OH HB488

Authorizes courts of common pleas and county courts to employ legal counsel without competitive bidding when the prosecuting attorney has a conflict of interest or fails to act, with compensation capped at the prosecuting attorney's annual salary

Lowers the age at which a minor may select their own guardian from fourteen to twelve years old

Increases the threshold for minor estate settlements without appointing a guardian from $5,000 annually to $25,000 total

Adds new definitions for guardian types including "limited guardian," "standby guardian," "interim guardian," "emergency guardian," and "successor guardian," and establishes specific timeframes and procedures for each

Requires guardianship applications for alleged incompetents to include a statement of expert evaluation from a licensed professional who examined the proposed ward within three months, and allows courts to waive subsequent biennial evaluations if the ward's condition will not improve