This bill creates a comprehensive framework to protect the rights of older adults and people with disabilities who are in or considering guardianships, conservatorships, and similar legal arrangements. Currently, about 1.3 million Americans are under some form of guardianship, and the bill recognizes that these arrangements often strip away almost all of a person's rights with little chance of getting them back.

The bill establishes fundamental rights for people in these situations, including the right to try less restrictive alternatives first (like supported decision-making, where trusted people help someone make their own decisions rather than making decisions for them), the right to have their own independent lawyer paid for by the government if they can't afford one, and the right to have significant say in decisions about their health, finances, relationships, voting, and daily life. The bill also requires that guardianships be reviewed at least once a year and that people have a clear way to modify or end these arrangements.

To make this work, the bill creates a national council of 30 members—including people currently under guardianship, lawyers, judges, disability advocates, and other experts—to develop detailed standards that states should follow. It also establishes a new oversight program through protection and advocacy organizations to monitor guardianships, help people challenge them, and investigate abuse. States that receive federal funding for disability and aging services will need to follow these new standards.