Bill
HB 4615
Guardians may not spend a ward’s estate on non-ward relatives unless a court orders it after a hearing with VA notice, and only if a constitutional amendment passes.
HB 4615 (2025) – Summary
Overview
- Purpose: To update the Uniform Veterans' Guardianship Act (1937 PA 321) by making gender-neutral references and clarifying guardians’ limits on using a ward’s estate for others’ support, with an added requirement of court oversight and notice to the Veterans Administration (VA). The bill is tied to a constitutional amendment (HJR F'25) and would not take effect unless that amendment is approved.
- Introduced: June 10, 2025 (Reps. Scott, Pohutsky, McFall, Rheingans, Hoskins, Wooden, etc.)
- Referral: House Committee on Government Operations (initially referred to Human Services; subsequently to Government Operations)
- Related: Companion bill SB 457
What the bill would do
- Amend Section 13 (Maintenance and Support) of the Uniform Veterans’ Guardianship Act (MCL 35.83).
- Core rule (as amended): A guardian may not apply any portion of the ward’s estate for the support or maintenance of persons other than:
- the ward themselves,
- the ward’s minor children, and
- the ward’s spouse if the ward and spouse are living together.
- Exception: A guardian may do so only upon petition to and an order of the court after a hearing, with notice provided to the proper VA office in the manner and time provided in section 9 of the Act.
- Language updates: The amendment page indicates gender-neutralized wording to replace gender-specific references (e.g., “his”/“her”) with inclusive terms, consistent with modernization of the act’s terminology.
Who is affected
- Guardians appointed under the Uniform Veterans’ Guardianship Act:
- Ward: a veteran or individual under guardianship.
- Ward’s spouse (if living with the ward).
- Ward’s minor children.
- VA offices, which must receive notice for certain expenditures as described.
- Courts: required to conduct hearings and issue orders if guardians seek expenditures beyond allowed categories.
- Veterans Affairs: receives notice in specified procedures, per section 9 requirements.
Procedural and timeline notes
- Status and timing:
- Filed March 12, 2025; introduced and read in the House on June 10, 2025.
- Referred to Committee on Government Operations (after initial committee actions in April 2025 on a related path).
- Legislative actions show a public hearing and committee consideration occurred on April 29, 2025, with the bill then left pending in committee at that time.
- Tie-bar mechanism:
- The bill includes a constitutional tie-bar requiring passage of a concurrent constitutional amendment (Senate Joint Resolution and/or House Joint Resolution) to make the act effective. The phrasing indicates the amendment must become part of the Michigan Constitution (1978/1963 framework) before the act takes effect.
Fiscal/operational considerations
- Administrative: Potential minor increases in guardianship oversight and VA notification requirements.
- No explicit fiscal provision or funding allocation is stated in the text provided.
Notes
- Companion bill: SB 457.
- This is a targeted update to align guardianship restrictions with contemporary standards and ensure oversight when guardians seek to use a ward’s estate for non-ward beneficiaries, conditioned on court order and VA notice, and contingent on constitutional amendment approval.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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