HB1198 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 05136 JRC 15165 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB1198

Introduced 1/9/2025, by Rep. Terra Costa Howard

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

755 ILCS 5/11a-3	from Ch. 110 1/2, par. 11a-3
755 ILCS 5/11a-4

Amends the Probate Act of 1975. Provides that if guardianship is necessary under law and the petition for guardianship is filed by a person, corporation, nonprofit organization, or other entity with no legally recognized relationship to the alleged person with a disability, the court shall appoint the State Guardian or county public guardian as the temporary and permanent guardian of the person or estate or both except in counties in which there is no sitting county public guardian.

A BILL FOR

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 11a-3 and 11a-4 as follows:

(755 ILCS 5/11a-3) (from Ch. 110 1/2, par. 11a-3)

Sec. 11a-3. Adjudication of disability; Power to appoint guardian.

(a) Upon the filing of a petition by a reputable person or by the alleged person with a disability himself or on its own motion, the court may adjudge a person to be a person with a disability, but only if it has been demonstrated by clear and convincing evidence that the person is a person with a disability as defined in Section 11a-2. If the court adjudges a person to be a person with a disability, the court may appoint (1) a guardian of his person, if it has been demonstrated by clear and convincing evidence that because of his disability he lacks sufficient understanding or capacity to make or communicate responsible decisions concerning the care of his person, or (2) a guardian of his estate, if it has been demonstrated by clear and convincing evidence that because of his disability he is unable to manage his estate or financial affairs, or (3) a guardian of his person and of his estate, or (4) . The court may appoint co-guardians in accordance with Section 11a-15. If a petition for guardianship is filed by a corporation, nonprofit organization, or other entity with no legally recognized relationship to the person alleged to have a disability, the court shall appoint the State Guardian or county public guardian as the guardian of the person or estate or both if the requirements of this Section are met except in cases in counties in which there is no sitting public guardian.

(b) Guardianship shall be utilized only as is necessary to promote the well-being of the person with a disability, to protect him from neglect, exploitation, or abuse, and to encourage development of his maximum self-reliance and independence. Guardianship shall be ordered only to the extent necessitated by the individual's actual mental, physical and adaptive limitations. The order shall conform with Sections 11a-12 and 11a-14.

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

(755 ILCS 5/11a-4)

Sec. 11a-4. Temporary guardian.

(a) Prior to the appointment of a guardian under this Article, pending an appeal in relation to the appointment, or pending the completion of a citation proceeding brought pursuant to Section 23-3 of this Act, or upon a guardian's death, incapacity, or resignation, the court may appoint a temporary guardian upon a showing of the necessity therefor for the immediate welfare and protection of the alleged person with a disability or his or her estate and subject to such conditions as the court may prescribe. In cases in which a petition for guardianship of a person alleged to have a disability is filed by a corporation, nonprofit, or other entity with no legally recognized relationship to that person, the court shall appoint the State Guardian or county public guardian as temporary guardian of that person or estate or both under this Section if the requirements of this Section are met except in cases in counties in which there is no sitting public guardian. A petition for the appointment of a temporary guardian for an alleged person with a disability shall be filed at the time of or subsequent to the filing of a petition for adjudication of disability and appointment of a guardian. The petition for the appointment of a temporary guardian shall state the facts upon which it is based and the name, the post office address, and, in the case of an individual, the age and occupation of the proposed temporary guardian. In determining the necessity for temporary guardianship, the immediate welfare and protection of the alleged person with a disability and his or her estate shall be of paramount concern, and the interests of the petitioner, any care provider, or any other party shall not outweigh the interests of the alleged person with a disability. The temporary guardian shall have the limited powers and duties of a guardian of the person or of the estate which are specifically enumerated by court order. The court order shall state the actual harm identified by the court that necessitates temporary guardianship or any extension thereof.

(a-5) Notice of the time and place of the hearing on a petition for the appointment of a temporary guardian shall be given, not less than 3 days before the hearing, by mail or in person to the alleged person with a disability, to the proposed temporary guardian, and to those persons whose names and addresses are listed in the petition for adjudication of disability and appointment of a guardian under Section 11a-8. The court, upon a finding of good cause, may waive the notice requirement under this subsection.

(a-10) Notice of the time and place of the hearing on a petition to revoke the appointment of a temporary guardian shall be given, not less than 3 days before the hearing, by mail or in person to the temporary guardian, to the petitioner on whose petition the temporary guardian was appointed, and to those persons whose names and addresses are listed in the petition for adjudication of disability and appointment of a guardian under Section 11a-8. The court, upon a finding of good cause, may waive the notice requirements under this subsection.

(b) The temporary guardianship shall expire within 60 days after the appointment or whenever a guardian is regularly appointed, whichever occurs first. No extension shall be granted except:

(1) In a case where there has been an adjudication of disability, an extension shall be granted:

(i) pending the disposition on appeal of an adjudication of disability;

(ii) pending the completion of a citation proceeding brought pursuant to Section 23-3;

(iii) pending the appointment of a successor guardian in a case where the former guardian has resigned, has become incapacitated, or is deceased; or

(iv) where the guardian's powers have been suspended pursuant to a court order.

(2) In a case where there has not been an adjudication of disability, an extension shall be granted pending the disposition of a petition brought pursuant to Section 11a-8 so long as the court finds it is in the best interests of the alleged person with a disability to extend the temporary guardianship so as to protect the alleged person with a disability from any potential abuse, neglect, self-neglect, exploitation, or other harm and such extension lasts no more than 120 days from the date the temporary guardian was originally appointed.

The ward shall have the right any time after the appointment of a temporary guardian is made to petition the court to revoke the appointment of the temporary guardian.

(Source: P.A. 102-72, eff. 1-1-22; 102-120, eff 7-23-21; 102-687, eff. 12-17-21.)