Amends TCA Title 8, Chapter 21, Part 4 and Title 34, Chapter 8.

This bill authorizes a guardian or conservator appointed in this state to file a motion with the court making the appointment requesting a transfer of the guardianship or conservatorship to a court in another county of this state. The fee for filing a motion to transfer a guardianship or conservatorship to a court in another county of this state must not exceed $18.<br /> <br /> This bill provides that in a motion to transfer a guardianship or conservatorship as described above, the ward has the right to (i) on demand by respondent or the guardian ad litem, a hearing on the issue of disability; (ii) present evidence, including testimony or other evidence from a physician, psychologist or senior psychological examiner of the respondent's choosing, and confront, as a cross-examiner, witnesses; (iii) appeal the final decision on the petition with the assistance of an attorney ad litem or adversary counsel; (iv) attend any hearing; (v) have an attorney ad litem appointed to advocate the interests of the respondent; and (vi) request a protective order placing under seal the respondent's financial information and any health information not otherwise protected by law.<br /> <br /> This bill requires notice of a motion to transfer to be given to the persons who are entitled to notice of a petition in this state for the appointment of a guardian or conservator. A hearing must be set on the transferring court's regular motion docket unless circumstances require the motion to be heard as a specially set matter. <br /> <br /> This bill requires the transferring court to issue an order provisionally granting a motion to transfer a guardianship or conservatorship and to direct the guardian or conservator to petition for guardianship or conservatorship in the receiving court if the transferring court is satisfied that the guardianship or conservatorship will be accepted by the receiving court and the transferring court finds the following:<br /> <br /> (1) The disabled person or minor is physically present in or is reasonably expected to move permanently to a county in the jurisdiction of the receiving court;<br /> <br /> (2) An objection to the transfer has not been made or, if an objection has been made, the objector has not established that the transfer would be contrary to the interests of the disabled person or minor; and<br /> <br /> (3) Plans for care and services for the disabled person or minor in the other county are reasonable and sufficient.<br /> <br /> Upon receipt of the signed order granting provisional transfer to the receiving court, this bill requires the guardian or conservator to petition the receiving court requesting provisional acceptance of the transfer of the guardianship or conservatorship. The fee for a petition requesting provisional acceptance of the transfer of a guardianship or conservatorship must not exceed $18. In a petition to accept the transfer of a guardianship or conservatorship under these provisions, the ward has the same rights as described in (i)-(vi) above.<br /> <br /> This bill requires the receiving court to issue an order provisionally accepting the transfer of the guardianship or conservatorship if the receiving court is satisfied that the conditions listed in (1)-(3) above have been met. Upon receipt of the signed order accepting provisional transfer to the receiving court, the guardian or conservator must file a motion with the transferring court requesting final approval of the transfer of the guardianship or conservatorship.<br /> <br /> Upon receipt of the signed order granting final approval of the transfer to the receiving court, this bill requires the guardian or conservator to file a motion with the receiving court requesting final acceptance of the transfer of the guardianship or conservatorship. Upon the receiving court's final approval, the guardian or conservator must file a copy of the signed order with the clerk of the transferring court and the clerk of the receiving court, and the clerks are responsible for the transfer of the guardianship or conservatorship file from the transferring court to the receiving court.<br /> <br /> This bill authorizes the receiving court to require in the final order accepting the transfer of the guardianship or conservatorship that a hearing be held within 90 days of the acceptance of the transfer to allow the court to review the guardianship or conservatorship for any needed changes.<br />