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| To enact section 2111.011 of the Revised Code to | 1 |
| provide a ward's bill of rights and to require | 2 |
| that a guardian receive the Ohio Guardianship | 3 |
| Guide prepared by the Attorney General and | 4 |
| acknowledge such receipt. | 5 |
| Section 1. That section 2111.011 of the Revised Code be | 6 |
| enacted to read as follows: | 7 |
| Sec. 2111.011. (A) If the attorney general has prepared an | 8 |
| Ohio guardianship guide that includes the bill of rights of a ward | 9 |
| as listed in division (E) of this section, the clerk of the | 10 |
| probate court shall furnish that guide to a guardian at either of | 11 |
| the following times, whichever is applicable: | 12 |
| (1) Upon the appointment of the guardian under section | 13 |
| 2111.02 of the Revised Code; | 14 |
| (2) If the guardian was appointed prior to the effective date | 15 |
| of this section, upon the first filing by the guardian with the | 16 |
| probate court of either of the following, as applicable, after | 17 |
| that effective date: | 18 |
| (a) A guardian's account, other than a final account, that is | 19 |
| required to be filed under section 2109.302 of the Revised Code; | 20 |
| (b) A guardian's report that is required to be filed under | 21 |
| section 2111.49 of the Revised Code. | 22 |
| (B) If the attorney general has prepared an Ohio guardianship | 23 |
| guide under division (A) of this section and subsequently prepares | 24 |
| any updated version of the Ohio guardianship guide that includes | 25 |
| the bill of rights of a ward as listed in division (E) of this | 26 |
| section, the clerk of the probate court shall furnish the most | 27 |
| recent version of the guide to a guardian at either of the | 28 |
| following times, whichever is applicable: | 29 |
| (1) Upon the appointment of the guardian under section | 30 |
| 2111.02 of the Revised Code after the most recent version of the | 31 |
| guide is prepared; | 32 |
| (2) If the guardian was appointed prior to the date of the | 33 |
| most recent version of the guide, upon the first filing by the | 34 |
| guardian with the probate court of either of the documents | 35 |
| described in divisions (A)(2)(a) and (b) of this section, as | 36 |
| applicable, after that date. | 37 |
| (C) The probate court shall establish a form for a guardian | 38 |
| to sign acknowledging that the guardian received the following: | 39 |
| (1) The Ohio guardianship guide; | 40 |
| (2) The bill of rights of a ward. | 41 |
| (D) Upon receiving the Ohio guardianship guide with a ward's | 42 |
| bill of rights pursuant to division (A) or (B) of this section, | 43 |
| the guardian shall sign the form specified in division (C) of this | 44 |
| section. | 45 |
| (E) A ward is entitled to certain rights that the guardian | 46 |
| cannot change, and continues to have these rights after a | 47 |
| guardianship is established. These rights are as follows: | 48 |
| (1) To be treated with dignity and respect; | 49 |
| (2) To privacy, which includes the right to privacy of the | 50 |
| body and the right to private, uncensored communication with | 51 |
| others by mail, telephone, or personal visits; | 52 |
| (3) To exercise control over all aspects of life that the | 53 |
| court has not delegated to the guardian; | 54 |
| (4) To appropriate services suited to the ward's needs and | 55 |
| conditions, including mental health services; | 56 |
| (5) To have the guardian consider the ward's personal | 57 |
| desires, preferences, and opinions; | 58 |
| (6) To safe, sanitary, and humane living conditions within | 59 |
| the least restrictive environment that meets the ward's needs; | 60 |
| (7) To marry, if legally able; | 61 |
| (8) To procreate, or to consent or object to sterilization; | 62 |
| (9) To equal treatment under the law, regardless of race, | 63 |
| religion, creed, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, or | 64 |
| political affiliation; | 65 |
| (10) To have explanations of any medical procedures or | 66 |
| treatment; | 67 |
| (11) To have personal information kept confidential; | 68 |
| (12) To review personal records, including medical, | 69 |
| financial, and treatment records; | 70 |
| (13) To speak privately with an attorney, ombudsman, or other | 71 |
| advocate; | 72 |
| (14) To an attorney and independent expert evaluator, and to | 73 |
| have these professionals paid by the court if the ward is | 74 |
| indigent; | 75 |
| (15) To petition the court to modify or terminate the | 76 |
| guardianship; | 77 |
| (16) To bring a grievance against the guardian, request the | 78 |
| court to review the guardian's actions, request removal and | 79 |
| replacement of the guardian, or request that the court restore the | 80 |
| ward's rights if it can be shown that the ward has regained the | 81 |
| capacity to make some or all decisions; | 82 |
| (17) To request a hearing to review the continued need for | 83 |
| the guardianship at least once a year; | 84 |
| (18) To drive, if legally able; | 85 |
| (19) To vote, if legally able. | 86 |