SB 101-GUARDIANSHIP AND CONSERVATORS  CHAIR ELLIS announced SB 101 to be up for consideration. He asked his staff to explain the CS, version M. DANA OWEN, staff to Senator Ellis, explained that the CS had two significant changes. First, the requirements for bonding and licensing were removed for guardians and conservatorships in four different sections and references to them were removed from two other places. He pointed out that the other significant change occurs on page 2, line 6, of the original bill. In the CS it occurs on page 2, line 7, where language is added to the list of things that are prohibited in order to get a license; it also applies to conservatorships. Language now reads: "any other crime the department determines would affect the individual's ability to provide the services of a guardian competently and safely for the protected person". Several smaller changes clarify language. On page 1, line 10, "a" was dropped. On page 5, line 13, a new Section (7) was added: "(b) The office of public advocacy shall notify the department of the licensee's compliance with (a) of this section." Clarifying language was added to (3) on the same page. "Documents necessary to establish financial solvency" was clarified to mean the financial solvency of the licensee. CHAIR ELLIS asked Mr. Fink to explain the rationale behind the changes in the proposed CS. 1:35:58 PM JOSH FINK, Office of Public Advocacy (OPA), Department of Administration (DOA), explained that currently when a guardian or conservator is appointed, rules allow for the court to impose a bond. It would look at the size of the estate and the responsibilities of the guardian and a few other factors. So, the department felt that since proof of insurance or bonding isn't required for most professions it licenses, including doctors and lawyers, and since the court is the gatekeeper on appointments and establishes the amount of a bond, it wanted the bonding and insurance requirements to be removed for consistency. He said the court could still require bonds for individual cases. The criminal background check on page 2 was clarified so that to receive a license, one couldn't have a crime of dishonesty within 10 years. This language had been removed from the original CS. The other significant change came from the director of the Division of Corporations, Business and Occupational Licensing who had some concern about the division's obligation and expertise in reviewing the guardianship reports. Mr. Fink said he volunteered OPA to do that activity because in-house expertise already provides those services to about 1,000 people and could quickly review the reports and flag anything that was alarming back to the division. It would also be notified that registered guardians and conservators were in compliance or if a report had not been received. 1:39:19 PM RICK URION, Director, Division of Corporations, Business and Occupational Licensing, Department of Commerce, Community & Economic Development (DCCED), supported the CS. 1:39:45 PM SENATOR STEVENS moved to adopt the CS to SB 101(L&C), version M. There were no objections and it was so ordered. 1:40:13 PM An AARP representative spoke from the audience in support of CSSB 101(L&C). 1:40:39 PM SENATOR STEVENS moved to report CSSB 101(L&C) from committee with individual recommendations and accompanying fiscal notes. There were no objections and it was so ordered.