If a guardian has been appointed for the estate of a patient in a facility within the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, the court shall order the guardian to pay the amount of the state's claim for care and treatment. If no guardian has been appointed, the claim of the state against a patient for his care and treatment may be collected by suit or other proceedings against the patient brought in the name of the state by the district attorney of the county from which said patient was sent or any county in which the patient may have property. The claim of the state against a husband, wife, the parents and the children of any patient for his care and treatment may be collected by suit or other proceedings in the name of the state against the husband, the wife, a parent, a child, or any two or more of them.

Added by Laws 1953, p. 173, § 115, emerg. eff. June 3, 1953; Amended by Laws 1986, c. 103, § 60, eff. November 1, 1986; Renumbered from § 115 by Laws 1986, c. 103, § 103, eff. November 1, 1986; Amended by Laws 1990, c. 51, § 92, emerg. eff. April 9, 1990; Amended by Laws 2003, HB 1266, c. 46, § 33, emerg. eff. April 8, 2003 (superseded document available).