The Florida Senate

744.702  Legislative intent.--The Legislature finds that private guardianship is inadequate where there is no willing and responsible family member or friend, other person, bank, or corporation available to serve as guardian for an incapacitated person, and such person does not have adequate income or wealth for the compensation of a private guardian. The Legislature intends through this act to establish the Statewide Public Guardianship Office, and permit the establishment of offices of public guardian for the purpose of providing guardianship services for incapacitated persons when no private guardian is available. The Legislature further finds that alternatives to guardianship and less intrusive means of assistance should always be explored, including, but not limited to, guardian advocates, before an individual's rights are removed through an adjudication of incapacity. The purpose of this legislation is to provide a public guardian only to those persons whose needs cannot be met through less drastic means of intervention.

History.--s. 1, ch. 86-120; s. 97, ch. 89-96; s. 3, ch. 99-277.