HB4378 S JUD AMT

Lovell 7908

The Committee on the Judiciary moved to amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting therefor a new title, to read as follows:

Eng. House Bill No. 4378 – A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto two new sections, designated §44A-3-17 and §44A-3-18, all relating to access to and receipt of certain information regarding a protected person by certain relatives of the protected person; authorizing relatives of a protected person to petition the circuit court for access and information about a protected person; defining “relative”; providing a relative may petition the court for an order granting access to a “protected person”; setting forth time standards in which to conduct a hearing after a petition is filed; providing for an emergency hearing under particular circumstances; providing for service of a petition upon a guardian and setting time standards for service thereof; providing for the entry of an order by the court following notice and hearing conducted thereon; providing standards for a court to observe and implement in issuing a ruling on a petition; providing the court may award attorney’s fees and costs be paid to a prevailing party; setting forth particular duties for a guardian to provide relatives notice about a protected person’s condition and circumstances; authorizing court to retain jurisdiction; regarding dissemination of information about a protected person to relatives; and providing a guardian method whereby may be relieved of responsibility for providing information regarding a protected person to a relative.