ALBANY, NY (WRGB) — As the clock ticks down in Albany with less than seven active days left in this year’s legislative session, state lawmakers and advocates say guardianship laws need to be reformed.
A bill that would accomplish this is called, “Karilyn’s Law.”
The legislation is named after Karilyn Montanti, a senior who advocates of this bill say is a victim of the guardianship system. Her loved ones say they’ve been denied visitation.
Karilyn’s Law would prevent a guardian, are manager, or power of attorney from terminating visitation rights and isolating vulnerable individuals who are being held in involuntary guardianship.
This new legislation would provide for the ward or family members - some of whom say they’ve been denied their due process rights to be heard and the right to an evidentiary hearing.
Karilyn’s daughter, Christina Montanti, says she hopes this bill will be enacted into law. She feels it would set up safeguards for NYS’s most vulnerable individuals.
“This is what my mother looked like before these individuals began isolating her and this is what she looked like four months later. She dropped three clothing sizes and she appeared to look years older than she did prior to the isolation. She was pleading for help,” added Christine Montanti.
Christine is expected to join lawmakers at 11AM Monday on the
million-dollar staircase inside the Capitol to make a push for this bill
to get attention before the session ends.
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