102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
HB0266

 

Introduced 1/29/2021, by Rep. Thomas M. Bennett

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
755 ILCS 5/11a-17  from Ch. 110 1/2, par. 11a-17

    Amends the Guardians For Adults With Disabilities Article of the Probate Act of 1975. Provides that a 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. Provides that decisions by the guardian shall conform to the ward's current preferences unless the guardian reasonably believes that doing so would result in substantial harm to the ward's welfare or personal or financial interests. Provides that if the guardian is unable to ascertain the ward's preferences, then the decisions may be made by conforming as closely as possible to what the ward would have done or intended under the circumstances. Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately.


LRB102 04304 LNS 14322 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB0266LRB102 04304 LNS 14322 b

1    AN ACT concerning civil law.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
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
17the spouse is not a fit and competent person to have that
18custody and education. The guardian shall assist the ward in
19the development of maximum self-reliance and independence. The
20guardian of the person may petition the court for an order
21directing the guardian of the estate to pay an amount
22periodically for the provision of the services specified by
23the court order. If the ward's estate is insufficient to

 

 

HB0266- 2 -LRB102 04304 LNS 14322 b

1provide for education and the guardian of the ward's person
2fails to provide education, the court may award the custody of
3the ward to some other person for the purpose of providing
4education. If a person makes a settlement upon or provision
5for the support or education of a ward, the court may make an
6order for the visitation of the ward by the person making the
7settlement or provision as the court deems proper. A guardian
8of the person may not admit a ward to a mental health facility
9except at the ward's request as provided in Article IV of the
10Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code and unless
11the ward has the capacity to consent to such admission as
12provided in Article IV of the Mental Health and Developmental
13Disabilities Code.
14    (a-3) If a guardian of an estate has not been appointed,
15the guardian of the person may, without an order of court,
16open, maintain, and transfer funds to an ABLE account on
17behalf of the ward and the ward's minor and adult dependent
18children as specified under Section 16.6 of the State
19Treasurer Act.
20    (a-5) If the ward filed a petition for dissolution of
21marriage under the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of
22Marriage Act before the ward was adjudicated a person with a
23disability under this Article, the guardian of the ward's
24person and estate may maintain that action for dissolution of
25marriage on behalf of the ward. Upon petition by the guardian
26of the ward's person or estate, the court may authorize and

 

 

HB0266- 3 -LRB102 04304 LNS 14322 b

1direct a guardian of the ward's person or estate to file a
2petition for dissolution of marriage or to file a petition for
3legal separation or declaration of invalidity of marriage
4under the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act on
5behalf of the ward if the court finds by clear and convincing
6evidence that the relief sought is in the ward's best
7interests. In making its determination, the court shall
8consider the standards set forth in subsection (e) of this
9Section.
10    (a-10) Upon petition by the guardian of the ward's person
11or estate, the court may authorize and direct a guardian of the
12ward's person or estate to consent, on behalf of the ward, to
13the ward's marriage pursuant to Part II of the Illinois
14Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act if the court finds by
15clear and convincing evidence that the marriage is in the
16ward's best interests. In making its determination, the court
17shall consider the standards set forth in subsection (e) of
18this Section. Upon presentation of a court order authorizing
19and directing a guardian of the ward's person and estate to
20consent to the ward's marriage, the county clerk shall accept
21the guardian's application, appearance, and signature on
22behalf of the ward for purposes of issuing a license to marry
23under Section 203 of the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of
24Marriage Act.
25    (b) If the court directs, the guardian of the person shall
26file with the court at intervals indicated by the court, a

 

 

HB0266- 4 -LRB102 04304 LNS 14322 b

1report that shall state briefly: (1) the current mental,
2physical, and social condition of the ward and the ward's
3minor and adult dependent children; (2) their present living
4arrangement, and a description and the address of every
5residence where they lived during the reporting period and the
6length of stay at each place; (3) a summary of the medical,
7educational, vocational, and other professional services given
8to them; (4) a resume of the guardian's visits with and
9activities on behalf of the ward and the ward's minor and adult
10dependent children; (5) a recommendation as to the need for
11continued guardianship; (6) any other information requested by
12the court or useful in the opinion of the guardian. The Office
13of the State Guardian shall assist the guardian in filing the
14report when requested by the guardian. The court may take such
15action as it deems appropriate pursuant to the report.
16    (c) Absent court order pursuant to the Illinois Power of
17Attorney Act directing a guardian to exercise powers of the
18principal under an agency that survives disability, the
19guardian has no power, duty, or liability with respect to any
20personal or health care matters covered by the agency. This
21subsection (c) applies to all agencies, whenever and wherever
22executed.
23    (d) A guardian acting as a surrogate decision maker under
24the Health Care Surrogate Act shall have all the rights of a
25surrogate under that Act without court order including the
26right to make medical treatment decisions such as decisions to

 

 

HB0266- 5 -LRB102 04304 LNS 14322 b

1forgo or withdraw life-sustaining treatment. Any decisions by
2the guardian to forgo or withdraw life-sustaining treatment
3that are not authorized under the Health Care Surrogate Act
4shall require a court order. Nothing in this Section shall
5prevent an agent acting under a power of attorney for health
6care from exercising his or her authority under the Illinois
7Power of Attorney Act without further court order, unless a
8court has acted under Section 2-10 of the Illinois Power of
9Attorney Act. If a guardian is also a health care agent for the
10ward under a valid power of attorney for health care, the
11guardian acting as agent may execute his or her authority
12under that act without further court order.
13    (e) Decisions made by a guardian on behalf of a ward shall
14be made in accordance with the following standards for
15decision making. The guardian shall consider the ward's
16current preferences to the extent the ward has the ability to
17participate in decision making when those preferences are
18known or reasonably ascertainable by the guardian. Decisions
19by the guardian shall conform to the ward's current
20preferences unless the guardian reasonably believes that doing
21so would result in substantial harm to the ward's welfare or
22personal or financial interests. If the guardian is unable to
23ascertain the ward's preferences, then the decisions Decisions
24made by a guardian on behalf of a ward may be made by
25conforming as closely as possible to what the ward, if
26competent, would have done or intended under the

 

 

HB0266- 6 -LRB102 04304 LNS 14322 b

1circumstances, taking into account evidence that includes, but
2is not limited to, the ward's personal, philosophical,
3religious and moral beliefs, and ethical values relative to
4the decision to be made by the guardian. Where possible, the
5guardian shall determine how the ward would have made a
6decision based on the ward's previously expressed preferences,
7and make decisions in accordance with the preferences of the
8ward. If the ward's wishes are unknown and remain unknown
9after reasonable efforts to discern them, or if the guardian
10reasonably believes that a decision made in conformity with
11the ward's preferences would result in substantial harm to the
12ward's welfare or personal or financial interests, the
13decision shall be made on the basis of the ward's best
14interests as determined by the guardian. In determining the
15ward's best interests, the guardian shall weigh the reason for
16and nature of the proposed action, the benefit or necessity of
17the action, the possible risks and other consequences of the
18proposed action, and any available alternatives and their
19risks, consequences and benefits, and shall take into account
20any other information, including the views of family and
21friends, that the guardian believes the ward would have
22considered if able to act for herself or himself.
23    (f) Upon petition by any interested person (including the
24standby or short-term guardian), with such notice to
25interested persons as the court directs and a finding by the
26court that it is in the best interest of the person with a

 

 

HB0266- 7 -LRB102 04304 LNS 14322 b

1disability, the court may terminate or limit the authority of
2a standby or short-term guardian or may enter such other
3orders as the court deems necessary to provide for the best
4interest of the person with a disability. The petition for
5termination or limitation of the authority of a standby or
6short-term guardian may, but need not, be combined with a
7petition to have another guardian appointed for the person
8with a disability.
9    (g)(1) Unless there is a court order to the contrary, the
10guardian, consistent with the standards set forth in
11subsection (e) of this Section, shall use reasonable efforts
12to notify the ward's known adult children, who have requested
13notification and provided contact information, of the ward's
14admission to a hospital or hospice program, the ward's death,
15and the arrangements for the disposition of the ward's
16remains.
17    (2) If a guardian unreasonably prevents an adult child,
18spouse, adult grandchild, parent, or adult sibling of the ward
19from visiting the ward, the court, upon a verified petition,
20may order the guardian to permit visitation between the ward
21and the adult child, spouse, adult grandchild, parent, or
22adult sibling. In making its determination, the court shall
23consider the standards set forth in subsection (e) of this
24Section. The court shall not allow visitation if the court
25finds that the ward has capacity to evaluate and communicate
26decisions regarding visitation and expresses a desire not to

 

 

HB0266- 8 -LRB102 04304 LNS 14322 b

1have visitation with the petitioner. This subsection (g) does
2not apply to duly appointed public guardians or the Office of
3State Guardian.
4(Source: P.A. 100-1054, eff. 1-1-19; 101-329, eff. 8-9-19.)
 
5    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
6becoming law.