For the first time in its 35-year history, members of the Texas Silver-Haired Legislature (TSHL) will not be hand-delivering its Legislative Report to offices in the State Capitol. Instead, the report – recommending actions on issues of concern to Texas Seniors – has been electronically submitted, with a printed copy mailed to Texas lawmakers, for consideration in the 2021 State Legislative Session.
“It’s very disappointing and unfortunate that COVID-19 has prevented us from the personal contact that has been so important in the past to carry out our activities as advocates for older Texans,” said Rhonda Rogers, Speaker of TSHL.
“But the good news is that we recognized that we could not safely meet in person; so we, like many other organizations, transitioned all of our deliberations from face-to-face to virtual meetings,” Rogers added. That included conducting its biannual Legislative Session virtually instead of convening on the House floor at the Texas State Capital, according to Speaker Rhonda Rogers. The session, originally scheduled in early May, was postponed until July 27-29 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
54 of the sixty resolutions were ultimately passed by TSHL, with 56 TSHL members statewide in “virtual” attendance. These resolutions cover the full range of senior related issues and are included in the TSHL Legislative Report – a result of over 50 virtual committee and general session meetings.
The Top 10 Resolutions, ranked in order by the TSHL membership were: Allow/Support Increased Testing and Licensing to Prescribe Medical Cannabis; Preserve/Increase Funding on Home-delivered Meals; Increase Telemedicine Access for Seniors; Increase Medicaid Reimbursement to improve the quality of Texas Nursing Home Care; Prevent Financial Abuse of Older Adult Citizens; Grant Full Practice Authority to Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs); Offer Citizens of Texas the Opportunity to Vote on the Expansion of Medicaid; Increase the Personal Needs Allowance (PNA) for Medicaid Residents of Nursing Homes; Strengthen Public Policy/Initiatives to Expand Rural Broadband Infrastructure; and, Enhance Criminal Degree and Fines for Those who Perpetrate Internet Fraud against Seniors.
“I’m truly proud of the dedication and commitment of this delegation,” Rogers said. “We have demonstrated that we still have the capability and willingness to learn and be useful. So, this session is truly historical for us, and one that we will remember forever,” she said.
Local resident, Barbara Williams, was among the 56 members participating in the virtual sessions. She and Speaker, Rhonda Rogers represent the Ark-Tex Area which includes Paris, Sulphur Springs and Texarkana.
The TSHL is a non-partisan body created by the 69th Texas Legislature with the adoption of SCR 37, on April 3, 1985. Since its inception, some 700+ Texans 60 years of age or older have been elected to serve in TSHL.
Additional information is available on the website, www.txshl.org.