Subcommittee advances amended approach to Senate Bill 2029, adds 2027 sunset and options for separate office

The Senate Judiciary subcommittee on Senate Bill 2029 reviewed proposed amendments that would establish multiple oversight committees for guardianship and conservatorship, add legislative representation and guardian appointments to those bodies, and include a sunset date of June 30, 2027, for the new structure.

Chairman Freilich, who led the subcommittee, opened by describing the amendments as an effort "to make the bill a little bit more palatable, for the guardians" and said the package includes an exemption for "the human service zone directors." He summarized membership rules, term lengths and committee duties, and said he added "a sunset clause on this now, and it says ending 06/30/2027" so the structure can be reviewed in two years.

The amendments as presented add three separate boards in statute: a review board, an investigative board and an operations council. The draft text cited by the chair specifies membership such as three members representing guardians appointed by the Guardianship Association of North Dakota; representatives of family guardians; two appointees from the State Bar…