NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A857 REVISED 03/12/13
SPONSOR: Weinstein (MS)
 
TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the mental hygiene law and the surro-
gate's court procedure act, in relation to establishing the uniform
guardianship and protective proceedings jurisdiction act
 
PURPOSE OF BILL:
The bill addresses the issue of jurisdiction over adult guardianships &
other protective proceedings, providing a mechanism for resolving
multi-state jurisdictional disputes.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS OF BILL:
Section 1 of the bill adds a new article 83 to the Mental Hygiene Law
(MHL) to provide for the Uniform Guardianship and Protective Proceedings
Jurisdiction Act.
MHL § 83.01 sets forth a short title of article 83 of the mental hygiene
law as the Uniform Guardianship and Protective Proceedings Jurisdiction
Act.
MHL § 83.03 is the definition section for terms used in the Uniform
Guardianship and Protective Proceedings Jurisdiction Act.
MHL § 83.05 provides a framework for honoring the guardianship orders of
other countries.
MHL § 83.07 provides a framework for communication between courts in
different states concerning a guardianship proceeding.
MHL § 83.09 outlines procedures for cooperation between courts in
different states.
MHL § 83.11 outlines acceptable methods for a court in this state to
obtain testimony from a witness located in another state.
MHL § 83.13 provides the factors a court may use to determine whether a
respondent has a significant connection with a particular state for
purposes of establishing jurisdiction.
MHL § 83.15 provides that this article, subject to section 81.18 of the
mental hygiene law, forms the exclusive jurisdictional basis for a New
York State court to appoint a guardian or issue a protective order for
an adult.
MHL § 83.17 defines a three-level priority system for a New York State
court to establish jurisdiction to appoint a guardian of a person or
issue a protective order.
MHL § 83.19 outlines the special circumstances where, regardless of
whether a New York State court has jurisdiction under the general juris-
diction principles outlined in § 83.09, a court may appoint a guardian
or issue a protective order.
MHL § 83.21 provides that a New York State court that has appointed a
guardian or issued a protective order under this Act has continuing and
exclusive jurisdiction until the proceeding is terminated or the
appointment expires.
MHL § 83.23 authorizes a New York State court to decline jurisdiction if
it determines that the court of another state is a more appropriate
forum, and specifies the factors to be taken into account in making this
determination.
MHL § 83.25 authorizes a New York State court to decline jurisdiction or
create another appropriate remedy if jurisdiction was acquired due to
unjustifiable conduct.
MHL § 83.27 provides special notice requirements if a proceeding is
brought in a state other than the respondent's home state.
MHL § 83.29 specifies a procedure for resolving jurisdictional issues if
petitions are pending in more than one state.
MHL § 83.31 specifies a procedure for transferring a guardianship to
another state. To make the transfer, court orders are necessary from
both the New York State court transferring the case and from the out-of-
state court accepting the case.
MHL.§ 83.33 outlines a procedure for a New York State court to accept a
guardianship proceeding transferred from another state.
MHL § 83.35 provides a procedure for a guardian appointed in another
state to register the out-of-state guardianship judgment in a New York
State court.
MHL § 83.37 provides a procedure for a guardian appointed in another
state to register a protective order from an out-of-state court in a New
York State court.
MHL § 83.39 outlines that upon registration of an out-of-state guardian-
ship or protective order, the guardian may exercise all powers author-
ized in the order except as prohibited by the laws of New York State.
§ 83.41 provides language to encourage uniformity in the application and
construction of the Uniform Guardianship and Protective Proceedings
Jurisdiction Act.
MHL § 83.43 provides for relation to electronic signatures in the global
and national commerce act.
MHL § 83.45 provides for transitional provisions.
Section 2 amends the surrogate's court procedure act section 1758 to
reflect the addition of article 83 to the mental hygiene law.
Section 3 amends the mental hygiene law section 81.18 to allow a New
York State court to use provisions of article 83 of the mental hygiene
law when dealing with a foreign guardian not present in New York State.
Section 4 provides an effective date 180 days after the act becomes law.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Due to increasing population mobility, cases involving simultaneous and
conflicting jurisdiction over guardianship are increasing. Adult guardi-
anship jurisdiction issues commonly arise in situations involving snow-
birds, transferred/long-distance care giving arrangements, interstate
health markets, wandering, and even the occasional incidence of elderly
kidnapping. The process of appointing a guardian is handled in state
courts. Often, jurisdiction in adult guardianship cases is complicated
because multiple states, each with its own adult guardianship system,
may have an interest in the case. Consequently, it may be unclear which
state court has jurisdiction to decide the guardianship issue. The U.S.
has 55 different adult guardianship systems, and the only data available
is from 1987, which estimated 400,000 adults in the U.S. have a court-
appointed guardian. Even though no current data exists, demographic
trends suggest that today this number probably is much higher.
In response to this common jurisdictional confusion, the Uniform Law
Commission developed the uniform guardianship and protective proceedings
jurisdiction act (UAGPPJA). The legislation establishes a uniform set of
rules for determining jurisdiction, and thus, simplifies the process for
determining jurisdiction between multiple states in adult guardianship
cases. It also establishes a framework that allows state court judges in
different states to communicate with each other about adult guardianship
cases. This legislation would provide a significant savings to the New
York State court system by avoiding costly duplicative guardianship
eases.
Currently, thirty one other states have adopted the uniform guardianship
and protective proceedings jurisdiction act.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2012: A.10416-A.Judi
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
180 days after the act becomes law.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
857
2013-2014 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY(Prefiled)
January 9, 2013
___________
Introduced by M. of A. WEINSTEIN, MILLMAN, JAFFEE, GALEF -- Multi-Spon-
sored by -- M. of A. CLARK, DINOWITZ, JACOBS, O'DONNELL, RAIA, SWEE-
NEY, ZEBROWSKI -- read once and referred to the Committee on Judiciary
AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law and the surrogate's court proce-
dure act, in relation to establishing the uniform guardianship and
protective proceedings jurisdiction act
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The mental hygiene law is amended by adding a new article
2 83 to read as follows:
3 ARTICLE 83
4 UNIFORM GUARDIANSHIP AND PROTECTIVE PROCEEDINGS JURISDICTION ACT
5 Section 83.01 Short title.
6 83.03 Definitions.
7 83.05 International application of this article.
8 83.07 Communication between courts.
9 83.09 Cooperation between courts.
10 83.11 Taking testimony in another state.
11 83.13 Significant connection factors.
12 83.15 Exclusive basis.
13 83.17 Jurisdiction.
14 83.19 Special jurisdiction.
15 83.21 Exclusive and continuing jurisdiction.
16 83.23 Appropriate forum.
17 83.25 Jurisdiction declined by reason of conduct.
18 83.27 Notice of proceeding.
19 83.29 Proceedings in more than one state.
20 83.31 Transfer of guardianship or conservatorship to another
21 state.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02650-01-3
A. 857 2
1 83.33 Accepting guardianship or conservatorship transferred from
2 another state.
3 83.35 Registration of orders appointing a guardian of the
4 person.
5 83.37 Registration of protective orders.
6 83.39 Effect of registration.
7 83.41 Uniformity of application and construction.
8 83.43 Relation to electronic signatures in global and national
9 commerce act.
10 83.45 Transitional provision.
11 § 83.01 Short title.
12 This article shall be known and may be cited as the "uniform adult
13 guardianship and protective proceedings jurisdiction act".
14 § 83.03 Definitions.
15 For purposes of this article, the following definitions shall apply:
16 (a) "Adult" means an individual who has attained eighteen years of
17 age.
18 (b) "Emergency" means a circumstance that likely will result in
19 substantial harm to a respondent's health, safety or welfare, and for
20 which the appointment of a guardian is necessary because no other person
21 has authority and is willing to act on the respondent's behalf.
22 (c) "Guardian of the property" means a person appointed by the court
23 to administer the property of an adult, including a person appointed
24 under article eighty-one of this title and article seventeen-A of the
25 surrogate's court procedure act, and including a conservator appointed
26 by a court in another state.
27 (d) "Guardian of the person" means a person appointed by the court to
28 make decisions regarding the person of an adult, including a person
29 appointed under article eighty-one of this title and article seventeen-A
30 of the surrogate's court procedure act.
31 (e) "Home state" means the state in which the respondent was phys-
32 ically present, including any period of temporary absence, for at least
33 six consecutive months immediately before the filing of a petition for a
34 protective order or the appointment of a guardian of the person; or if
35 none, the state in which the respondent was physically present, includ-
36 ing any period of temporary absence, for at least six consecutive months
37 ending within the six months prior to the filing of the petition.
38 (f) "Party" means the respondent, petitioner, guardian of the person,
39 conservator guardian of the property, or any other person allowed by the
40 court to participate in a guardianship proceeding for the appointment of
41 a guardian of the person or a protective proceeding.
42 (g) "Person", except in the term incapacitated person for whom a guar-
43 dian of the person has been appointed or protected person, means an
44 individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership,
45 limited liability company, association, joint venture, public corpo-
46 ration, government or governmental subdivision, agency or instrumentali-
47 ty, or any other legal or commercial entity.
48 (h) "Protected person" means an adult for whom a protective order has
49 been issued.
50 (i) "Protective order" means an order appointing a conservator guardi-
51 an of the property or other order related to management of an adult's
52 property.
53 (j) "Protective proceeding" means a judicial proceeding in which a
54 protective order is sought or has been issued.
A. 857 3
1 (k) "Record" means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium
2 or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in
3 perceivable form.
4 (l) "Respondent" means an adult for whom a protective order or the
5 appointment of a guardian of the person is sought.
6 (m) "Significant-connection state" means a state, other than the home
7 state, with which a respondent has a significant connection other than
8 mere physical presence and in which substantial evidence concerning the
9 respondent is available.
10 (n) "State" means a state of the United States, the District of Colum-
11 bia, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, a federally recog-
12 nized Indian tribe, or any territory or insular possession subject to
13 the jurisdiction of the United States.
14 § 83.05 International application of this article.
15 A court of this state may treat a foreign country as if it were a
16 state for the purpose of applying sections 83.01 through 83.37 of this
17 article.
18 § 83.07 Communication between courts.
19 (a) A court of this state may communicate with a court in another
20 state concerning a proceeding arising under this article. The court may
21 allow the parties to participate in the communication.
22 (b) If the parties are not allowed to participate in the communi-
23 cation, the court shall give all parties the opportunity to present
24 facts and legal arguments before the court issues an order establishing
25 jurisdiction.
26 (c) Except as otherwise provided in subdivision (d) of this section,
27 the court shall make a record of any communication under this section
28 and promptly inform the parties of the communication and grant them
29 access to the record.
30 (d) Courts may communicate concerning schedules, calendars, court
31 records and other administrative matters without making a record.
32 § 83.09 Cooperation between courts.
33 (a) In a proceeding for the appointment of a guardian of the person or
34 protective proceeding in this state, a court of this state may request
35 the appropriate court of another state to do any of the following:
36 1. hold an evidentiary hearing;
37 2. order a person in that state to produce evidence or give testimony
38 pursuant to procedures of that state;
39 3. order that an evaluation or assessment be made of the respondent;
40 4. order any appropriate investigation of a person involved in a
41 proceeding;
42 5. forward to the court of this state a certified copy of the tran-
43 script or other record of a hearing under paragraph one of this subdivi-
44 sion or any other proceeding, any evidence otherwise produced under
45 paragraph two of this subdivision, and any evaluation or assessment
46 prepared in compliance with an order under paragraph three or four of
47 this subdivision;
48 6. issue any order necessary to assure the appearance in the proceed-
49 ing of a person whose presence is necessary for the court to make a
50 determination, including the respondent or the person subject to a guar-
51 dianship of the person or protected person; and
52 7. issue an order authorizing the release of medical, financial, crim-
53 inal, or other relevant information in that state, including protected
54 health information.
55 (b) The court may receive any evidence produced pursuant to subdivi-
56 sion (a) of this section in the same manner that it would admit into
A. 857 4
1 evidence the report of a court evaluator after the court evaluator had
2 been subject to cross examination;
3 (c) If a court of another state in which a guardianship or protective
4 proceeding is pending requests assistance of the kind provided in subdi-
5 vision (a) of this section, a court of this state has jurisdiction for
6 the limited purpose of granting the request or making reasonable efforts
7 to comply with the request.
8 § 83.11 Taking testimony in another state.
9 (a) In a proceeding for the appointment of a guardian of the person or
10 protective proceeding, in addition to other procedures that may be
11 available, testimony of a witness who is located in another state may be
12 offered by deposition or other means allowable in this state for testi-
13 mony taken in another state. The court on its own motion may order that
14 the testimony of a witness be taken in another state and may prescribe
15 the manner in which and the terms upon which the testimony is to be
16 taken.
17 (b) In a proceeding for the appointment of a guardian of the person or
18 protective proceeding, a court in this state may permit a witness
19 located in another state to be deposed or to testify by telephone or
20 audiovisual or other electronic means. A court of this state shall coop-
21 erate with the court of the other state in designating an appropriate
22 location for the deposition or testimony.
23 (c) Documentary evidence transmitted from another state to a court of
24 this state by technological means that do not produce an original writ-
25 ing may not be excluded from evidence on an objection based on the best
26 evidence rule.
27 § 83.13 Significant connection factors.
28 In determining under section 83.17 and subdivision (e) of section
29 83.31 of this article whether a respondent has a significant connection
30 with a particular state, the court shall consider:
31 (a) the location of the respondent's family and other persons required
32 to be notified of the proceeding;
33 (b) the length of time the respondent at any time was physically pres-
34 ent in the state and the duration of any absence;
35 (c) the location of the respondent's property; and
36 (d) the extent to which the respondent has ties to the state such as
37 voting registration, state or local tax return filing, vehicle registra-
38 tion, driver's license, social relationship, and receipt of services.
39 § 83.15 Exclusive basis.
40 Subject to section 81.18 of this title, this article provides the
41 exclusive jurisdictional basis for a court of this state to appoint a
42 guardian of the person or issue a protective order for an adult.
43 § 83.17 Jurisdiction.
44 A court of this state has jurisdiction to appoint a guardian of the
45 person or issue a protective order for a respondent if:
46 (a) the state is the respondent's home state;
47 (b) on the date the petition is filed, this state is a significant-
48 connection state and:
49 1. the respondent does not have a home state or a court of the
50 respondent's home state has declined to exercise jurisdiction because
51 this state is a more appropriate forum; or
52 2. the respondent has a home state, a petition for an appointment or
53 order is not pending in a court of that state or another significant
54 connection state, and before the court makes the appointment or issues
55 the order:
A. 857 5
1 (i) a petition for an appointment or order is not filed in the
2 respondent's home state;
3 (ii) an objection to the court's jurisdiction is not filed by a person
4 required to be notified of the proceeding; and
5 (iii) the court in this state concludes that it is an appropriate
6 forum under the factors set forth in section 83.23 of this article;
7 (c) this state does not have jurisdiction under either subdivision (a)
8 or (b) of this section, the respondent's home state and all signifi-
9 cant-connection states have declined to exercise jurisdiction because
10 this state is the more appropriate forum, and jurisdiction in this state
11 is consistent with the constitutions of this state and the United
12 States; or
13 (d) the requirements for special jurisdiction under section 83.19 of
14 this article are met.
15 § 83.19 Special jurisdiction.
16 (a) A court of this state lacking jurisdiction under section 83.17 of
17 this article has special jurisdiction to do any of the following:
18 1. appoint a guardian of the person in an emergency for a term not
19 exceeding ninety days for a respondent who is physically present in this
20 state;
21 2. issue a protective order with respect to a real or tangible
22 personal property located in this state; and
23 3. appoint a guardian of the person or a guardian of the property for
24 a person subject to a guardianship of the person or protected person for
25 whom a provision order to transfer the proceeding from another state has
26 been issued under procedures similar to section 83.31 of this article.
27 (b) If a petition for the appointment of a guardian of the person in
28 an emergency is brought in this state and this state was not the
29 respondent's home state on the date the petition was filed, the court
30 shall dismiss the proceeding at the request of the court of the home
31 state, if any, whether dismissal is requested before or after the emer-
32 gency appointment.
33 § 83.21 Exclusive and continuing jurisdiction.
34 Except as otherwise provided in section 83.19 of this article, a court
35 that has appointed a guardian of the person or issued a protective order
36 consistent with this article has exclusive and continuing jurisdiction
37 over the proceedings until it is terminated by the court or the appoint-
38 ment or order expires by its own terms.
39 § 83.23 Appropriate forum.
40 (a) A court of this state having jurisdiction under section 83.17 of
41 this article to appoint a guardian of the person or issue a protective
42 order may decline to exercise its jurisdiction if it determines at any
43 time that a court of another state is a more appropriate forum.
44 (b) If a court of this state declines to exercise its jurisdiction
45 under subdivision (a) of this section, it shall either dismiss or stay
46 the proceeding. The court may impose any condition the court considers
47 just and proper, including the condition that a petition for the
48 appointment of a guardian of the person or issuance of a protective
49 order be filed promptly in another state.
50 (c) In determining whether it is an appropriate forum, the court shall
51 consider all relevant factors, including:
52 1. any expressed preference of the respondent;
53 2. whether abuse, neglect or exploitation of the respondent has
54 occurred or is likely to occur, and which state could best protect the
55 respondent from the abuse, neglect or exploitation;
A. 857 6
1 3. the length of time the respondent was physically present in or was
2 a legal resident of this or another state;
3 4. the distance of the respondent from the court in each state;
4 5. the financial circumstances of the respondent's estate;
5 6. the nature and location of the evidence;
6 7. the ability of the court in each state to decide the issue expe-
7 ditiously and the procedures necessary to present evidence;
8 8. the familiarity of the court of each state with the facts and
9 issues in the proceeding; and
10 9. if an appointment were made, the court's ability to monitor the
11 conduct of the guardian or conservator.
12 § 83.25 Jurisdiction declined by reason of conduct.
13 (a) If at any time a court of this state determines that it acquired
14 jurisdiction to appoint a guardian of the person or issue a protective
15 order because of unjustifiable conduct, the court may:
16 1. decline to exercise jurisdiction;
17 2. exercise jurisdiction for the limited purpose of fashioning an
18 appropriate remedy to ensure the health, safety and welfare of the
19 respondent, or the protection of the respondent's property or prevent a
20 repetition of the unjustifiable conduct, including staying the proceed-
21 ing until a petition for the appointment of a guardian of the person or
22 issuance of a protective order is filed in a court of another state
23 having jurisdiction; or
24 3. continue to exercise jurisdiction after considering:
25 (i) the extent to which the respondent and all persons required to be
26 notified of the proceedings have acquiesced in the exercise of the
27 court's jurisdiction;
28 (ii) whether it is a more appropriate forum than the court of any
29 other state under the factors set forth in subdivision (c) of section
30 83.23 of this article; and
31 (iii) whether the court of any other state would have jurisdiction
32 under factual circumstances in substantial conformity with the jurisdic-
33 tional standards of section 83.17 of this article.
34 (b) If a court of this state determines that it acquired jurisdiction
35 to appoint a guardian of the person or issue a protective order because
36 a party seeking to invoke its jurisdiction engaged in unjustifiable
37 conduct, it may assess against that party necessary and reasonable
38 expenses, including attorney's fees, investigative fees, court costs,
39 communication expenses, witness fees and expenses, and travel expenses.
40 The court may not assess fees, costs or expenses of any kind against
41 this state or a governmental subdivision, agency or instrumentality of
42 this state unless authorized by law other than this article.
43 § 83.27 Notice of proceeding.
44 If a petition for the appointment of a guardian of the person or issu-
45 ance of a protective order is brought in this state and this state was
46 not the respondent's home state on the date the petition was filed, in
47 addition to complying with the notice requirements of this state, notice
48 of the petition must be given to those persons who would be entitled to
49 notice of the petition if a proceeding were brought in the respondent's
50 home state. The notice must be given in the same manner as notice is
51 required to be given in this state.
52 § 83.29 Proceedings in more than one state.
53 Except for a petition for the appointment of a guardian of the person
54 in an emergency or issuance of a protective order limited to property
55 located in this state under paragraph one or two of subdivision (a) of
56 section 83.19 of this article, if a petition for the appointment of a
A. 857 7
1 guardian of the person or issuance of a protective order is filed in
2 this state and in another state and neither petition has been dismissed
3 or withdrawn, the following rules apply:
4 (a) If the court in this state has jurisdiction under section 83.17 of
5 this article, it may proceed with the case unless a court in another
6 state acquires jurisdiction under provisions similar to such section
7 before the appointment or issuance of the order.
8 (b) If the court in this state does not have jurisdiction under
9 section 83.17 of this article, whether at the time the petition is filed
10 or at any time before the appointment or issuance of the order, the
11 court shall stay the proceeding and communicate with the court in the
12 other state. If the court in the other state has jurisdiction, the court
13 in this state shall dismiss the petition unless the court in the other
14 state determines that the court in this state is a more appropriate
15 forum.
16 § 83.31 Transfer of guardianship or conservatorship to another state.
17 (a) A guardian of the person or a guardian of the property appointed
18 in this state may petition the court to transfer the guardianship to
19 another state.
20 (b) Notice of a petition under subdivision (a) of this section must be
21 given to the persons that would be entitled to notice of a petition in
22 this state for the appointment of a guardian of the person or a guardian
23 of the property.
24 (c) On the court's own motion or on request of the guardian of the
25 person, the guardian of the property, the person subject to the guardi-
26 anship of the person, or the protected person, or other person required
27 to be notified of the petition, the court shall hold a hearing on a
28 petition filed pursuant to subdivision (a) of this section.
29 (d) The court shall issue an order provisionally granting a petition
30 to transfer a guardianship of the person and shall direct the guardian
31 of the person to petition for guardianship of the person in the other
32 state if the court is satisfied that the guardianship of the person will
33 be accepted by the court in the other state and the court finds that:
34 1. the person subject to the guardianship of the person is physically
35 present in or is reasonably expected to move permanently to the other
36 state;
37 2. an objection to the transfer has not been made or, if an objection
38 has been made, the objector has not established that the transfer would
39 be contrary to the interests of the person subject to the guardianship
40 of the person; and
41 3. plans for care and services for the person subject to the guardian-
42 ship of the person in the other state are reasonable and sufficient.
43 (e) The court shall issue a provisional order granting a petition to
44 transfer a guardianship of the property and shall direct the guardian of
45 the property to petition for guardianship of the property in the other
46 state if the court is satisfied that the guardianship of the property
47 will be accepted by the court of the other state and the court finds
48 that:
49 1. the protected person is physically present in or is reasonably
50 expected to move permanently to the other state, or the protected person
51 has a significant connection to the other state considering the factors
52 in section 83.13 of this article;
53 2. an objection to the transfer has not been made or, if an objection
54 has been made, the objector has not established that the transfer would
55 be contrary to the interests of the protected person; and
A. 857 8
1 3. adequate arrangements will be made for management of the protected
2 person's property.
3 (f) The court shall issue a final order confirming the transfer and
4 terminating the guardianship of the person or property upon its receipt
5 of:
6 1. a provisional order accepting the proceeding from the court to
7 which the proceeding is to be transferred which is issued under
8 provisions similar to section 83.33 of this article; and
9 2. the documents required to terminate a guardianship of the person or
10 property in this state.
11 § 83.33 Accepting guardianship or conservatorship transferred from
12 another state.
13 (a) To confirm transfer of a guardianship of the person or guardian-
14 ship of the property transferred to this state under provisions similar
15 to section 83.31 of this article, the guardian of the person or guardian
16 of the property must petition the court in this state pursuant to arti-
17 cle eighty-one of this title or article seventeen-A of the surrogate's
18 court procedure act to accept the guardianship of the person or guardi-
19 anship of the property. The petition must include a certified copy of
20 the other state's provisional order of transfer.
21 (b) Notice of a petition under subdivision (a) of this section must be
22 given to those persons that would be entitled to notice if the petition
23 were a petition for the appointment of a guardian of the person or issu-
24 ance of a protective order in both the transferring state and this
25 state. The notice must be given in the same manner as notice is required
26 to be given in this state.
27 (c) On the court's own motion or on request of the guardian of the
28 person or guardian of the property, the person subject to the guardian-
29 ship of the person or protected person, or other person required to be
30 notified of the proceeding, the court shall hold a hearing on a petition
31 filed pursuant to subdivision (a) of this section.
32 (d) The court shall issue an order provisionally granting a petition
33 filed under subdivision (a) of this section unless:
34 1. an objection is made and the objector establishes that transfer of
35 the proceeding would be contrary to the interests of the incapacitated
36 or protected person; or
37 2. the guardian of the person or guardian of the property is ineligi-
38 ble for appointment in this state.
39 (e) The court shall issue a final order accepting the proceeding and
40 appointing the guardian of the person or guardian of the property as
41 guardian of the person or guardian of the property in this state upon
42 its receipt from the court from which the proceeding is being trans-
43 ferred of a final order issued under provisions similar to section 83.31
44 of this article transferring the proceeding to this state.
45 (f) Not later than ninety days after issuance of a final order accept-
46 ing transfer of a guardianship of the person or guardianship of the
47 property, the court shall determine whether the guardianship of the
48 person or guardianship of the property needs to be modified to conform
49 to the law of this state.
50 (g) In granting a petition under this section, the court shall recog-
51 nize a guardianship order from the other state, including the determi-
52 nation of incapacity and the appointment of the guardian of the person
53 or guardian of the property.
54 (h) The denial by a court of this state of a petition to accept a
55 guardianship of the person or guardianship of the property transferred
56 from another state does not affect the ability of the guardian of the
A. 857 9
1 person or guardian of the property to seek appointment as guardian of
2 the person or guardian of the property in this state under article
3 eighty-one of this title or article seventeen-A of the surrogate's court
4 procedure act if the court has jurisdiction to make an appointment other
5 than by reason of the provisional order of transfer.
6 § 83.35 Registration of orders appointing a guardian of the person.
7 If a guardian of the person by whatever name designated has been
8 appointed in another state and a petition for the appointment of a guar-
9 dian of the person is not pending in this state, the guardian of the
10 person appointed in the other state, after giving notice to the appoint-
11 ing court of an intent to register, may register the guardianship of the
12 person order in this state by filing as a foreign judgment in a court,
13 in any appropriate county of this state, certified copies of the order
14 and letters of office.
15 § 83.37 Registration of protective orders.
16 If a guardian of the property has been appointed in another state and
17 a petition for a protective order is not pending in this state, the
18 guardian of the property appointed in the other state, after giving
19 notice to the appointing court of an intent to register, may register
20 the protective order in this state by filing as a foreign judgment in a
21 court of this state, in any county in which property belonging to the
22 protected person is located, certified copies of the order and letters
23 of office and of any bond. Thereafter, said guardian of the property
24 shall comply with the requirements of subparagraph (vi) of paragraph six
25 of subdivision (a) of section 81.20 of this title with regard to any
26 real property of the protected person in this state.
27 § 83.39 Effect of registration.
28 (a) Upon registration of an order appointing a guardian of the person
29 or protective order from another state, the guardian of the person or
30 guardian of the property may exercise in this state all powers author-
31 ized in the order of appointment except as prohibited under the laws of
32 this state, including maintaining actions and proceedings in this state
33 and selling real property and, if the guardian of the person or guardian
34 of the property is not a resident of this state, subject to any condi-
35 tions imposed upon nonresident parties.
36 (b) A court of this state may grant any relief available under this
37 article and other law of this state to enforce a registered order.
38 § 83.41 Uniformity of application and construction.
39 In applying and construing this article, consideration must be given
40 to the need to promote uniformity of the law with respect to its subject
41 matter among states that enact it.
42 § 83.43 Relation to electronic signatures in global and national
43 commerce act.
44 This article modifies, limits and supersedes the federal Electronic
45 Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, 15 U.S.C. Section 7001,
46 et seq., but does not modify, limit or supersede Section 101(c) of such
47 act, 15 U.S.C. Section 7001 (c), or authorize electronic delivery of
48 any of the notices described in Section 103(b) of such act, 15 U.S.C.
49 Section 7003(b).
50 § 83.45 Transitional provision.
51 (a) This article applies to proceedings begun on or after this arti-
52 cle's effective date.
53 (b) Sections 83.01 through 83.05 and sections 83.31 through 83.43 of
54 this article apply to proceedings begun before this article's effective
55 date, regardless of whether a guardianship or protective order has been
56 issued.
A. 857 10
1 § 2. Section 1758 of the surrogate's court procedure act, as added by
2 chapter 675 of the laws of 1989, is amended to read as follows:
3 § 1758. Court jurisdiction
4 1. The jurisdiction of the court to hear proceedings pursuant to this
5 article shall be subject to article eighty-three of the mental hygiene
6 law.
7 2. After the appointment of a guardian, standby guardian or alternate
8 guardians, the court shall have and retain general jurisdiction over the
9 mentally retarded or developmentally disabled person for whom such guar-
10 dian shall have been appointed, to take of its own motion or to enter-
11 tain and adjudicate such steps and proceedings relating to such guardi-
12 an, standby, or alternate guardianship as may be deemed necessary or
13 proper for the welfare of such mentally retarded or developmentally
14 disabled person.
15 § 3. Section 81.18 of the mental hygiene law, as amended by chapter
16 438 of the laws of 2004, is amended to read as follows:
17 § 81.18 Foreign guardian for a person not present in the state.
18 Where the person alleged to be incapacitated is not present in the
19 state and a guardian, by whatever name designated, has been duly
20 appointed pursuant to the laws of any other [state, territory, or] coun-
21 try where the person alleged to be incapacitated resides to assist such
22 person in property management, the court in its discretion, may make an
23 order appointing the foreign guardian as a guardian under this article
24 with powers with respect to property management within this state on the
25 foreign guardian's giving such security as the court deems proper. In
26 its discretion, the court may utilize the provisions of article eighty-
27 three of this title.
28 § 4. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
29 it shall have become a law.