Public Act 0064 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB0216 Enrolled LRB103 25397 LNS 51744 b

Public Act 103-0064

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 with a disability in a guardianship proceeding under Article XIa of the Probate Act of 1975. The training program 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. 100-483, eff. 9-8-18.)

Section 10. The Probate Act of 1975 is amended by changing Section 13-1.2 as follows:

(755 ILCS 5/13-1.2)

Sec. 13-1.2. Certification requirement.

Each person appointed as a public guardian by the Governor shall be certified as a National Certified Guardian by the Center for Guardianship Certification within 6 months after his or her appointment. The Guardianship and Advocacy Commission shall provide public guardians with information about certification requirements and procedures for testing and certification offered by the Center for Guardianship Certification. The cost of certification shall be considered an expense connected with the operation of the public guardian's office within the meaning of subsection (b) of Section 13-3.1 of this Article.

A public guardian shall additionally complete a one-hour course regarding Alzheimer's disease and dementia within 6 months of appointment and annually thereafter. The training program shall include, but not be limited to, the following topics: effective communication strategies; best practices for interacting with people with Alzheimer's disease and related forms of dementia; and strategies for supporting people living with Alzheimer's disease or related forms of dementia in exercising their rights.

(Source: P.A. 100-483, eff. 9-8-18.)

Effective Date: 1/1/2024