Public Act 098-0562
 
SB1280 EnrolledLRB098 08941 HEP 39073 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 Illinois Power of Attorney Act is amended by
changing Sections 2-7 and 2-10 as follows:
 
    (755 ILCS 45/2-7)  (from Ch. 110 1/2, par. 802-7)
    Sec. 2-7. Duty - standard of care - record-keeping -
exoneration.
    (a) The agent shall be under no duty to exercise the powers
granted by the agency or to assume control of or responsibility
for any of the principal's property, care or affairs,
regardless of the principal's physical or mental condition.
Whenever a power is exercised, the agent shall act in good
faith for the benefit of the principal using due care,
competence, and diligence in accordance with the terms of the
agency and shall be liable for negligent exercise. An agent who
acts with due care for the benefit of the principal shall not
be liable or limited merely because the agent also benefits
from the act, has individual or conflicting interests in
relation to the property, care or affairs of the principal or
acts in a different manner with respect to the agency and the
agent's individual interests. The agent shall not be affected
by any amendment or termination of the agency until the agent
has actual knowledge thereof. The agent shall not be liable for
any loss due to error of judgment nor for the act or default of
any other person.
    (b) An agent that has accepted appointment must act in
accordance with the principal's expectations to the extent
actually known to the agent and otherwise in the principal's
best interests.
    (c) An agent shall keep a record of all receipts,
disbursements, and significant actions taken under the
authority of the agency and shall provide a copy of this record
when requested to do so by:
        (1) the principal, a guardian, another fiduciary
    acting on behalf of the principal, and, after the death of
    the principal, the personal representative or successors
    in interest of the principal's estate;
        (2) a representative of a provider agency, as defined
    in Section 2 of the Elder Abuse and Neglect Act, acting in
    the course of an assessment of a complaint of elder abuse
    or neglect under that Act;
        (3) a representative of the Office of the State Long
    Term Care Ombudsman, acting in the course of an
    investigation of a complaint of financial exploitation of a
    nursing home resident under Section 4.04 of the Illinois
    Act on the Aging;
        (4) a representative of the Office of Inspector General
    for the Department of Human Services, acting in the course
    of an assessment of a complaint of financial exploitation
    of an adult with disabilities pursuant to Section 35 of the
    Abuse of Adults with Disabilities Intervention Act; or
        (5) a court under Section 2-10 of this Act; or .
        (6) a representative of the Office of State Guardian or
    public guardian for the county in which the principal
    resides acting in the course of investigating whether to
    file a petition for guardianship of the principal under
    Section 11a-4 or 11a-8 of the Probate Act of 1975.
    (d) If the agent fails to provide his or her record of all
receipts, disbursements, and significant actions within 21
days after a request under subsection (c), the elder abuse
provider agency, the State Guardian, the public guardian, or
the State Long Term Care Ombudsman may petition the court for
an order requiring the agent to produce his or her record of
receipts, disbursements, and significant actions. If the court
finds that the agent's failure to provide his or her record in
a timely manner to the elder abuse provider agency, the State
Guardian, the public guardian, or the State Long Term Care
Ombudsman was without good cause, the court may assess
reasonable costs and attorney's fees against the agent, and
order such other relief as is appropriate.
    (e) An agent is not required to disclose receipts,
disbursements, or other significant actions conducted on
behalf of the principal except as otherwise provided in the
power of attorney or as required under subsection (c).
    (f) An agent that violates this Act is liable to the
principal or the principal's successors in interest for the
amount required (i) to restore the value of the principal's
property to what it would have been had the violation not
occurred, and (ii) to reimburse the principal or the
principal's successors in interest for the attorney's fees and
costs paid on the agent's behalf. This subsection does not
limit any other applicable legal or equitable remedies.
(Source: P.A. 96-1195, eff. 7-1-11.)
 
    (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 (including the
agent), with such notice to 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 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 Elder Abuse and Neglect 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 Elder Abuse and Neglect 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) 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.
    (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. 96-1195, eff. 7-1-11.)
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.