BILL NUMBER: SB 1452AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN SENATE MARCH 28, 2016 INTRODUCED BY Senator Wieckowski FEBRUARY 19, 2016 An act to amend Section 2351 of the Probate Code, relating to protective proceedings. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 1452, as amended, Wieckowski. Conservators. Existing law requires a conservator of the person to be responsible for the care, custody, control, and education of a conservatee, except if the court, in its discretion, limits the powers and duties of the conservator. Existing law also provides that the conservator's control of the conservatee does not extend to personal rights retained by the conservatee, including, but not limited to, the right to receive visitors, telephone calls, and personal mail, unless specifically limited by court order. Existing law authorizes the court to issue an order that specifically grants the conservator the power to enforce the conservatee's rights to receive visitors, telephone calls, and personal mail or that directs the conservator to allow those visitors, calls, and mail. This bill would add the right to receive electronic mail to a conservatee's personal rights for purposes of these provisions. This bill woulddeleteupdate an obsolete reference. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 2351 of the Probate Code is amended to read: 2351. (a) Subject to subdivision (b), the guardian or conservator, but not a limited conservator, has the care, custody, and control of, and has charge of the education of, the ward or conservatee. This control shall not extend to personal rights retained by the conservatee, including, but not limited to, the right to receive visitors, telephone calls, electronic mail, and personal mail, unless specifically limited by court order. The court may issue an order that specifically grants the conservator the power to enforce the conservatee's rights to receive visitors, telephone calls, electronic mail, and personal mail, or that directs the conservator to allow those visitors, telephone calls, electronic mail, and personal mail. (b) Where the court determines that it is appropriate in the circumstances of the particular conservatee, the court, in its discretion, may limit the powers and duties that the conservator would otherwise have under subdivision (a) by an order stating either of the following: (1) The specific powers that the conservator does not have with respect to the conservatee's person and reserving the powers so specified to the conservatee. (2) The specific powers and duties the conservator has with respect to the conservatee's person and reserving to the conservatee all other rights with respect to the conservatee's person that the conservator otherwise would have pursuant to subdivision (a). (c) An order pursuant to this section (1) may be included in the order appointing a conservator of the person or (2) may be made, modified, or revoked upon a petition subsequently filed, notice of the hearing on the petition having been given for the period and in the manner provided in Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 1460) of Part 1. (d) The guardian or conservator, in exercising his or her powers, may not hire or refer any business to an entity in which he or she has a financial interest except upon authorization of the court. Prior to authorization from the court, the guardian or conservator shall disclose to the court in writing his or her financial interest in the entity. For the purposes of this subdivision, "financial interest" shall mean (1) an ownership interest in a sole proprietorship, a partnership, or a closely held corporation, or (2) an ownership interest of greater than 1 percent of the outstanding shares in a publicly traded corporation, or (3) being an officer or a director of a corporation. This subdivision shall apply only to those subject to the Professional Fiduciaries Act under Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 6500) of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code.