Conservatorship and guardianship.

Existing law, the Guardianship-Conservatorship Law, generally establishes the standards and procedures for the appointment of and termination of an appointment for a guardian or conservator of a person, an estate, or both. Existing law exempts the court from performing specified duties imposed by law, including, among others, requiring specific information to be gathered by court investigators, until the Legislature makes an appropriation identified for that purpose. This bill would require the court to undertake those duties regardless of appropriation. Existing law requires a guardian or conservator to use ordinary care and diligence in the management and control of the estate. Existing law prohibits a guardian or conservator who is not a trust company, or an employee of that guardian or conservator, in exercising their powers, from hiring or referring any business to an entity in which the guardian or conservator or an employee has a financial interest. This bill would require a guardian or conservator to avoid all conflicts of interest and even the appearance of conflicts of interest and would require a guardian or conservator to avoid any interaction with an entity that benefits the guardian or conservator and that is not directly in the best interest of the ward or conservatee.