This afternoon, in the circular chamber known as Room 15 in the state Capitol, I watched the first round of what’s likely to be a spirited tussle over proposed restrictions on the power of guardians and conservators in Minnesota. Granted sweeping powers over the finances and lives of others, these court-appointed caretakers face little regulation in Minnesota. Motivated by tales of abuses of the vulnerable, advocates for seniors, the mentally ill and disabled want to change that.

They were buoyed by my Feb. 15 story about Peggy Greer, whose guardian and conservator spent $672,000 before she regained her rights. Those urging caution include professional guardians and conservators and attorneys who represent them in probate court.

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Someone who read my Feb. 15 story about Peggy Greer’s money-draining experience under a guardian and conservator was taken by this passage:

Shortly after that, Greer wrote to [conservator William] Sanden, asking for $1,000 to fulfill a lifelong dream. She wanted to self-publish a novel she had written about an American Indian, titled “Face of Light, Face of Stone.” She was told she didn’t have any money left.

Greer received a $1,000 check from a stranger, her son Terry reports, as well as an offer from a printer in Appleton, Minnesota to typeset her book. “I am blown away by the kindness of these people,” Terry Greer wrote to me in an email.

I’m continuing to get calls, emails and letters about guardian and conservator matters. I’ll be writing more about this in the weeks ahead, as well as tracking the progress of legislative measures that would tighten the oversight of guardians and conservators in Minnesota.

A bill that would tighten the screening and oversight of guardians and conservators was introduced in the Minnesota House this week, with a Senate bill reportedly on the way on Thursday. Here’s the text of the bill, which expands upon the recommendations of a study group’s report last month. You can track the progress of the bill through the Legislature’s handy bill search - just type the bill number, 804, in the box. What’s new in the bill is underlined - everything else is existing law.

Here’s the bill’s 15-point bill of rights for wards and protected persons:

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I’ve spent a good part of today taking your calls and emails, following my Sunday story about Peggy Greer’s two years under a guardianship and conservatorship. Judging by those contacts, as well as the story comments, the story has elicited some strong reactions - many relating similar experiences in probate court, some expressing outrage over what happened, others saying the story was one-sided and unfair. I’ll leave the readers to decide what to take away from the story, but all sides have fastened on details within the story to make their points. And I concede that a great deal of information that I received did not get into the story, as is true with all newspaper stories.

But the wondrous Internet does give me the possibility to direct those interested to further reading. I’ll start with last month’s study group report on guardians and conservators in Minnesota. It includes recommendations to the Legislature for changing the system. Here are some more places to research the issue:

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