(a) The guardian may establish the residence of the ward at any place within this state without the permission of the court. The guardian shall select the least restrictive appropriate residence that is available and necessary to meet the needs of the ward, and that is in the best interests of the ward.
(b) The conservator may establish the residence of the conservatee at any place within this state without the permission of the court. The conservator shall select the least restrictive appropriate residence, as described in Section 2352.5, that is available and necessary to meet the needs of the conservatee, and that is in the best interests of the conservatee.
(c) If permission of the court is first obtained, a guardian or conservator may establish the residence of a ward or conservatee at a place not within this state. Notice of the hearing on the petition to establish the residence of the ward or conservatee out of state, together with a copy of the petition, shall be given in the manner required by subdivision (a) of Section 1460 to all persons entitled to notice under subdivision (b) of Section 1511 or subdivision (b) of Section 1822.
(d) (1) An order under subdivision (c) relating to a ward shall require the guardian either to return the ward to this state, or to cause a guardianship proceeding or its equivalent to be commenced in the place of the new residence, when the ward has resided in the place of new residence for a period of four months or a longer or shorter period specified in the order.
(2) An order under subdivision (c) relating to a conservatee shall require the conservator to do one of the following when the conservatee has resided in the other state for a period of four months or a longer or shorter period specified in the order:
(A) Return the conservatee to this state.
(B) Petition for transfer of the conservatorship to the other state under Article 3 (commencing with Section 2001) of Chapter 8 of Part 3 and corresponding law of the other state.
(C) Cause a conservatorship proceeding or its equivalent to be commenced in the other state.
(e) (1) The guardian or conservator shall file a notice of change of residence with the court within 30 days of the date of the change. The guardian or conservator shall include in the notice of change of residence a declaration stating that the ward’s or conservatee’s change of residence is consistent with the standard described in subdivision (b).
(2) The guardian or conservator shall deliver pursuant to Section 1215 a copy of the notice to all persons entitled to notice under subdivision (b) of Section 1511 or subdivision (b) of Section 1822 and shall file proof of delivery of the notice with the court. The court may, for good cause, waive the delivery requirement pursuant to this paragraph in order to prevent harm to the conservatee or ward.
(3) If the guardian or conservator proposes to remove the ward or conservatee from his or her personal residence, except as provided by subdivision (c), the guardian or conservator shall deliver pursuant to Section 1215 a notice of his or her intention to change the residence of the ward or conservatee to all persons entitled to notice under subdivision (b) of Section 1511 and subdivision (b) of Section 1822. In the absence of an emergency, that notice shall be delivered at least 15 days before the proposed removal of the ward or conservatee from his or her personal residence. If the notice is delivered less than 15 days before the proposed removal of the ward or conservatee, the guardian or conservator shall set forth the basis for the emergency in the notice. The guardian or conservator shall file proof of delivery of that notice with the court.
(f) This section does not apply where the court has made an order under Section 2351 pursuant to which the conservatee retains the right to establish his or her own residence.
(g) As used in this section, “guardian” or “conservator” includes a proposed guardian or proposed conservator and “ward” or “conservatee” includes a proposed ward or proposed conservatee.
(h) This section does not apply to a person with developmental disabilities for whom the Director of Developmental Services or a regional center, established pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 4620) of Division 4.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, acts as the conservator.
(Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 319, Sec. 43. (AB 976) Effective January 1, 2018.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018