HBA-ATS, KMH H.B. 2164 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2164 By: Naishtat Judicial Affairs 6/4/1999 Enrolled BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE When a child with severe or profound mental retardation becomes eighteen, a parent or loved one of that child often files to become the official legal guardian of the person and/or the estate for the child. The parent or loved one may not file for such guardianships until the eighteenth birthday of the potential ward. Prior to the 76th Legislature, the time it took to process the application for guardianship, typically one to two months, created a short, but problematic, gap in the ability of a caring adult to protect and make decisions for the ward in question. H.B. 2164 authorizes a person to file an application for guardianship under Section 682 (Application; Contents), Texas Probate Code, within 60 days of the child's 18th birthday, if a minor is a person who, because of incapacity, will require a guardianship after the ward is no longer a minor. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Subpart A, Part 3, Chapter XIII, Texas Probate Code, by adding Section 682A, as follows: Sec. 682A. APPLICATION FOR APPOINTMENT OF GUARDIAN FOR CERTAIN PERSONS. Authorizes a person to file an application under Section 682 (Application; Contents) of this code not earlier than the 60th day before a proposed ward's 18th birthday for the appointment of a guardian of the person and/or of the estate of the proposed ward if a minor is a person who, because of incapacity, will require a guardianship after the ward is no longer a minor. Provides that the guardianship of the person of a minor who is the subject of an application for the appointment of a guardian of the person filed under this section is settled and closed when the court makes a determination that the appointment of a guardian of the person is not necessary or the guardian appointed has qualified under Section 699 (How Guardians Qualify) of this code, notwithstanding Section 694(b) (Term of Appointment of Guardian), of this code. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1999. Makes application of this Act prospective. SECTION 3. Emergency clause.