Probate court administrator backs parts of HB 1501 but asks for longer timeline for feasibility study and flags resource concerns

Beverly Strait, the state probate court administrator, told the Judiciary Committee on March 31 that she supports sections 1 through 6 of HB 1501, which address probate court operations, but asked for a later deadline to complete a feasibility study proposed in section 7.

"I'm here in support of the proposals that have been submitted on behalf of the probate court system, specifically sections 1 through 6 of the bill," Strait said, and added that section 7 calls for a comprehensive feasibility study that her office could not complete on the bill's proposed timeline without additional resources.

When committee members asked when the study could be completed, Strait suggested an October 2027 deadline to allow collaboration with the Department of Social Services and hospital stakeholders and to produce a thorough product. "I would respectfully request an October 2027 deadline. It would give us approximately a year and a half," she said.

Committee members noted a later deadline would miss the next legislative session and pressed for a report timetable that would inform policy choices sooner. Strait also flagged long‑standing questions about conservator compensation. Representative Osborne cited comparative rates in her questions during the hearing, saying conservator compensation appeared lower than other court‑appointed professionals, and the administrator acknowledged concerns about fiscal notes and limited resources in her office.

What happens next: Committee members requested clarification of timelines and the study's scope. No vote was recorded; the administrator asked for additional time to ensure a comprehensive study given staffing and fiscal constraints.