State Council on Developmental Disabilities: appointing authorized representatives.

Existing law prescribes the order of preference for selection of the representative to be the person's parent, involved family members, or a volunteer selected by the state council, if the person does not express a preference, and requires the request of the parents or involved family members to be appointed to be honored unless the person expresses otherwise or good cause otherwise exists.

This bill would limit the appointment of an authorized representative to up to one year, with annual renewals, and would authorize the state council to conduct an investigation to determine whether the interests of the person will not be properly protected or advocated for without the appointment of a representative. The bill would also authorize the state council to make contingent appointments of authorized representatives, as specified, and would authorize the state council to remove an authorized representative or contingent authorized representative at any time for good cause or if the authorized representative is unwilling or unable to continue serving.

The bill would provide that "good cause" for purposes of the previously-described provisions exist when the proposed authorized representative has made, or is likely to make, decisions that are inconsistent with the expressed wishes of the person with developmental disabilities or inconsistent with protecting the person's rights or interests.