(a) Except as provided in subdivision (c), before the establishment of a conservatorship of the person or estate, or both, the court shall inform the proposed conservatee of all of the following:
(1) The nature and purpose of the proceeding.
(2) The establishment of a conservatorship is a legal adjudication of the proposed conservatee’s inability to properly provide for his or her personal needs or to manage the conservatee’s own financial resources, or both, depending on the allegations made and the determinations requested in the petition, and the effect of such an adjudication on the proposed conservatee’s basic rights.
(3) (A) The proposed conservatee may be disqualified from voting pursuant to Section 2208 of the Elections Code if he or she is incapable of communicating, with or without reasonable accommodations, a desire to participate in the voting process.
(B) The proposed conservatee shall not be disqualified from voting on the basis that he or she does, or would need to do, any of the following to complete an affidavit of voter registration:
(i) Signs the affidavit of voter registration with a mark or a cross pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 2150 of the Elections Code.
(ii) Signs the affidavit of voter registration by means of a signature stamp pursuant to Section 354.5 of the Elections Code.
(iii) Completes the affidavit of voter registration with the assistance of another person pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 2150 of the Elections Code.
(iv) Completes the affidavit of voter registration with reasonable accommodations.
(4) The identity of the proposed conservator.
(5) The nature and effect on the proposed conservatee’s basic rights of any order requested under Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 1870), and in the case of an allegedly developmentally disabled adult, the specific effects of each limitation requested in such order.
(6) The proposed conservatee has the right to oppose the proceeding, to have the matter of the establishment of the conservatorship tried by jury, to be represented by legal counsel if the proposed conservatee so chooses, and to have legal counsel appointed by the court if unable to retain legal counsel.
(b) After the court so informs the proposed conservatee and before the establishment of the conservatorship, the court shall consult the proposed conservatee to determine the proposed conservatee’s opinion concerning all of the following:
(1) The establishment of the conservatorship.
(2) The appointment of the proposed conservator.
(3) Any order requested under Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 1870), and in the case of an allegedly developmentally disabled adult, of each limitation requested in such order.
(c) This section does not apply where both of the following conditions are satisfied:
(1) The proposed conservatee is absent from the hearing and is not required to attend the hearing under subdivision (a) of Section 1825.
(2) Any showing required by Section 1825 has been made.
(Amended by Stats. 2016, Ch. 86, Sec. 246. (SB 1171) Effective January 1, 2017.)