Britney Spears' 13-year conservatorship has prompted the birth of the #FreeBritney movement, which argues that the legal restraints have taken advantage of the pop superstar's personal and professional autonomy. Now, California lawmakers are considering changes to state regulations that could impact her case in Los Angeles.
As per The Los Angeles Times, proposals in the California Legislature have pivoted to strengthening the requirements of conservatorships, with the need for additional oversight and training of those in charge of another person’s care and finances. Spears' case has gone from fan-backed conspiracy theory to full blown movement, in part thanks to the February release of Framing Britney Spears, where The New York Times investigated the entertainer's legal set-up. The conservatorship prevents the star from her basic rights and fans suspect that something is going awry behind the scenes. In the report, Assemblyman Evan Low (D-San Jose) chimed in on the issue, arguing that the buzzed about documentary highlighted "some of the worst aspects of the system and the fact that it does not always protect individuals like her."
Low's Assembly Bill 1194 would require individuals appointed as conservators (who are not licensed professionals) to undergo 10 hours of financial abuse training. Spears' case is a the helm of her father, Jamie, a nonprofessional conservator. AB 1194 would require individuals like him to register with the state's oversight agency, the Professional Fiduciaries Bureau. This would apply to estates valued at $1 million or more. Additionally, AB 1194 would remove the court's say in deciding whether a conservator can refer or hire any business in which they have a financial interest to work in on behalf of the estate that they are spearheading. "There are many people who are seniors or vulnerable in other ways and are being taken advantage of," Low continued. "We want to ensure that we are taking care of those who can’t take care of themselves."
Meanwhile, senate Bill 724 by Sen. Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica) calls for the right for the conservatee to chose their own attorney even if the person's capacity to make sound decisions is up for question. Spears was denied the right to hire her own attorney in 2008, as per multiple lawyers. Adam Streisand, in particularly, said he was barred from joining her team because her undisclosed medical report prompted the court to deem her mentally unable to make that decision for herself. "When someone wants to limit the civil liberties and personal freedoms of Californians through a conservatorship, proposed conservatees should have the right to select an attorney of their own choosing to defend them in court," Allen said in a statement. "Why should the same rights and due process we guarantee criminal defendants not also be given to conservatees?"
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