House Bill 99 Alabama 2026 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Bryan BrinyarkRepresentative

Republican

Session

2026 Regular Session

Title

Guardianships, bill of rights for adults with guardians

Summary

HB99 would establish a Guardianship Bill of Rights for Alabama adults with guardians, outlining access to justice, core rights, and decision-making protections.

What This Bill Does

The bill creates a formal Guardianship Bill of Rights for adults who have guardians. It lists rights related to legal access, participation in court hearings, ability to report concerns, and mechanisms to review or adjust guardianship and the guardian's role. It also protects core human rights and sets standards for decision-making, communication, and privacy, with an effective date of October 1, 2026.

Who It Affects

• Adults with guardians who gain explicit rights to participate in court proceedings, access counsel, communicate concerns, and request reviews of their guardianship and capacity.
• Guardians, courts, and attorneys who must respect and implement the rights, provide accommodations, and evaluate capacity when needed.

Key Provisions

• Establishes the Guardianship Bill of Rights for adults with guardians.
• Defines key terms: 'adult' (range of majority as per state law) and 'guardian' (per existing guardian statute).
• Lists rights for adults with guardians, including access to justice, a lawyer, participation in hearings, ability to raise concerns, request guardianship reviews, capacity evaluations when needed, communication accommodations, and rights explained in the adult's preferred language.
• Affirms core human rights for adults with guardians, such as dignity, freedom from abuse, independence, religious expression, privacy, and safe living/learning/work environments.
• Sets decision-making rights, including a guardian who advocates for the adult's goals, full participation in decisions where possible, access to services in the least restrictive conditions, prudent management of resources, involvement in property decisions, and confidentiality protections.
• States that these rights supplement, not replace, rights already provided by law.
• Effective date: October 1, 2026.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 12, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Family Law