BILL NUMBER: AB 1286 CHAPTERED 10/07/01 CHAPTER 563 FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE OCTOBER 7, 2001 APPROVED BY GOVERNOR OCTOBER 5, 2001 PASSED THE ASSEMBLY SEPTEMBER 13, 2001 PASSED THE SENATE SEPTEMBER 10, 2001 AMENDED IN SENATE SEPTEMBER 6, 2001 AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 23, 2001 AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 21, 2001 AMENDED IN SENATE JULY 9, 2001 AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 28, 2001 AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 26, 2001 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 26, 2001 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Members Rod Pacheco and Bogh FEBRUARY 23, 2001 An act to repeal Sections 765.5 and 6850.5 of the Financial Code, to amend Section 7480 of the Government Code, and to amend Sections 2321, 2327, and 2620 of, and to add Chapter 14 (commencing with Section 2890) to Part 4 of Division 4 of, the Probate Code, relating to conservatorships. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 1286, Rod Pacheco. Conservatorships: bonds. Existing law permits a court in a conservatorship proceeding to dispense with the requirement of filing a bond, or permits the filing of a bond in a smaller amount than would otherwise be required, when a conservatee with sufficient capacity has waived the filing of a bond. Existing law permits a court in a guardianship or conservatorship proceeding to order separate bonds or a single bond or a combination of the 2 if the proceeding involves more than one ward or conservatee. This bill would prohibit the court in a conservatorship proceeding from waiving the filing of a bond. This bill would require a court in a conservatorship proceeding to order a separate bond for each conservatee, except as specified. Existing law requires the guardian or conservator of an estate to submit to the court that has jurisdiction over the ward or conservatee a copy of account statements with specified information. This bill would revise and recast these provisions by requiring an institution, when a guardian or conservator pursuant to letters of guardianship or conservatorship of the estate takes possession or control of any asset of the ward or conservatee held by an institution, to file with the court a statement containing specified information. The bill would also require that certain personal information concerning the ward or conservatee be kept confidential. This bill would require guardians and conservators to file original account statements received from institutions, as defined, including account statements of their wards or conservatees, as part of the periodic accounts filed by the guardians or conservators with the court. This bill would incorporate additional changes in Section 7480 of the Government Code, proposed by SB 125, to be operative only if SB 125 and this bill are both chaptered and become effective on or before January 1, 2002, and this bill is chaptered last. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 765.5 of the Financial Code is repealed. SEC. 2. Section 6850.5 of the Financial Code is repealed. SEC. 3. Section 7480 of the Government Code is amended to read: 7480. Nothing in this chapter prohibits any of the following: (a) The dissemination of any financial information that is not identified with, or identifiable as being derived from, the financial records of a particular customer. (b) When any police or sheriff's department or district attorney in this state certifies to a bank, credit union, or savings association in writing that a crime report has been filed that involves the alleged fraudulent use of drafts, checks, or other orders drawn upon any bank, credit union, or savings association in this state, the police or sheriff's department or district attorney may request a bank, credit union, or savings association to furnish, and a bank, credit union, or savings association shall furnish, a statement setting forth the following information with respect to a customer account specified by the police or sheriff's department or district attorney for a period 30 days prior to, and up to 30 days following, the date of occurrence of the alleged illegal act involving the account: (1) The number of items dishonored. (2) The number of items paid that created overdrafts. (3) The dollar volume of the dishonored items and items paid which created overdrafts and a statement explaining any credit arrangement between the bank, credit union, or savings association and customer to pay overdrafts. (4) The dates and amounts of deposits and debits and the account balance on these dates. (5) A copy of the signature card, including the signature and any addresses appearing on a customer's signature card. (6) The date the account opened and, if applicable, the date the account closed. (7) A bank, credit union, or savings association that provides the requesting party with copies of one or more complete account statements prepared in the regular course of business shall be deemed to be in compliance with paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4). (c) (1) The Attorney General, a supervisory agency, the Franchise Tax Board, the State Board of Equalization, the Employment Development Department, the Controller or an inheritance tax referee when administering the Prohibition of Gift and Death Taxes (Part 8 (commencing with Section 13301) of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code), a police or sheriff's department or district attorney, a county welfare department when investigating welfare fraud, a county auditor-controller or director of finance when investigating fraud against the county, or the Department of Corporations when conducting investigations in connection with the enforcement of laws administered by the Commissioner of Corporations, from requesting of an office or branch of a financial institution, and the office or branch from responding to a request, as to whether a person has an account or accounts at that office or branch and, if so, any identifying numbers of the account or accounts. (2) No additional information beyond that specified in this section shall be released to a county welfare department without either the accountholder's written consent or a judicial writ, search warrant, subpoena, or other judicial order. (3) A county auditor-controller or director of finance who unlawfully discloses information he or she is authorized to request under this subdivision is guilty of the unlawful disclosure of confidential data, a misdemeanor, which shall be punishable as set forth in Section 7485. (d) The examination by, or disclosure to, any supervisory agency of financial records that relate solely to the exercise of its supervisory function. The scope of an agency's supervisory function shall be determined by reference to statutes that grant authority to examine, audit, or require reports of financial records or financial institutions as follows: (1) With respect to the Commissioner of Financial Institutions by reference to Division 1 (commencing with Section 99), Division 1.5 (commencing with Section 4800), Division 2 (commencing with Section 5000), Division 5 (commencing with Section 14000), Division 7 (commencing with Section 18000), Division 15 (commencing with Section 31000), and Division 16 (commencing with Section 33000) of the Financial Code. (2) With respect to the Controller by reference to Title 10 (commencing with Section 1300) of Part 3 of the Code of Civil Procedure. (3) With respect to the Administrator of Local Agency Security by reference to Article 2 (commencing with Section 53630) of Chapter 4 of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5 of the Government Code. (e) The disclosure to the Franchise Tax Board of (1) the amount of any security interest that a financial institution has in a specified asset of a customer or (2) financial records in connection with the filing or audit of a tax return or tax information return that are required to be filed by the financial institution pursuant to Part 10 (commencing with Section 17001), Part 11 (commencing with Section 23001), or Part 18 (commencing with Section 38001) of the Revenue and Taxation Code. (f) The disclosure to the State Board of Equalization of any of the following: (1) The information required by Sections 6702, 6703, 8954, 8957, 30313, 30315, 32383, 32387, 38502, 38503, 40153, 40155, 41122, 41123.5, 43443, 43444.2, 44144, 45603, 45605, 46404, 46406, 50134, 50136, 55203, 55205, 60404, and 60407 of the Revenue and Taxation Code. (2) The financial records in connection with the filing or audit of a tax return required to be filed by the financial institution pursuant to Part 1 (commencing with Section 6001), Part 2 (commencing with Section 7301), Part 3 (commencing with Section 8601), Part 13 (commencing with Section 30001), Part 14 (commencing with Section 32001), and Part 17 (commencing with Section 37001) of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code. (3) The amount of any security interest a financial institution has in a specified asset of a customer, if the inquiry is directed to the branch or office where the interest is held. (g) The disclosure to the Controller of the information required by Section 7853 of the Revenue and Taxation Code. (h) The disclosure to the Employment Development Department of the amount of any security interest a financial institution has in a specified asset of a customer, if the inquiry is directed to the branch or office where the interest is held. (i) The disclosure by a construction lender, as defined in Section 3087 of the Civil Code, to the Registrar of Contractors, of information concerning the making of progress payments to a prime contractor requested by the registrar in connection with an investigation under Section 7108.5 of the Business and Professions Code. (j) Upon receipt of a written request from a local child support agency referring to a support order pursuant to Section 17400 of the Family Code, a financial institution shall disclose the following information concerning the account or the person named in the request, whom the local child support agency shall identify, whenever possible, by social security number: (1) If the request states the identifying number of an account at a financial institution, the name of each owner of the account. (2) Each account maintained by the person at the branch to which the request is delivered, and, if the branch is able to make a computerized search, each account maintained by the person at any other branch of the financial institution located in this state. (3) For each account disclosed pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2), the account number, current balance, street address of the branch where the account is maintained, and, to the extent available through the branch's computerized search, the name and address of any other person listed as an owner. (4) Whenever the request prohibits the disclosure, a financial institution shall not disclose either the request or its response, to an owner of the account or to any other person, except the officers and employees of the financial institution who are involved in responding to the request and to attorneys, employees of the local child support agencies, auditors, and regulatory authorities who have a need to know in order to perform their duties, and except as disclosure may be required by legal process. (5) No financial institution, or any officer, employee, or agent thereof, shall be liable to any person for (A) disclosing information in response to a request pursuant to this subdivision, (B) failing to notify the owner of an account, or complying with a request under this paragraph not to disclose to the owner, the request or disclosure under this subdivision, or (C) failing to discover any account owned by the person named in the request pursuant to a computerized search of the records of the financial institution. (6) The local child support agency may request information pursuant to this subdivision only when the local child support agency has received at least one of the following types of physical evidence: (A) Any of the following, dated within the last three years: (i) Form 599. (ii) Form 1099. (iii) A bank statement. (iv) A check. (v) A bank passbook. (vi) A deposit slip. (vii) A copy of a federal or state income tax return. (viii) A debit or credit advice. (ix) Correspondence that identifies the child support obligor by name, the bank, and the account number. (x) Correspondence that identifies the child support obligor by name, the bank, and the banking services related to the account of the obligor. (xi) An asset identification report from a federal agency. (B) A sworn declaration of the custodial parent during the 12 months immediately preceding the request that the person named in the request has had or may have had an account at an office or branch of the financial institution to which the request is made. (7) Information obtained by a local child support agency pursuant to this subdivision shall be used only for purposes that are directly connected within the administration of the duties of the local child support agency pursuant to Section 17400 of the Family Code. (k) (1) As provided in paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section 666 of Title 42 of the United States Code, upon receipt of an administrative subpoena on the current federally approved interstate child support enforcement form, as approved by the federal Office of Management and Budget, a financial institution shall provide the information or documents requested by the administrative subpoena. (2) The administrative subpoena shall refer to the current federal Office of Management and Budget control number and be signed by a person who states that he or she is an authorized agent of a state or county agency responsible for implementing the child support enforcement program set forth in Part D (commencing with Section 651) of Subchapter IV of Chapter 7 of Title 42 of the United States Code. A financial institution may rely on the statements made in the subpoena and has no duty to inquire into the truth of any statement in the subpoena. (3) If the person who signs the administrative subpoena directs a financial institution in writing not to disclose either the subpoena or its response to any owner of an account covered by the subpoena, the financial institution shall not disclose the subpoena or its response to the owner. (4) No financial institution, or any officer, employee, or agent thereof, shall be liable to any person for (A) disclosing information or providing documents in response to a subpoena pursuant to this subdivision, (B) failing to notify any owner of an account covered by the subpoena or complying with a request not to disclose to the owner, the subpoena or disclosure under this subdivision, or (C) failing to discover any account owned by the person named in the subpoena pursuant to a computerized search of the records of the financial institution. (l) The dissemination of financial information and records pursuant to any of the following: (1) Compliance by a financial institution with the requirements of Section 2892 of the Probate Code. (2) Compliance by a financial institution with the requirements of Section 2893 of the Probate Code. (3) An order by a judge upon a written ex parte application by a peace officer showing specific and articulable facts that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the records or information sought are relevant and material to an ongoing investigation of a felony violation of Section 186.10 or of any felony subject to the enhancement set forth in Section 186.11. (A) The ex parte application shall specify with particularity the records to be produced, which shall be only those of the individual or individuals who are the subject of the criminal investigation. (B) The ex parte application and any subsequent judicial order shall be open to the public as a judicial record unless ordered sealed by the court, for a period of 60 days. The sealing of these records may be extended for 60-day periods upon a showing to the court that it is necessary for the continuance of the investigation. Sixty-day extensions may continue for up to one year or until termination of the investigation of the individual or individuals, whichever is sooner. (C) The records ordered to be produced shall be returned to the peace officer applicant or his or her designee within a reasonable time period after service of the order upon the financial institution. (D) Nothing in this subdivision shall preclude the financial institution from notifying a customer of the receipt of the order for production of records unless a court orders the financial institution to withhold notification to the customer upon a finding that the notice would impede the investigation. (E) Where a court has made an order pursuant to this paragraph to withhold notification to the customer under this paragraph, the peace officer or law enforcement agency who obtained the financial information shall notify the customer by delivering a copy of the ex parte order to the customer within 10 days of the termination of the investigation. (4) No financial institution, or any officer, employee, or agent thereof, shall be liable to any person for any of the following: (A) Disclosing information to a probate court pursuant to Sections 2892 and 2893. (B) Disclosing information in response to a court order pursuant to paragraph (3). (C) Complying with a court order under this subdivision not to disclose to the customer, the order, or the dissemination of information pursuant to the court order. SEC. 3.5. Section 7480 of the Government Code is amended to read: 7480. Nothing in this chapter prohibits any of the following: (a) The dissemination of any financial information that is not identified with, or identifiable as being derived from, the financial records of a particular customer. (b) When any police or sheriff's department or district attorney in this state certifies to a bank, credit union, or savings association in writing that a crime report has been filed that involves the alleged fraudulent use of drafts, checks, or other orders drawn upon any bank, credit union, or savings association in this state, the police or sheriff's department or district attorney may request a bank, credit union, or savings association to furnish, and a bank, credit union, or savings association shall furnish, a statement setting forth the following information with respect to a customer account specified by the police or sheriff's department or district attorney for a period 30 days prior to, and up to 30 days following, the date of occurrence of the alleged illegal act involving the account: (1) The number of items dishonored. (2) The number of items paid that created overdrafts. (3) The dollar volume of the dishonored items and items paid which created overdrafts and a statement explaining any credit arrangement between the bank, credit union, or savings association and customer to pay overdrafts. (4) The dates and amounts of deposits and debits and the account balance on these dates. (5) A copy of the signature card, including the signature and any addresses appearing on a customer's signature card. (6) The date the account opened and, if applicable, the date the account closed. (7) A bank, credit union, or savings association that provides the requesting party with copies of one or more complete account statements prepared in the regular course of business shall be deemed to be in compliance with paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4). (c) (1) The Attorney General, a supervisory agency, the Franchise Tax Board, the State Board of Equalization, the Employment Development Department, the Controller or an inheritance tax referee when administering the Prohibition of Gift and Death Taxes (Part 8 (commencing with Section 13301) of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code), a police or sheriff's department or district attorney, a county welfare department when investigating welfare fraud, a county auditor-controller or director of finance when investigating fraud against the county, or the Department of Corporations when conducting investigations in connection with the enforcement of laws administered by the Commissioner of Corporations, from requesting of an office or branch of a financial institution, and the office or branch from responding to a request, as to whether a person has an account or accounts at that office or branch and, if so, any identifying numbers of the account or accounts. (2) No additional information beyond that specified in this section shall be released to a county welfare department without either the accountholder's written consent or a judicial writ, search warrant, subpoena, or other judicial order. (3) A county auditor-controller or director of finance who unlawfully discloses information he or she is authorized to request under this subdivision is guilty of the unlawful disclosure of confidential data, a misdemeanor, which shall be punishable as set forth in Section 7485. (d) The examination by, or disclosure to, any supervisory agency of financial records that relate solely to the exercise of its supervisory function. The scope of an agency's supervisory function shall be determined by reference to statutes that grant authority to examine, audit, or require reports of financial records or financial institutions as follows: (1) With respect to the Commissioner of Financial Institutions by reference to Division 1 (commencing with Section 99), Division 1.5 (commencing with Section 4800), Division 2 (commencing with Section 5000), Division 5 (commencing with Section 14000), Division 7 (commencing with Section 18000), Division 15 (commencing with Section 31000), and Division 16 (commencing with Section 33000) of the Financial Code. (2) With respect to the Controller by reference to Title 10 (commencing with Section 1300) of Part 3 of the Code of Civil Procedure. (3) With respect to the Administrator of Local Agency Security by reference to Article 2 (commencing with Section 53630) of Chapter 4 of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5 of the Government Code. (e) The disclosure to the Franchise Tax Board of (1) the amount of any security interest that a financial institution has in a specified asset of a customer or (2) financial records in connection with the filing or audit of a tax return or tax information return that are required to be filed by the financial institution pursuant to Part 10 (commencing with Section 17001), Part 11 (commencing with Section 23001), or Part 18 (commencing with Section 38001) of the Revenue and Taxation Code. (f) The disclosure to the State Board of Equalization of any of the following: (1) The information required by Sections 6702, 6703, 8954, 8957, 30313, 30315, 32383, 32387, 38502, 38503, 40153, 40155, 41122, 41123.5, 43443, 43444.2, 44144, 45603, 45605, 46404, 46406, 50134, 50136, 55203, 55205, 60404, and 60407 of the Revenue and Taxation Code. (2) The financial records in connection with the filing or audit of a tax return required to be filed by the financial institution pursuant to Part 1 (commencing with Section 6001), Part 2 (commencing with Section 7301), Part 3 (commencing with Section 8601), Part 13 (commencing with Section 30001), Part 14 (commencing with Section 32001), and Part 17 (commencing with Section 37001) of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code. (3) The amount of any security interest a financial institution has in a specified asset of a customer, if the inquiry is directed to the branch or office where the interest is held. (g) The disclosure to the Controller of the information required by Section 7853 of the Revenue and Taxation Code. (h) The disclosure to the Employment Development Department of the amount of any security interest a financial institution has in a specified asset of a customer, if the inquiry is directed to the branch or office where the interest is held. (i) The disclosure by a construction lender, as defined in Section 3087 of the Civil Code, to the Registrar of Contractors, of information concerning the making of progress payments to a prime contractor requested by the registrar in connection with an investigation under Section 7108.5 of the Business and Professions Code. (j) Upon receipt of a written request from a local child support agency referring to a support order pursuant to Section 17400 of the Family Code, a financial institution shall disclose the following information concerning the account or the person named in the request, whom the local child support agency shall identify, whenever possible, by social security number: (1) If the request states the identifying number of an account at a financial institution, the name of each owner of the account. (2) Each account maintained by the person at the branch to which the request is delivered, and, if the branch is able to make a computerized search, each account maintained by the person at any other branch of the financial institution located in this state. (3) For each account disclosed pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2), the account number, current balance, street address of the branch where the account is maintained, and, to the extent available through the branch's computerized search, the name and address of any other person listed as an owner. (4) Whenever the request prohibits the disclosure, a financial institution shall not disclose either the request or its response, to an owner of the account or to any other person, except the officers and employees of the financial institution who are involved in responding to the request and to attorneys, employees of the local child support agencies, auditors, and regulatory authorities who have a need to know in order to perform their duties, and except as disclosure may be required by legal process. (5) No financial institution, or any officer, employee, or agent thereof, shall be liable to any person for (A) disclosing information in response to a request pursuant to this subdivision, (B) failing to notify the owner of an account, or complying with a request under this paragraph not to disclose to the owner, the request or disclosure under this subdivision, or (C) failing to discover any account owned by the person named in the request pursuant to a computerized search of the records of the financial institution. (6) The local child support agency may request information pursuant to this subdivision only when the local child support agency has received at least one of the following types of physical evidence: (A) Any of the following, dated within the last three years: (i) Form 599. (ii) Form 1099. (iii) A bank statement. (iv) A check. (v) A bank passbook. (vi) A deposit slip. (vii) A copy of a federal or state income tax return. (viii) A debit or credit advice. (ix) Correspondence that identifies the child support obligor by name, the bank, and the account number. (x) Correspondence that identifies the child support obligor by name, the bank, and the banking services related to the account of the obligor. (xi) An asset identification report from a federal agency. (B) A sworn declaration of the custodial parent during the 12 months immediately preceding the request that the person named in the request has had or may have had an account at an office or branch of the financial institution to which the request is made. (7) Information obtained by a local child support agency pursuant to this subdivision shall be used only for purposes that are directly connected within the administration of the duties of the local child support agency pursuant to Section 17400 of the Family Code. (k) (1) As provided in paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section 666 of Title 42 of the United States Code, upon receipt of an administrative subpoena on the current federally approved interstate child support enforcement form, as approved by the federal Office of Management and Budget, a financial institution shall provide the information or documents requested by the administrative subpoena. (2) The administrative subpoena shall refer to the current federal Office of Management and Budget control number and be signed by a person who states that he or she is an authorized agent of a state or county agency responsible for implementing the child support enforcement program set forth in Part D (commencing with Section 651) of Subchapter IV of Chapter 7 of Title 42 of the United States Code. A financial institution may rely on the statements made in the subpoena and has no duty to inquire into the truth of any statement in the subpoena. (3) If the person who signs the administrative subpoena directs a financial institution in writing not to disclose either the subpoena or its response to any owner of an account covered by the subpoena, the financial institution shall not disclose the subpoena or its response to the owner. (4) No financial institution, or any officer, employee, or agent thereof, shall be liable to any person for (A) disclosing information or providing documents in response to a subpoena pursuant to this subdivision, (B) failing to notify any owner of an account covered by the subpoena or complying with a request not to disclose to the owner, the subpoena or disclosure under this subdivision, or (C) failing to discover any account owned by the person named in the subpoena pursuant to a computerized search of the records of the financial institution. (l) The dissemination of financial information and records pursuant to any of the following: (1) Compliance by a financial institution with the requirements of Section 2892 of the Probate Code. (2) Compliance by a financial institution with the requirements of Section 2893 of the Probate Code. (3) An order by a judge upon a written ex parte application by a peace officer showing specific and articulable facts that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the records or information sought are relevant and material to an ongoing investigation of a felony violation of Section 186.10 or of any felony subject to the enhancement set forth in Section 186.11. (A) The ex parte application shall specify with particularity the records to be produced, which shall be only those of the individual or individuals who are the subject of the criminal investigation. (B) The ex parte application and any subsequent judicial order shall be open to the public as a judicial record unless ordered sealed by the court, for a period of 60 days. The sealing of these records may be extended for 60-day periods upon a showing to the court that it is necessary for the continuance of the investigation. Sixty-day extensions may continue for up to one year or until termination of the investigation of the individual or individuals, whichever is sooner. (C) The records ordered to be produced shall be returned to the peace officer applicant or his or her designee within a reasonable time period after service of the order upon the financial institution. (D) Nothing in this subdivision shall preclude the financial institution from notifying a customer of the receipt of the order for production of records unless a court orders the financial institution to withhold notification to the customer upon a finding that the notice would impede the investigation. (E) Where a court has made an order pursuant to this paragraph to withhold notification to the customer under this paragraph, the peace officer or law enforcement agency who obtained the financial information shall notify the customer by delivering a copy of the ex parte order to the customer within 10 days of the termination of the investigation. (4) No financial institution, or any officer, employee, or agent thereof, shall be liable to any person for any of the following: (A) Disclosing information to a probate court pursuant to Sections 2892 and 2893. (B) Disclosing information in response to a court order pursuant to paragraph (3). (C) Complying with a court order under this subdivision not to disclose to the customer, the order, or the dissemination of information pursuant to the court order. (m) Disclosure by a financial institution to a peace officer, as defined in Section 830.1 of the Penal Code, pursuant to the following: (1) Paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 1748.95 of the Civil Code, provided that the financial institution has first complied with the requirements of paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) and subdivision (b) of Section 1748.95 of the Civil Code. (2) Paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 4002 of the Financial Code, provided that the financial institution has first complied with the requirements of paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) and subdivision (b) of Section 4002 of the Financial Code. (3) Paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 22470 of the Financial Code, provided that any financial institution that is a finance lender has first complied with the requirements of paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) and subdivision (b) of Section 22470 of the Financial Code. SEC. 4. Section 2321 of the Probate Code is amended to read: 2321. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the court in a conservatorship proceeding may not waive the filing of a bond, without good cause. Good cause may not be established merely by the conservator having filed a bond in another or prior proceeding. (b) In a conservatorship proceeding, where the conservatee, having sufficient capacity to do so, has waived the filing of a bond, the court in its discretion may permit the filing of a bond in an amount less than would otherwise be required under Section 2320. SEC. 5. Section 2327 of the Probate Code is amended to read: 2327. (a) In a conservatorship proceeding, the court shall order a separate bond for each conservatee, except where the assets of the conservatees are commingled in which case a combined bond that covers all assets may be provided. (b) If a guardianship proceeding involves more than one ward, the court may order separate bonds, or a single bond which is for the benefit of two or more wards in that proceeding, or a combination thereof. SEC. 6. Section 2620 of the Probate Code is amended to read: 2620. (a) At the expiration of one year from the time of appointment and thereafter not less frequently than biennially, unless otherwise ordered by the court, the guardian or conservator shall present the accounting of the assets of the estate of the ward or conservatee to the court for settlement and allowance in the manner provided in Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 1060) of Part 1 of Division 3. (b) The final court accounting of the guardian or conservator following the death of the ward or conservatee shall include a court accounting for the period that ended on the date of death and a separate accounting for the period subsequent to the date of death. (c) Along with each court accounting, the guardian or conservator shall file all original account statements from any institution, as defined in Section 2890, or any financial institution, as defined in Section 2892, in which money or other assets of the estate are held or deposited, showing the balance as of the close of the accounting period of the court accounting. If the court accounting is the first court accounting of the guardianship or conservatorship, the guardian or conservator shall provide to the court the account statement for the account balance immediately preceding the date the conservator or guardian was appointed and the account statement or statements for the account through the closing date of the first court accounting. This subdivision shall not apply to the public guardian if the money belonging to the estate is pooled with money belonging to other estates pursuant to Section 2940 and Article 3 (commencing with Section 7640) of Chapter 4 of Part 1 of Division 7. Nothing in this section shall affect any other duty or responsibility of the public guardian with regard to managing money belonging to the estate or filing accountings with the court. (d) If any document to be filed with the court under this section contains the ward or conservatee's social security number or any other personal information regarding the ward or conservatee that would not ordinarily be disclosed in a court accounting, an inventory and appraisal, or other nonconfidential pleadings filed in the action, the account statement shall be attached to a separate affidavit describing the character of the document in proper form for filing, captioned "CONFIDENTIAL FINANCIAL STATEMENT" in capital letters. Except as otherwise ordered by the court, the clerk of the court shall keep the document confidential except to the court and subject to disclosure only upon an order of the court. SEC. 7. Chapter 14 (commencing with Section 2890) is added to Part 4 of Division 4 of the Probate Code, to read: CHAPTER 14. NOTIFICATION TO COURT BY INSTITUTIONS 2890. (a) When a guardian or conservator, pursuant to letters of guardianship or conservatorship of the estate, takes possession or control of any asset of the ward or conservatee held by an institution, as defined in subdivision (c), the institution shall file with the court having jurisdiction of the guardianship or conservatorship a statement containing the following information: (1) The name of the ward or conservatee. (2) The name of the guardian or joint guardians or conservator or joint conservators. (3) The court case number. (4) The name of the institution. (5) The address of the institution. (6) The account number of the account, if any, in which the asset was held by the ward or conservatee. (7) A description of the asset or assets held by the institution. If an asset is a life insurance policy or annuity, the description shall include the policy number, if available. If the asset is a security listed on a public exchange, the description shall include the name and reference number, if available. (8) The value, if known, or the estimated value otherwise, of the asset on the date the letters were issued by the court to the guardian or conservator, to the extent this value is routinely provided in the statements from the institution to the owner. (b) Taking possession or control of an asset includes, for purposes of this chapter, changing title to the asset, withdrawing all or any portion of the asset, or transferring all or any portion of an asset from the institution. (c) For purposes of this chapter, "institution" means an insurance company, insurance broker, insurance agent, investment company, investment bank, securities broker-dealer, investment adviser, financial planner, financial adviser, or any other person who takes, holds, or controls an asset subject to a conservatorship or guardianship that is not a "financial institution" as defined in Section 2892. 2891. (a) The statement filed pursuant to Section 2890 shall be an affidavit by a person having authority to make the statement on behalf of the institution, as defined in Section 2890, and shall include that fact in the statement. (b) If the affidavit and any accompanying information to be filed pursuant to this section also contains the ward or conservatee's social security number or any other personal information, including financial information regarding the ward or conservatee which would not be disclosed in an accounting, an inventory and appraisal, or any other nonconfidential pleading filed in the action, the information shall be kept confidential and subject to disclosure to any person only upon order of the court. (c) This chapter does not apply to any trust arrangement described in subdivision (b) of Section 82 except paragraph (4) of that subdivision relating to assets held in Totten trust. (d) No fee shall be charged by the court for the filing of the affidavit or related information as required by this section. (e) The affidavit required by Section 2890 is not required to be filed in a proceeding more than once for each asset. However, all assets held by institutions may be listed in a single affidavit filed with the court. (f) When a guardian or conservator takes possession or control of an asset in an institution, as defined in Section 2890, the institution may then file with the court the statement required by Section 2890 as to any or all other assets of the ward or conservatee held in the institution. 2892. (a) When a guardian or conservator, pursuant to letters of guardianship or conservatorship of the estate, opens or changes the name to an account or safe deposit box in a financial institution, as defined in subdivision (b), the financial institution shall send to the court identified in the letters of guardianship or conservatorship a statement containing the following information: (1) The name of the person with whom the account or safe deposit box is opened or changed: (2) The account number or reference number. (3) The date the account or safe deposit box was opened or changed ownership pursuant to letters of guardianship or conservatorship. (4) If the asset is held in an account in a financial institution, the balance as of the date the account was opened or changed. (5) If the asset is held in a safe deposit box, a description of the asset, including any title, or policy number, or reference number. (6) The name and address of the financial institution in which the asset is maintained. (b) For purposes of this chapter, "financial institution" means a bank, trust, savings and loan association, savings bank, industrial bank, or credit union. 2893. (a) The written statement provided pursuant to Section 2892 by the financial institution shall be in the form of an affidavit signed by an officer of the financial institution and the officer shall provide his or her name and title in the affidavit. (b) The affidavit required by this section is subject to disclosure under the circumstances described in subdivision (l) of Section 7480 of the Government Code under the California Right to Financial Privacy Act (Chapter 20 (commencing with Section 7460) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code). (c) This chapter does not apply to any trust arrangement described in subdivision (b) of Section 82 except paragraph (4) of that subdivision relating to assets held in a Totten trust. (d) The affidavit described in Section 2892 is not required to be filed in a proceeding more than once for each asset. However, all assets held by the financial institution may be listed in a single affidavit filed with the court. (e) If the affidavit and any accompanying information to be filed pursuant to this section also contains the ward or conservatee's social security number or any other personal information, including financial information regarding the ward or conservatee which would not be disclosed in an accounting, an inventory and appraisal, or other nonconfidential pleading filed in the action, the information shall be kept confidential and subject to disclosure to any person only upon order of the court. SEC. 8. Section 3.5 of this bill incorporates amendments to Section 7480 of the Government Code proposed by both this bill and SB 125. It shall only become operative if (1) both bills are enacted and become effective on or before January 1, 2002, (2) each bill amends Section 7480 of the Government Code, and (3) this bill is enacted after SB 125, in which case Section 3 of this bill shall not become operative.