Senate Bill 2345 Summary

• North Dakota Supreme Court must establish a task force on guardianship monitoring including representatives from guardianship programs, service providers, family guardians, judges, and attorneys to address guardian accountability and protections.

• Task force shall recommend regulations for enhancing guardianship monitoring programs to investigate suspected guardian mismanagement, including certification and training requirements for guardian investigators aligned with national guardianship association standards.

• Regulations must establish procedures for investigating referrals from judicial officers, vulnerable adult service divisions, protection and advocacy groups, social workers, ombudsman programs, Medicaid fraud control units, and other entities serving vulnerable adults.

• Social worker licensure board authority expanded to waive examination requirements and create alternative qualification processes that do not require examinations for licensure.

• $290,000 appropriated from general fund to judicial branch for biennium beginning July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2025, with authorization for one full-time equivalent position to administer the guardianship monitoring program.