The House Appropriations Committee on Oct. 12 voted to amend Senate Bill 2029 to establish a standalone Office of Guardianship and Conservatorship and to transfer four full-time equivalent positions and related funding out of the judiciary branch.

Representative Lisa Hansen, who presented the amendment, told the committee the change follows action by the House Human Services Policy Committee to rehouse guardianship functions outside the judiciary because of concerns about the parties involved in that work. Hansen said four positions — an executive director, a court monitor, an account analyst and an administrative assistant — will move from the judiciary into the new office and that the package includes roughly $1,200,000 tied to those FTEs.

The amendment also delays transfer of existing program money and some line items currently held in the Department of Human Services and the Office of Management and Budget. Hansen said the measure creates a transition period and establishes an effective date of April 1, 2026, so the new office can begin hiring the four positions in July and the existing guardianship programs can move over nine months later "to avoid gaps in services or checks to entities."

Representative Hansen moved the amendment; Representative Steeman seconded. The committee clerk conducted a roll call and the amendment carried on a recorded vote reported as 22 yes, 0 no and 1 absent. Hansen then moved a do-pass on SB2029 as amended; Steeman seconded and the do-pass as amended motion also passed on the committee roll call. The committee named Representative Fraylik as the bill carrier back to the floor.

Committee members who asked questions or commented included Representative Murphy, who sought clarifications about how the transfer would affect existing judiciary salary lines, and Representative Nelson and others who discussed ensuring continuity of grant payments and operations during the transition. Hansen and others said they had coordinated with senate budget managers overseeing OMB and DHHS to keep funding aligned during the transition.

The action transfers four approved FTEs and associated operation dollars out of the judiciary branch and preserves several program line items in their current agencies until the scheduled transition date. The committee record shows the amendment was intended to maintain continuity of services while creating centralized oversight and accountability for guardianship and conservatorship functions.

The committee did not reference any state statute or code section during the amendment discussion; the change was enacted as a budget and organizational amendment to SB2029. Representative Hansen will serve as the legislative contact on the measure as it moves forward.