(Will Davis, D-East Hazel Crest; Harmon, D-Oak Park) requires guardians of the person appointed in counties of less than three million to complete a training program that outlines the responsibilities of the guardian and rights of the ward within one year from the date of appointment. The Office of State Guardian is tasked with providing such a program at no cost, but the chief judge of any circuit may order another program containing substantially similar content. Public guardians, licensed attorneys, and corporate fiduciaries are exempted from this requirement. A court may exempt, for good cause shown, a person so appointed. House Bill 2665 also allows the Governor to designate, without consent of the Senate, the OSG to be an interim public guardian to fill a vacancy in or or more counties having a population of 500,000 for an the lesser of one year or until a gubernatorial appointee is approved by the Senate.
House Bill 2665 passed out of the Senate 33-21-0 and is on the House calendar for concurrence possibly this summer. It would have a January 1, 2019 effective date.