State of Illinois
90th General Assembly
Legislation

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90_HB3578

      755 ILCS 5/11-5.3
      755 ILCS 5/11-5.4
      755 ILCS 5/11-8.1
      755 ILCS 5/11-13.1
          Amends  the  "Minors"  Article  of   the   Probate   Act.
      Authorizes a legal private guardian of a minor to designate a
      standby  guardian  of  the  minor  or  appoint  a  short-term
      guardian  of the minor if there is no surviving parent of the
      minor.
                                                    LRB9010190DJcdA
                                              LRB9010190DJcdA
 1        AN ACT to amend the  Probate  Act  of  1975  by  changing
 2    Sections 11-5.3, 11-5.4, 11-8.1, and 11-13.1.
 3        Be  it  enacted  by  the People of the State of Illinois,
 4    represented in the General Assembly:
 5        Section 5.   The  Probate  Act  of  1975  is  amended  by
 6    changing  Sections  11-5.3,  11-5.4,  11-8.1,  and 11-13.1 as
 7    follows:
 8        (755 ILCS 5/11-5.3)
 9        Sec. 11-5.3.  Appointment of standby guardian.
10        (a)  A parent, adoptive parent,  or  adjudicated  parent,
11    whose  parental rights have not been terminated, or the legal
12    private guardian of the person of a  minor  if  there  is  no
13    surviving  parent,  may designate in any writing, including a
14    will, a person qualified to act  under  Section  11-3  to  be
15    appointed  as  standby  guardian  of the person or estate, or
16    both, of an unmarried minor or of a child likely to be  born.
17    A  parent,  adoptive  parent,  or  adjudicated  parent, whose
18    parental rights  have  not  been  terminated,  or  the  legal
19    private  guardian  of  the  person  of a minor if there is no
20    surviving parent, or a standby guardian of an unmarried minor
21    or of a child likely to be born may designate in any writing,
22    including a will, a person qualified  to  act  under  Section
23    11-3  to  be  appointed  as successor standby guardian of the
24    minor's person or estate, or both. The  designation  must  be
25    witnessed  by  2 or more credible witnesses at least 18 years
26    of age, neither of whom  is  the  person  designated  as  the
27    standby  guardian.  The  designation  may  be  proved  by any
28    competent evidence.   If  the  designation  is  executed  and
29    attested  in  the  same manner as a will, it shall have prima
30    facie validity. The designation  of  a  standby  guardian  or
31    successor  standby guardian does not affect the rights of the
                            -2-               LRB9010190DJcdA
 1    other parent in the minor.
 2        (b)  Upon the filing of a petition for the appointment of
 3    a standby guardian, the court may appoint a standby  guardian
 4    of  the  person  or  estate, or both, of a minor as the court
 5    finds to be in the best interest of the minor.
 6        (c)  The  court  lacks  jurisdiction  to  proceed  on   a
 7    petition for the appointment of a standby guardian of a minor
 8    if  (i)  the  minor  has  a living parent, adoptive parent or
 9    adjudicated parent,  whose  parental  rights  have  not  been
10    terminated,  whose  whereabouts are known, and who is willing
11    and  able  to  make  and  carry  out  day-to-day  child  care
12    decisions concerning the minor, unless the parent or  parents
13    consent  to the appointment or, after receiving notice of the
14    hearing  under  Section  11-10.1,  fail  to  object  to   the
15    appointment at the hearing on the petition or (ii) there is a
16    guardian  for  the  minor  appointed  by a court of competent
17    jurisdiction, except that if there is no surviving parent and
18    a legal private guardian of the person of the minor has  been
19    appointed,  then the court has jurisdiction to proceed on the
20    petition for appointment of a standby guardian for the minor.
21     There shall be a rebuttable presumption that a parent  of  a
22    minor  is  willing  and able to make and carry out day-to-day
23    child  care  decisions  concerning   the   minor,   but   the
24    presumption  may  be  rebutted  by  a  preponderance  of  the
25    evidence.
26        (d)  The  standby guardian shall take and file an oath or
27    affirmation  that  the  standby  guardian   will   faithfully
28    discharge  the  duties  of  the  office  of  standby guardian
29    according to law, and shall file in and have approved by  the
30    court a bond binding the standby guardian so to do, but shall
31    not  be  required  to  file a bond until the standby guardian
32    assumes all duties as guardian of  the  minor  under  Section
33    11-13.1.
34        (e)  The  designation of a standby guardian may, but need
                            -3-               LRB9010190DJcdA
 1    not, be in the following form:
 2                   DESIGNATION OF STANDBY GUARDIAN
 3        [IT IS IMPORTANT TO READ THE FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS:
 4        A standby guardian is someone who has been  appointed  by
 5    the court as the person who will act as guardian of the child
 6    when  the  child's  parents, or the legal private guardian of
 7    the person of the child if there is no surviving parent,  die
 8    or  are  no  longer  willing  or  able  to make and carry out
 9    day-to-day child care  decisions  concerning  the  child.  By
10    properly  completing this form, a parent or the legal private
11    guardian of the person of the child if there is no  surviving
12    parent,  is  naming  the  person that the parent or the legal
13    private  guardian  wants  to  be  appointed  as  the  standby
14    guardian of the child or children of the parent. Both parents
15    of a child may join together and co-sign this  form.  Signing
16    the  form  does  not  appoint  the  standby  guardian;  to be
17    appointed, a petition must be filed in and  approved  by  the
18    court.]
19             1.  Parent (or legal private guardian if there is no
20        surviving  parent)  and  Children.  I,  (insert  name  of
21        designating  parent or legal private guardian if there is
22        no  surviving  parent),  currently  residing  at  (insert
23        address of designating parent or legal private guardian),
24        am a parent (or, there being  no  surviving  parent,  the
25        legal  private  guardian  of the person) of the following
26        child or children (or of a  child  likely  to  be  born):
27        (insert  name  and date of birth of each child, or insert
28        the words "not yet born" to designate a standby  guardian
29        for  a  child  likely to be born and the child's expected
30        date of birth).
31             2.  Standby  Guardian.   I  hereby   designate   the
32        following  person to be appointed as standby guardian for
33        the my child or children listed above  (insert  name  and
                            -4-               LRB9010190DJcdA
 1        address of person designated).
 2             3.  Successor Standby Guardian.  If the person named
 3        in  item  2  above  cannot  or  will  not  act as standby
 4        guardian,  I  designate  the  following  person   to   be
 5        appointed  as successor standby guardian for the my child
 6        or  children:  (insert  name  and   address   of   person
 7        designated).
 8             4.  Date  and  Signature.   This designation is made
 9        this (insert day) day of (insert month and year).
10                  Signed:  (designating parent or  legal  private
11        guardian if there is no surviving parent)
12             5.  Witnesses.  I saw the parent (or, if there is no
13        surviving  parent,  the  legal  private  guardian  of the
14        person of the child) sign this designation or the  parent
15        (or,  if  there is no surviving parent, the legal private
16        guardian of the person of the child) told me that  he  or
17        she the parent signed this designation. Then I signed the
18        designation  as  a  witness in the presence of the parent
19        (or the legal private guardian).  I am not designated  in
20        this  instrument  to  act  as  a standby guardian for the
21        parent's child or children.   (insert  space  for  names,
22        addresses, and signatures of 2 witnesses).
23    (Source: P.A. 88-529.)
24        (755 ILCS 5/11-5.4)
25        Sec. 11-5.4.  Short-term guardian.
26        (a)  A  parent,  adoptive  parent, or adjudicated parent,
27    whose parental rights have not been terminated, or the  legal
28    private  guardian  of  the  person  of a minor if there is no
29    surviving parent,  may  appoint  in  writing,  without  court
30    approval,  a  short-term  guardian of an unmarried minor or a
31    child likely to be born.  The written instrument appointing a
32    short-term guardian shall be dated  and  shall  identify  the
33    appointing  parent  or legal private guardian, the minor, and
                            -5-               LRB9010190DJcdA
 1    the person appointed to  be  the  short-term  guardian.   The
 2    written  instrument  shall  be signed by, or at the direction
 3    of, the appointing parent in  the  presence  of  at  least  2
 4    credible  witnesses at least 18 years of age, neither of whom
 5    is the person appointed  as  the  short-term  guardian.   The
 6    person  appointed  as the short-term guardian shall also sign
 7    the written instrument, but need not sign at the same time as
 8    the appointing parent.
 9        (b)  A parent shall not appoint a short-term guardian  of
10    a  minor if (i) the minor has another living parent, adoptive
11    parent or adjudicated parent, whose parental rights have  not
12    been  terminated,  whose  whereabouts  are  known, and who is
13    willing and able to make and carry out day-to-day child  care
14    decisions  concerning  the  minor,  unless  the nonappointing
15    parent consents to the appointment  by  signing  the  written
16    instrument of appointment or (ii) there is a guardian for the
17    minor  appointed by a court of competent jurisdiction, except
18    that if there is no surviving  parent  and  a  legal  private
19    guardian  of the person of the minor has been appointed, then
20    the legal private guardian may appoint a short-term guardian.
21        (c)  The  appointment  of  the  short-term  guardian   is
22    effective immediately upon the date the written instrument is
23    executed,  unless  the  written  instrument  provides for the
24    appointment to become effective upon a later  specified  date
25    or  event.   The  short-term guardian shall have authority to
26    act as guardian of the minor as provided in  Section  11-13.2
27    for  a  period  of  60  days from the date the appointment is
28    effective, unless the written  instrument  provides  for  the
29    appointment  to  terminate  upon an earlier specified date or
30    event. Only one written instrument  appointing  a  short-term
31    guardian may be in force at any given time.
32        (d)  Every  appointment  of  a short-term guardian may be
33    amended or revoked by the appointing parent, or by the  legal
34    private  guardian  of  the person of the minor if there is no
                            -6-               LRB9010190DJcdA
 1    surviving parent, at any time and in any manner  communicated
 2    to  the  short-term  guardian  or  to  any other person.  Any
 3    person  other  than  the  short-term  guardian  to   whom   a
 4    revocation  or  amendment  is communicated or delivered shall
 5    make all reasonable efforts to inform the short-term guardian
 6    of that fact as promptly as possible.
 7        (e)  The  appointment  of  a   short-term   guardian   or
 8    successor  short-term  guardian does not affect the rights of
 9    the other parent in the minor.
10        (f)  The  written  instrument  appointing  a   short-term
11    guardian may, but need not, be in the following form:
12                 APPOINTMENT OF SHORT-TERM GUARDIAN
13          [IT IS IMPORTANT TO READ THE FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS:
14        By  properly completing this form, a parent, or the legal
15    private guardian of the person of the child if  there  is  no
16    surviving  parent, is appointing a guardian of a child of the
17    parent (or a minor ward of the legal private guardian, as the
18    case may be) for a period of up to 60 days.  A separate  form
19    should  be  completed for each child. The person appointed as
20    the guardian must sign the form, but need not do  so  at  the
21    same time as the parent or parents or legal private guardian.
22        This  form may not be used to appoint a guardian if there
23    is a guardian already appointed for the child, except that if
24    there is no surviving parent and a legal private guardian  of
25    the  person  of  the child has been appointed, then the legal
26    private guardian may use this form to  appoint  a  short-term
27    guardian.    Both  living  parents  of  a  child may together
28    appoint a guardian of the child, or, if there is no surviving
29    parent, the legal private guardian of the person of the child
30    may appoint a guardian of the child, for a period of up to 60
31    days through the use of this form. If the short-term guardian
32    is appointed by both living parents of the child, the parents
33    need not sign the form at the same time.]
                            -7-               LRB9010190DJcdA
 1             1.  Parent (or legal private guardian if there is no
 2        surviving  parent)  and  Child.   I,  (insert   name   of
 3        appointing  parent  or legal private guardian if there is
 4        no  surviving  parent),  currently  residing  at  (insert
 5        address of appointing parent or legal private  guardian),
 6        am  a  parent  (or,  there being no surviving parent, the
 7        legal private guardian of the person)  of  the  following
 8        child  (or  of  a child likely to be born):  (insert name
 9        and date of birth of child, or insert the words "not  yet
10        born" to appoint a short-term guardian for a child likely
11        to be born and the child's expected date of birth).
12             2.  Guardian.  I hereby appoint the following person
13        as the short-term guardian for the my child: (insert name
14        and address of appointed person).
15             3.  Effective   date.    This   appointment  becomes
16        effective: (check one if you wish it to be applicable)
17                  ( )  On the date that I state in writing that I
18             am no longer either willing  or  able  to  make  and
19             carry out day-to-day child care decisions concerning
20             the my child.
21                  ( )  On the date that a physician familiar with
22             my  condition  certifies  in  writing  that  I am no
23             longer  willing  or  able  to  make  and  carry  out
24             day-to-day child care decisions  concerning  the  my
25             child.
26                  ( )  On  the  date  that  I  am  admitted as an
27             in-patient  to  a  hospital  or  other  health  care
28             institution.
29                  ( )  On the following date: (insert date).
30                  ( )  Other: (insert other).
31    [NOTE:  If this item is not  completed,  the  appointment  is
32    effective  immediately  upon  the date the form is signed and
33    dated below.]
34             4.  Termination.  This appointment  shall  terminate
                            -8-               LRB9010190DJcdA
 1        60  days  after  the effective date, unless it terminates
 2        sooner  as  determined  by  the  event  or  date  I  have
 3        indicated  below:  (check  one  if  you  wish  it  to  be
 4        applicable)
 5                  ( )  On the date that I state in writing that I
 6             am willing and able to make and carry out day-to-day
 7             child care decisions concerning the my child.
 8                  ( )  On the date that a physician familiar with
 9             my condition certifies in writing that I am  willing
10             and able to make and carry out day-to-day child care
11             decisions concerning the my child.
12                  ( )  On  the date that I am discharged from the
13             hospital or other health care  institution  where  I
14             was admitted as an in-patient, which established the
15             effective date.
16                  ( )  On  the  date  which is (state a number of
17             days, but no more  than  60  days)  days  after  the
18             effective date.
19                  ( )  Other: (insert other).
20    [NOTE:  If  this  item is not completed, the appointment will
21    be effective for a  period  of  60  days,  beginning  on  the
22    effective date.]
23             5.  Date and signature of appointing parent or legal
24        private  guardian  if there is no surviving parent.  This
25        appointment is made this  (insert  day)  day  of  (insert
26        month and year).
27                  Signed:  (appointing parent)
28             6.  Witnesses.  I saw the parent (or, if there is no
29        surviving  parent,  the  legal  private  guardian  of the
30        person of the child) sign this instrument or  I  saw  the
31        parent  (or,  if  there is no surviving parent, the legal
32        private guardian of  the  person  of  the  child)  direct
33        someone  to  sign  this instrument for the parent (or the
34        legal private guardian). Then I signed this instrument as
                            -9-               LRB9010190DJcdA
 1        a witness in the presence of the  parent  (or  the  legal
 2        private guardian).  I am not appointed in this instrument
 3        to act as the short-term guardian for the parent's child.
 4        (Insert  space  for names, addresses, and signatures of 2
 5        witnesses)
 6             7.  Acceptance of  short-term  guardian.   I  accept
 7        this  appointment  as short-term guardian on this (insert
 8        day) day of (insert month and year).
 9                  Signed:  (short-term guardian)
10             8.  Consent of child's  other  parent.   I,  (insert
11        name  of  the  child's  other  living  parent), currently
12        residing at  (insert  address  of  child's  other  living
13        parent),  hereby  consent  to  this  appointment  on this
14        (insert day) day of (insert month and year).
15                  Signed:  (consenting parent)
16    [NOTE:  The signature of a consenting parent is not necessary
17    if one of the following applies: (i) the child's other parent
18    has died; or (ii) the whereabouts of the child's other parent
19    are not known; or (iii)  the  child's  other  parent  is  not
20    willing  or  able to make and carry out day-to-day child care
21    decisions concerning the child; or (iv) the  child's  parents
22    were   never  married  and  no  court  has  issued  an  order
23    establishing parentage.]
24    (Source: P.A. 88-529; 88-670, eff. 12-2-94.)
25        (755 ILCS 5/11-8.1)
26        Sec. 11-8.1.  Petition for standby guardian of minor. The
27    petition for appointment of a standby guardian of the  person
28    or  the estate, or both, of a minor must state, if known: (a)
29    the name, date of birth, and residence of the minor; (b)  the
30    names  and  post office addresses of the nearest relatives of
31    the minor in the following order: (1) the parents, if any; if
32    none, (2) the adult brothers and sisters, if  any;  if  none,
33    (3)  the  nearest adult kindred; (c) the name and post office
                            -10-              LRB9010190DJcdA
 1    address of the person having custody of the  minor;  (d)  the
 2    name,  post  office  address, and, in case of any individual,
 3    the age and occupation of the proposed standby guardian;  (e)
 4    the  facts  concerning  the  consent of the minor's parent or
 5    parents, or the legal private guardian of the person  of  the
 6    minor  if there is no surviving parent, to the appointment of
 7    the standby guardian, or the willingness and ability  of  the
 8    minor's  parent  or  parents,  if  any,  or the legal private
 9    guardian of the person of the minor if there is no  surviving
10    parent, to make and carry out day-to-day child care decisions
11    concerning  the minor; (f) the facts concerning the execution
12    or admission to probate of the  written  designation  of  the
13    standby  guardian,  if any, a copy of which shall be attached
14    to or filed with the petition; and (g) the  facts  concerning
15    any    juvenile,   adoption,   parentage,   dissolution,   or
16    guardianship court actions pending concerning  the  minor  or
17    the  parents  of  the  minor  and  whether  any  guardian  is
18    currently acting for the minor.
19    (Source: P.A. 88-529.)
20        (755 ILCS 5/11-13.1)
21        Sec. 11-13.1.  Duties of standby guardian of a minor.
22        (a)  Before  a  standby  guardian of a minor may act, the
23    standby guardian must be appointed by the court of the proper
24    county and, in the case of a standby guardian of the  minor's
25    estate, the standby guardian must give the bond prescribed in
26    subsection (d) of Section 11-5.3 and Section 12-2.
27        (b)  The  standby  guardian  shall not have any duties or
28    authority  to  act  until  the  standby   guardian   receives
29    knowledge  (i)  of the death or consent of the minor's parent
30    or parents, or of the legal private guardian of the person of
31    the minor if there  is  no  surviving  parent,  or  (ii)  the
32    inability  of  the minor's parent or parents, or of the legal
33    private guardian of the person of the minor if  there  is  no
                            -11-              LRB9010190DJcdA
 1    surviving parent, to make and carry out day-to-day child care
 2    decisions  concerning the minor for whom the standby guardian
 3    has been appointed.  This inability of the minor's parent  or
 4    parents to make and carry out day-to-day child care decisions
 5    may  be  communicated either by the parent's (or, if there is
 6    no  surviving  parent,  the  legal  private  guardian's)  own
 7    admission or by the written certification of the parent's  or
 8    legal  private  guardian's  attending physician.  Immediately
 9    upon receipt of that knowledge, the  standby  guardian  shall
10    assume  all  duties  as  guardian  of the minor as previously
11    determined by the order appointing the standby guardian,  and
12    as  set  forth  in Section 11-13, and the standby guardian of
13    the person shall have the authority to act as guardian of the
14    person without direction of court for a period of  up  to  60
15    days, provided that the authority of the standby guardian may
16    be   limited   or   terminated   by   a  court  of  competent
17    jurisdiction.
18        (c)  Within 60 days of the standby guardian's receipt  of
19    knowledge  of  (i) the death or consent of the minor's parent
20    or parents or legal private guardian, or (ii)  the  inability
21    of the minor's parent or parents or legal private guardian to
22    make and carry out day-to-day child care decisions concerning
23    the  minor,  the  standby  guardian shall file or cause to be
24    filed a petition for the appointment of  a  guardian  of  the
25    person or estate, or both, of the minor under Section 11-5.
26    (Source: P.A. 88-529.)

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