Newsom signs #FreeBritney bill to reform conservatorship laws
CBSN
California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a law to reform conservatorships in California, after pop star Britney Spears' public fight to win her freedom from her father.
The new law comes as a Los Angeles judge suspended Spears' father, Jamie Spears, from the conservatorship that has controlled the singer's career, financial and personal decisions for 13 years.
The California law aims to close loopholes in a system that lawmakers say lacks accountability and transparency. Among other things, it will require nonprofessional conservators who oversee an estate valued at more than a million dollars to register as a professional, to provide training and transparency. The law also establishes a civil penalty of up to $50,000 if a court finds a conservator has not acted in the best interest of the client, and gives conservatees more control over their legal representation.
