BILL NUMBER: AB 1288	CHAPTERED
	BILL TEXT

	CHAPTER  370
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  SEPTEMBER 30, 2011
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR  SEPTEMBER 30, 2011
	PASSED THE SENATE  AUGUST 22, 2011
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 25, 2011
	AMENDED IN SENATE  JULY 13, 2011
	AMENDED IN SENATE  JULY 1, 2011
	AMENDED IN SENATE  JUNE 20, 2011
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 16, 2011
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 4, 2011
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 25, 2011

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Gordon
   (Principal coauthor: Assembly Member Beall)

                        FEBRUARY 18, 2011

   An act to amend Sections 2900 and 2901 of, and to add Section
2901.5 to, the Probate Code, relating to public guardians and
conservators.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1288, Gordon. Public guardians and conservators: authority:
property held in trust.
   Existing law authorizes a county public guardian or conservator to
take temporary possession or control of real and personal property
of a person in the county who requires a guardian or conservator, as
specified, if the property is subject to loss, injury, waste, or
misappropriation. Existing law authorizes a public guardian to issue
a written certification for purposes of taking possession or control
of property in this regard, which may be recorded and which is
effective for 15 days after the date of issuance. Existing law
requires a financial institution or other person, without inquiring
into the truth of the written certification and without court order
being issued, to provide the public guardian information concerning
property held in the sole name of the proposed ward or conservatee
and to surrender to the public guardian property of the proposed ward
or conservatee that is subject to loss, injury, waste, or
misappropriation. Existing law immunizes the financial institution or
other person from any liability for any act or omission of the
public guardian with respect to the property.
   This bill would authorize a public guardian or public conservator,
if he or she intends to apply for appointment as the guardian or
conservator of a person domiciled in the county, to restrain the
transfer, encumbrance, or disposal of real or personal property held
in a trust for that person, if certain requirements are met, except
as specified. The bill would prescribe a certification form in this
regard, which may be recorded in the case of real property, and which
may be provided to a financial institution. The bill would require a
financial institution that receives the certification to provide
information to the public guardian or public conservator and to
restrain the transfer, encumbrance, or disposal of the property at
issue without the necessity of inquiring into the truth of the
certification and without court order or letters being issued. The
bill would also extend to 30 days the period that the written
certification issued for purposes of taking possession or control of
property is effective.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 2900 of the Probate Code is amended to read:
   2900.  (a) (1) If the public guardian or public conservator
determines that the requirements for appointment of a guardian or
conservator of the estate are satisfied and the public guardian or
public conservator intends to apply for appointment, the public
guardian or public conservator may take possession or control of real
or personal property of a person domiciled in the county that is
subject to loss, injury, waste, or misappropriation, and, subject to
subdivision (b), may deny use of, access to, or prohibit residency
in, the real or personal property, by anyone who does not have a
written rental agreement or other legal right to the use of, or
access to, the property.
   (2) (A) Except as provided in subparagraph (C), if the public
guardian or public conservator determines that the requirements for
appointment of a guardian or conservator of the estate are satisfied
and the public guardian or public conservator intends to apply for
appointment as the guardian or conservator of a person domiciled in
the county, the public guardian or public conservator may restrain
any person from transferring, encumbering, or in any way disposing of
any real or personal property held in a trust, provided all of the
following requirements are met:
   (i) The real or personal property held in the trust is subject to
loss, injury, waste, or misappropriation.
   (ii) The proposed ward or conservatee is a settlor of the trust.
   (iii) The proposed ward or conservatee has a beneficial interest
in the trust to currently receive income or principal from the trust.

   (iv) The proposed ward or conservatee holds a power to revoke the
trust.
   (B) During the period of any restraint under this paragraph, the
property subject to the restraint shall continue to be retained as
property of the trust pending termination of the restraint or further
court order. The public guardian or public conservator shall provide
notice of any action taken under this paragraph to all of the
persons required to be noticed pursuant to Section 17203, to the
extent the public guardian or public conservator has access to the
trust documents or is otherwise able to determine the persons
entitled to receive notice. Any settlor, trustee, or beneficiary may
petition the court for relief from any action taken by the public
guardian or public conservator under this paragraph.
   (C) This paragraph shall not apply if a current trustee or
cotrustee is a spouse of the proposed ward or conservatee and that
spouse is also a settlor of the trust, unless the public guardian or
public conservator determines that the real or personal property held
in the trust is subject to substantial loss, injury, waste, or
misappropriation.
   (b) The authority provided to the public guardian and public
conservator in subdivision (a) includes the authority to terminate
immediately the occupancy of anyone living in the home of an intended
ward or conservatee, other than the intended ward or conservatee,
and the authority to remove any such occupant residing therein,
subject to the following requirements:
   (1) The public guardian or public conservator shall first
determine that the person whose occupancy is to be terminated has no
written rental agreement or other legal right to occupancy, and has
caused, contributed to, enabled, or threatened loss, injury, waste,
or misappropriation of the home or its contents. In making this
determination, the public guardian or public conservator shall
contact the intended ward or conservatee and the occupant, advise
them of the proposed removal and the grounds therefor, and consider
whatever information they provide.
   (2) At the time of the removal, the public guardian or public
conservator shall advise the intended ward or conservatee and the
occupant that a hearing will be held as provided in paragraph (3).
   (3) The public guardian or public conservator shall file a
petition regarding removal, showing the grounds therefor, to be set
for hearing within 10 days of the filing of the petition and within
15 days of the removal. The person removed and the intended ward or
conservatee shall be personally served with a notice of hearing and a
copy of the petition at least five days prior to the hearing,
subject to Part 2 (commencing with Section 1200) of Division 3. The
right of the public guardian or public conservator to deny occupancy
by the removed person to the premises shall terminate 15 days after
removal, unless extended by the court at the hearing on the petition.
The court shall not grant an extension unless the public guardian or
public conservator has filed a petition for appointment as guardian
or conservator of the estate.
   (c) If the public guardian or public conservator takes possession
of the residence of an intended ward or conservatee under this
section, then for purposes of Section 602.3 of the Penal Code, the
public guardian or public conservator shall be the owner's
representative.
  SEC. 2.  Section 2901 of the Probate Code is amended to read:
   2901.  (a) A public guardian who is authorized to take possession
or control of property under this chapter may issue a written
certification of that fact. The written certification is effective
for 30 days after the date of issuance.
   (b) The written recordable certification shall substantially
comply with the following form:
      "CERTIFICATE OF AUTHORITY

THIS IS AN OFFICIAL CERTIFICATE ENTITLING THE PUBLIC GUARDIAN TO TAKE
POSSESSION OF ANY AND ALL PROPERTY BELONGING TO THE FOLLOWING
INDIVIDUAL:

      (Name of Individual) _____________


This Certificate of Authority has been issued by the Public Guardian
pursuant to and in compliance with Chapter 1 (commencing with Section
2900) of Part 5 of Division 4 of the California Probate Code. Under
California law, this Certificate of Authority authorizes the Public
Guardian to take possession or control of property belonging to the
above-named individual.

SPECIAL NOTE TO FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS:
State law requires that upon receiving a copy of this Certificate of
Authority, financial institutions shall provide the public guardian
with information concerning property held by the above-named
individual and surrender the property to the Public Guardian if
requested.

This Certificate of Authority shall only be valid when signed and
dated by the Public Guardian or a deputy Public Guardian of the
County of _____ and affixed with the official seal of the Public
Guardian below.
   This Certificate of Authority expires 30 days after the date of
issuance.

Signature of Public Guardian:
Date:
Official Seal"

   (c) The public guardian may record a copy of the written
certification in any county in which is located real property of
which the public guardian is authorized to take possession or control
under this chapter.
   (d) A financial institution or other person shall, without the
necessity of inquiring into the truth of the written certification
and without court order or letters being issued:
   (1) Provide the public guardian information concerning property
held in the sole name of the proposed ward or conservatee.
   (2) Surrender to the public guardian property of the proposed ward
or conservatee that is subject to loss, injury, waste, or
misappropriation.
   (e) Receipt of the written certification:
   (1) Constitutes sufficient acquittance for providing information
and for surrendering property of the proposed ward or conservatee.
   (2) Fully discharges the financial institution or other person
from any liability for any act or omission of the public guardian
with respect to the property.
  SEC. 3.  Section 2901.5 is added to the Probate Code, to read:
   2901.5.  (a) A public guardian or public conservator, who is
authorized to restrain any person from transferring, encumbering, or
in any way disposing of any real or personal property held in a trust
in accordance with paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 2900,
may issue a written certification of that fact. The written
certification is effective for 30 days after the date of issuance.
   (b) The written recordable certification shall substantially
comply with the following form:"CERTIFICATE OF AUTHORITY
THIS IS AN OFFICIAL CERTIFICATE ENTITLING THE PUBLIC GUARDIAN/PUBLIC
CONSERVATOR TO RESTRAIN ANY PERSON FROM TRANSFERRING, ENCUMBERING, OR
IN ANY WAY DISPOSING OF ANY REAL OR PERSONAL PROPERTY HELD IN THE
FOLLOWING TRUST:(Name of Trust) _____________
THE PUBLIC GUARDIAN/PUBLIC CONSERVATOR HAS DETERMINED THAT IT HAS
AUTHORITY TO ISSUE THIS CERTIFICATE WITH RESPECT TO THE ABOVE-NAMED
TRUST AND IN CONNECTION WITH PROCEEDINGS THAT ARE OR WILL BE PENDING
RELATED TO THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUAL:(Name of Individual)
_____________
This Certificate of Authority has been issued by the Public
Guardian/Public Conservator pursuant to and in compliance with
Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 2900) of Part 5 of Division 4 of
the California Probate Code. Under California law, this Certificate
of Authority authorizes the Public Guardian/Public Conservator to
restrain any person from transferring, encumbering, or in any way
disposing of any real or personal property held in the above-named
trust.
SPECIAL NOTE TO FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS:
State law requires that, upon receiving a copy of this Certificate of
Authority, financial institutions shall provide the public
guardian/public conservator with information concerning property held
in the above-named trust and shall restrain any person from
transferring, encumbering, or in any way disposing of any real or
personal property held in the above-named trust.

This Certificate of Authority shall only be valid when signed and
dated by the Public Guardian/Public Conservator or a deputy Public
Guardian/Public Conservator of the County of _____ and affixed with
the official seal of the Public Guardian/Public Conservator  below.
   This Certificate of Authority expires 30 days after the date of
issuance.
Signature of Public Guardian/Public Conservator:
Date:
Official Seal"



   (c) The public guardian or public conservator may record a copy of
the written certification in any county in which is located real
property held in a trust as to which the public guardian or public
conservator has determined it has authority to issue the written
certification.
   (d) A financial institution or other person who is provided with
the written certification by the public guardian or public
conservator shall, without the necessity of inquiring into the truth
of the written certification and without court order or letters being
issued:
   (1) Provide the public guardian or public conservator information
concerning any real or personal property held in the trust identified
in the written certification.
   (2) Restrain any person from transferring, encumbering, or in any
way disposing of any real or personal property, held in the trust
identified in the written certification.
   (e) Receipt of the written certification:
   (1) Constitutes sufficient acquittance for providing information
and for restraining any person from transferring, encumbering, or in
any way disposing of any real or personal property held in the trust
identified in the written certification.
   (2) Fully discharges the financial institution or other person
from any liability for any act or omission of the public guardian or
public conservator with respect to the property.