The Texas Silver-Haired Legislature (TSHL) conducted its second of three sessions for the 2021-2023 biennium, October 11-13, 2021 at the Courtyard Marriott in Pflugerville. Carol Peters attended the session having been elected to represent the Capital Area Agency on Aging for the 2021-2023 term. Mrs. Peters serves on the TSHL Utilities and Natural Resources Committee and can be reached at 512-268-2610, capeters12@austin.rr.com.
The keynote address for the session was delivered by Grace Kelly, Legislative Directorfor Representative Gary VanDeaver (District 1). Her topic was “What citizens need to know about the state government, the Texas Legislative process, and meeting with legislators and their staffs.” Speaker Rhonda Rogers said, “Our members learned the essentials to be better advocates on behalf of all older adults in Texas, and we are grateful to Ms. Kelly for sharing her knowledge and insights with us.” “Ms. Kelly’s topic was timely since this was our training session that focuses on how each member of the TSHL can identify issues of importance to older Texans, write resolutions to be debated and prioritized by our membership and presented to the Texas Legislature, and ultimately work with the Legislature to get those resolutions turned into bills”
Speaker Rogers said. The TSHL will meet on the floor of the Texas House of Representatives in its Legislative session May 1-6, 2022. There they will debate and vote on resolutions submitted by individual members, and the results of their deliberations will be presented in a Legislative Report delivered to the Governor, Lt. Governor, and all members of the State Legislature.
The TSHL was authorized by Senate Concurrent Resolution 37 in 1985. The nonpartisangroup is modeled after the Texas House and comprised of 86 representatives, 60 years of age or older, who are elected to serve two-year terms by the 28 Area Agencies on Aging from across the State. The TSHL works through a committee structure of eight legislative issues committees similar to the Texas Legislature.
The charge for TSHL is to address the needs and concerns of older adults in Texas through the legislative process. Since 1985, well over 200 bills have passed the Legislature that were directly influenced by the work of the TSHL. Fifteen TSHL resolutions were accomplished, partially or fully, by laws enacted in the 2021 Texas Legislative Session.
For more information on the Texas Silver-Haired Legislature, to submit issues/concerns of olderTexans that the TSHL might address, or to learn more about membership opportunities, visit the TSHL website at www.txshl.org.
