Legislation
AUSTIN — The Texas Silver-Haired Legislature (TSHL) will conduct its second of three sessions for the 2019-2021 biennium in Austin, Oct. 20-23 at the Wyndham Garden Hotel.
Barbara Williams of Sulphur Springs and Rhonda Rogers of Paris represent Northeast Texas’ communities and the Ark-Tex Area Agency on Aging in TSHL. Williams is a member of the education committee and serves as secretary for the finance committee. Rogers is the newly-elected Speaker of the House.
The October session is dedicated to member training on identification of issues relating to Texas seniors, legislative research, writing resolutions advocating on behalf of seniors and continuing advocacy prior to and during the 2021 State Legislative session.
The TSHL is nonpartisan and comprised of 90 representatives, 60 years old or older, representing the 28 Texas Area Agencies on Aging. The TSHL works through a committee structure of nine legislative issues committees similar to the Texas Legislature.
“This session is critical both for returning members and newly elected or appointed members. Our members will learn the essentials to be better advocates on behalf of all seniors in Texas and will garner information on topics by researching issues important to seniors and testifying before House and Senate committees on these issues,” Rogers said.
The TSHL will meet in its Legislative session in spring 2020, vote on approval and priority of proposed resolutions, and deliver the report to all members of the State Legislature, the governor and lieutenant governor.
The Texas Silver-Haired Legislature was created by the 69th Texas Legislature in April 1985 to address the needs and concerns of senior citizens in Texas through the legislative process. Since that time, more than 200 bills have passed the Legislature that were directly influenced by the work of the TSHL. Thirteen TSHL resolutions were accomplished, partially or fully, by laws enacted in the 2019 Texas Legislative Session. The TSHL website is www.txshl.org.