed in item (2). For the purposes of this subsection (e), good cause may be proven by affidavit. If the court finds good cause to exempt an individual from the training requirement, the order of appointment shall so state.

(Source: P.A. 102-72, eff. 1-1-22; 102-770, eff. 1-1-23.)

(755 ILCS 5/11a-17) (from Ch. 110 1/2, par. 11a-17)

Sec. 11a-17. Duties of personal guardian.

(a) To the extent ordered by the court and under the direction of the court, the guardian of the person shall have custody of the ward and the ward's minor and adult dependent children and shall procure for them and shall make provision for their support, care, comfort, health, education and maintenance, and professional services as are appropriate, but the ward's spouse may not be deprived of the custody and education of the ward's minor and adult dependent children, without the consent of the spouse, unless the court finds that the spouse is not a fit and competent person to have that custody and education. The guardian shall assist the ward in the development of maximum self-reliance and independence. The guardian of the person may petition the court for an order directing the guardian of the estate to pay an amount periodically for the provision of the services specified by the court order. If the ward's estate is insufficient to provide for education and the guardian of the ward's person fails to provide education, the court may award the custody of the ward to some other person for the purpose of providing education. If a person makes a settlement upon or provision for the support or education of a ward, the court may make an order for the visitation of the ward by the person making the settlement or provision as the court deems proper. A guardian of the person may not admit a ward to a mental health facility except at the ward's request as provided in Article IV of the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code and unless the ward has the capacity to consent to such admission as provided in Article IV of the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code.

(a-3) If a guardian of an estate has not been appointed, the guardian of the person may, without an order of court, open, maintain, and transfer funds to an ABLE account on behalf of the ward and the ward's minor and adult dependent children as specified under Section 16.6 of the State Treasurer Act.

(a-5) If the ward filed a petition for dissolution of marriage under the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act before the ward was adjudicated a person with a disability under this Article, the guardian of the ward's person and estate may maintain that action for dissolution of marriage on behalf of the ward. Upon petition by the guardian of the ward's person or estate, the court may authorize and direct a guardian of the ward's person or estate to file a petition for dissolution of marriage or to file a petition for legal separation or declaration of invalidity of marriage under the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act on behalf of the ward if the court finds by clear and convincing evidence that the relief sought is in the ward's best interests. In making its determination, the court shall consider the standards set forth in subsection (e) of this Section.

(a-10) Upon petition by the guardian of the ward's person or estate, the court may authorize and direct a guardian of the ward's person or estate to consent, on behalf of the ward, to the ward's marriage pursuant to Part II of the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act if the court finds by clear and convincing evidence that the marriage is in the ward's best interests. In making its determination, the court shall consider the standards set forth in subsection (e) of this Section. Upon presentation of a court order authorizing and directing a guardian of the ward's person and estate to consent to the ward's marriage, the county clerk shall accept the guardian's application, appearance, and signature on behalf of the ward for purposes of issuing a license to marry under Section 203 of the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act.

(b) If the court directs, the guardian of the person shall file with the court at intervals indicated by the court, a report that shall state briefly: (1) the current mental, physical, and social condition of the ward and the ward's minor and adult dependent children; (2) their present living arrangement, and a description and the address of every residence where they lived during the reporting period and the length of stay at each place; (3) a summary of the medical, educational, vocational, and other professional services given to them; (4) a resume of the guardian's visits with and activities on behalf of the ward and the ward's minor and adult dependent children; (5) a recommendation as to the need for continued guardianship; (6) any other information requested by the court or useful in the opinion of the guardian. The Office of the State Guardian shall assist the guardian in filing the report when requested by the guardian. The court may take such action as it deems appropriate pursuant to the report.

(c) Absent court order pursuant to the Illinois Power of Attorney Act directing a guardian to exercise powers of the principal under an agency that survives disability, the guardian has no power, duty, or liability with respect to any personal or health care matters covered by the agency. If the Office of State Guardian or a public guardian is appointed, all powers of attorney are suspended under subsection (g-1) of Section 2-10 of the Illinois Power of Attorney Act. This subsection (c) applies to all agencies, whenever and wherever executed.

(d) A guardian acting as a surrogate decision maker under the Health Care Surrogate Act shall have all the rights of a surrogate under that Act without court order including the right to make medical treatment decisions such as decisions to forgo or withdraw life-sustaining treatment. Any decisions by the guardian to forgo or withdraw life-sustaining treatment that are not authorized under the Health Care Surrogate Act shall require a court order. Nothing in this Section shall prevent an agent acting under a power of attorney for health care from exercising his or her authority under the Illinois Power of Attorney Act without further court order, unless a court has acted under Section 2-10 of the Illinois Power of Attorney Act. If a guardian is also a health care agent for the ward under a valid power of attorney for health care, the guardian acting as agent may execute his or her authority under that act without further court order.

(e) Decisions made by a guardian on behalf of a ward shall be made in accordance with the following standards for decision making. The guardian shall consider the ward's current preferences to the extent the ward has the ability to participate in decision making when those preferences are known or reasonably ascertainable by the guardian. Decisions by the guardian shall conform to the ward's current preferences: (1) unless the guardian reasonably believes that doing so would result in substantial harm to the ward's welfare or personal or financial interests; and (2) so long as such decisions give substantial weight to what the ward, if competent, would have done or intended under the circumstances, taking into account evidence that includes, but is not limited to, the ward's personal, philosophical, religious and moral beliefs, and ethical values relative to the decision to be made by the guardian. Where possible, the guardian shall determine how the ward would have made a decision based on the ward's previously expressed preferences, and make decisions in accordance with the preferences of the ward. If the ward's wishes are unknown and remain unknown after reasonable efforts to discern them, or if the guardian reasonably believes that a decision made in conformity with the ward's preferences would result in substantial harm to the ward's welfare or personal or financial interests, the decision shall be made on the basis of the ward's best interests as determined by the guardian. In determining the ward's best interests, the guardian shall weigh the reason for and nature of the proposed action, the benefit or necessity of the action, the possible risks and other consequences of the proposed action, and any available alternatives and their risks, consequences and benefits, and shall take into account any other information, including the views of family and friends, that the guardian believes the ward would have considered if able to act for herself or himself.

(f) Upon petition by any interested person (including the standby or short-term guardian), with such notice to interested persons as the court directs and a finding by the court that it is in the best interests of the person with a disability, the court may terminate or limit the authority of a standby or short-term guardian or may enter such other orders as the court deems necessary to provide for the best interests of the person with a disability. The petition for termination or limitation of the authority of a standby or short-term guardian may, but need not, be combined with a petition to have another guardian appointed for the person with a disability.

(g)(1) Unless there is a court order to the contrary, the guardian, consistent with the standards set forth in subsection (e) of this Section, shall use reasonable efforts to notify the ward's known adult children, who have requested notification and provided contact information, of the ward's admission to a hospital, hospice, or palliative care program, the ward's death, and the arrangements for the disposition of the ward's remains.

(2) If a guardian unreasonably prevents an adult child, spouse, adult grandchild, parent, or adult sibling of the ward from visiting the ward, the court, upon a verified petition, may order the guardian to permit visitation between the ward and the adult child, spouse, adult grandchild, parent, or adult sibling. In making its determination, the court shall consider the standards set forth in subsection (e) of this Section. The court shall not allow visitation if the court finds that the ward has capacity to evaluate and communicate decisions regarding visitation and expresses a desire not to have visitation with the petitioner. This subsection (g) does not apply to duly appointed public guardians or the Office of State Guardian.

(Source: P.A. 101-329, eff. 8-9-19; 102-72, eff. 1-1-22; 102-258, eff. 8-6-21; 102-813, eff. 5-13-22.)

(755 ILCS 5/11a-18) (from Ch. 110 1/2, par. 11a-18)

Sec. 11a-18. Duties of the estate guardian.

(a) To the extent specified in the order establishing the guardianship, the guardian of the estate shall have the care, management and investment of the estate, shall manage the estate frugally and shall apply the income and principal of the estate so far as necessary for the comfort and suitable support and education of the ward, his minor and adult dependent children, and persons related by blood or marriage who are dependent upon or entitled to support from him, or for any other purpose which the court deems to be for the best interests of the ward, and the court may approve the making on behalf of the ward of such agreements as the court determines to be for the ward's best interests. The guardian may make disbursement of his ward's funds and estate directly to the ward or other distributee or in such other manner and in such amounts as the court directs. If the estate of a ward is derived in whole or in part from payments of compensation, adjusted compensation, pension, insurance or other similar benefits made directly to the estate by the Veterans Administration, notice of the application for leave to invest or expend the ward's funds or estate, together with a copy of the petition and proposed order, shall be given to the Veterans' Administration Regional Office in this State at least 7 days before the hearing on the application.

(a-5) The probate court, upon petition of a guardian, other than the guardian of a minor, and after notice to all other persons interested as the court directs, may authorize the guardian to exercise any or all powers over the estate and business affairs of the ward that the ward could exercise if present and not under disability. The court may authorize the taking of an action or the application of funds not required for the ward's current and future maintenance and support in any manner approved by the court as being in keeping with the ward's wishes so far as they can be ascertained. The court must consider the permanence of the ward's disabling condition and the natural objects of the ward's bounty. In ascertaining and carrying out the ward's wishes the court may consider, but shall not be limited to, minimization of State or federal income, estate, or inheritance taxes; and providing gifts to charities, relatives, and friends that would be likely recipients of donations from the ward. The ward's wishes as best they can be ascertained shall be carried out, whether or not tax savings are involved. Actions or applications of funds may include, but shall not be limited to, the following:

(1) making gifts of income or principal, or both, of the estate, either outright or in trust;

(2) conveying, releasing, or disclaiming his or her contingent and expectant interests in property, including marital property rights and any right of survivorship incident to joint tenancy or tenancy by the entirety;

(3) releasing or disclaiming his or her powers as trustee, personal representative, custodian for minors, or guardian;

(4) exercising, releasing, or disclaiming his or her powers as donee of a power of appointment;

(5) entering into contracts;

(6) creating for the benefit of the ward or others, revocable or irrevocable trusts of his or her property that may extend beyond his or her disability or life;

(7) exercising options of the ward to purchase or exchange securities or other property;

(8) exercising the rights of the ward to elect benefit or payment options, to terminate, to change beneficiaries or ownership, to assign rights, to borrow, or to receive cash value in return for a surrender of rights under any one or more of the following:

(i) life insurance policies, plans, or benefits,

(ii) annuity policies, plans, or benefits,

(iii) mutual fund and other dividend investment plans,

(iv) retirement, profit sharing, and employee welfare plans and benefits;

(9) exercising his or her right to claim or disclaim an elective share in the estate of his or her deceased spouse and to renounce any interest by testate or intestate succession or by inter vivos transfer;

(10) changing the ward's residence or domicile; or

(11) modifying by means of codicil or trust amendment the terms of the ward's will or any revocable trust created by the ward, as the court may consider advisable in light of changes in applicable tax laws.

The guardian in his or her petition shall briefly outline the action or application of funds for which he or she seeks approval, the results expected to be accomplished thereby, and the tax savings, if any, expected to accrue. The proposed action or application of funds may include gifts of the ward's personal property or real estate, but transfers of real estate shall be subject to the requirements of Section 20 of this Act. Gifts may be for the benefit of prospective legatees, devisees, or heirs apparent of the ward or may be made to individuals or charities in which the ward is believed to have an interest. The guardian shall also indicate in the petition that any planned disposition is consistent with the intentions of the ward insofar as they can be ascertained, and if the ward's intentions cannot be ascertained, the ward will be presumed to favor reduction in the incidents of various forms of taxation and the partial distribution of his or her estate as provided in this subsection. The guardian shall not, however, be required to include as a beneficiary or fiduciary any person who he has reason to believe would be excluded by the ward. A guardian shall be required to investigate and pursue a ward's eligibility for governmental benefits.

(a-6) The guardian may, without an order of court, open, maintain, and transfer funds to an ABLE account on behalf of the ward and the ward's minor and adult dependent children as specified under Section 16.6 of the State Treasurer Act.

(b) Upon the direction of the court which issued his letters, a guardian may perform the contracts of his ward which were legally subsisting at the time of the commencement of the ward's disability. The court may authorize the guardian to execute and deliver any bill of sale, deed or other instrument.

(c) The guardian of the estate of a ward shall appear for and represent the ward in all legal proceedings unless another person is appointed for that purpose as guardian or next friend. This does not impair the power of any court to appoint a guardian ad litem or next friend to defend the interests of the ward in that court, or to appoint or allow any person as the next friend of a ward to commence, prosecute or defend any proceeding in his behalf. Without impairing the power of the court in any respect, if the guardian of the estate of a ward and another person as next friend shall appear for and represent the ward in a legal proceeding in which the compensation of the attorney or attorneys representing the guardian and next friend is solely determined under a contingent fee arrangement, the guardian of the estate of the ward shall not participate in or have any duty to review the prosecution of the action, to participate in or review the appropriateness of any settlement of the action, or to participate in or review any determination of the appropriateness of any fees awarded to the attorney or attorneys employed in the prosecution of the action.

(d) Adjudication of disability shall not revoke or otherwise terminate a trust which is revocable by the ward. A guardian of the estate shall have no authority to revoke a trust that is revocable by the ward, except that the court may authorize a guardian to revoke a Totten trust or similar deposit or withdrawable capital account in trust to the extent necessary to provide funds for the purposes specified in paragraph (a) of this Section. If the trustee of any trust for the benefit of the ward has discretionary power to apply income or principal for the ward's benefit, the trustee shall not be required to distribute any of the income or principal to the guardian of the ward's estate, but the guardian may bring an action on behalf of the ward to compel the trustee to exercise the trustee's discretion or to seek relief from an abuse of discretion. This paragraph shall not limit the right of a guardian of the estate to receive accountings from the trustee on behalf of the ward.

(d-5) Upon a verified petition by the plenary or limited guardian of the estate or the request of the ward that is accompanied by a current physician's report that states the ward possesses testamentary capacity, the court may enter an order authorizing the ward to execute a will or codicil. In so ordering, the court shall authorize the guardian to retain independent counsel for the ward with whom the ward may execute or modify a will or codicil.

(e) Absent court order pursuant to the Illinois Power of Attorney Act directing a guardian to exercise powers of the principal under an agency that survives disability, the guardian will have no power, duty or liability with respect to any property subject to the agency. If the Office of State Guardian or a public guardian is appointed, all powers of attorney are suspended under subsection (g-1) of Section 2-10 of the Illinois Power of Attorney Act. This subsection (e) applies to all agencies, whenever and wherever executed.

(f) Upon petition by any interested person (including the standby or short-term guardian), with such notice to interested persons as the court directs and a finding by the court that it is in the best interests of the person with a disability, the court may terminate or limit the authority of a standby or short-term guardian or may enter such other orders as the court deems necessary to provide for the best interests of the person with a disability. The petition for termination or limitation of the authority of a standby or short-term guardian may, but need not, be combined with a petition to have another guardian appointed for the person with a disability.

(Source: P.A. 101-329, eff. 8-9-19; 102-72, eff. 1-1-22.)

Section 15. The Illinois Power of Attorney Act is amended by changing Section 2-10 as follows:

(755 ILCS 45/2-10) (from Ch. 110 1/2, par. 802-10)

Sec. 2-10. Agency-court relationship.

(a) Upon petition by any interested person, notice to the agent, principal, and interested persons as the court directs and a finding by the court that the principal lacks either the capacity to control or the capacity to revoke the agency, the court may construe a power of attorney, review the agent's conduct, and grant appropriate relief including compensatory damages.

(b) If the court finds that the agent is not acting for the benefit of the principal in accordance with the terms of the agency or that the agent's action or inaction, including restricting or not allowing an interested person to have reasonable visitation with the principal, has caused or threatens substantial harm to the principal's person or property in a manner not authorized or intended by the principal, the court may order a guardian of the principal's person or estate to exercise any powers of the principal under the agency, including the power to revoke the agency, or may enter such other orders without appointment of a guardian as the court deems necessary to provide for the best interests of the principal.

(c) If the court finds that the agency requires interpretation, the court may construe the agency and instruct the agent, but the court may not amend the agency.

(d) If the court finds that the agent has not acted for the benefit of the principal in accordance with the terms of the agency and the Illinois Power of Attorney Act, or that the agent's action caused or threatened substantial harm to the principal's person or property in a manner not authorized or intended by the principal, then the agent shall not be authorized to pay or be reimbursed from the estate of the principal the attorneys' fees and costs of the agent in defending a proceeding brought pursuant to this Section.

(e) Upon a finding that the agent's action has caused substantial harm to the principal's person or property, the court may assess against the agent reasonable costs and attorney's fees to a prevailing party who is a provider agency as defined in Section 2 of the Adult Protective Services Act, a representative of the Office of the State Long Term Care Ombudsman, the State Guardian, a public guardian, or a governmental agency having regulatory authority to protect the welfare of the principal.

(f) As used in this Section, the term "interested person" includes (1) the principal or the agent; (2) a guardian of the person, guardian of the estate, or other fiduciary charged with management of the principal's property; (3) the principal's spouse, parent, or descendant; (4) a person who would be a presumptive heir-at-law of the principal; (5) a person named as a beneficiary to receive any property, benefit, or contractual right upon the principal's death, or as a beneficiary of a trust created by or for the principal; (6) a provider agency as defined in Section 2 of the Adult Protective Services Act, a representative of the Office of the State Long Term Care Ombudsman, the State Guardian, a public guardian, or a governmental agency having regulatory authority to protect the welfare of the principal; and (7) the principal's caregiver or another person who demonstrates sufficient interest in the principal's welfare.

(g) Except as provided in subsection (g-1) of this Section, absent Absent court order directing a guardian to exercise powers of the principal under the agency, a guardian will have no power, duty or liability with respect to any property subject to the agency or any personal or health care matters covered by the agency. If an agent seeks guardianship of the principal pursuant to the Probate Act of 1975, the petition for guardianship must delineate the specific powers to be granted to the guardian that are not already included in the power of attorney. The petition for temporary, limited, or plenary guardianship of the principal under the Probate Act of 1975 may include a prayer for relief to suspend a power of attorney or to revoke a power of attorney in accordance with subsection (b).

(g-1) If the Office of State Guardian or a public guardian is appointed as temporary, limited, or plenary guardian of the principal, any powers of attorney are suspended. Any suspended agent or other interested person may seek reinstatement of a suspended agency in the guardianship proceeding by showing the reinstatement is in the best interests of the principal or with the agreement of the Office of State Guardian or the public guardian.

(h) Proceedings under this Section shall be commenced in the county where the guardian was appointed or, if no Illinois guardian is acting, then in the county where the agent or principal resides or where the principal owns real property.

(i) This Section shall not be construed to limit any other remedies available.

(Source: P.A. 102-72, eff. 1-1-22; 103-55, eff. 1-1-24.)