HB5686 Summary

• Establishes that a short-term guardian appointment does not constitute consent for court-ordered guardianship of a minor.

• Creates a rebuttable presumption that if a short-term guardian was previously appointed, it is in the minor's best interest to remain in the short-term guardian's care, with the burden on the petitioner to prove otherwise by preponderance of evidence.

• Requires guardians to notify the court of any change in the minor's residence within 30 days by certified mail, hand delivery, or other court-approved method.

• Grants courts authority to require guardians seeking to remove a minor from Illinois for 30 days or more to obtain prior court approval, with the burden on the guardian to prove removal is in the child's best interest.

• Requires short-term guardians to be listed in guardianship petitions as nearest relatives and mandates that short-term guardian appointment documents be attached to court petitions for guardianship or standby guardianship.