Representatives of the Silver-Haired Legislature gave the program at Thursday’s meeting of the Trenton Rotary Club. Donita Youtsey was the program chairman.
John Murphy, who is the northwest district board president; Freida Miller, who is the northwest district coordinator; and Edna Foster, who is the Grundy County representative to the board all spoke to the Rotary Club members. Murphy gave a history of the Silver-Haired Legislature, which is made up of representatives from throughout Missouri, age 60 and older, who advocate for senior citizens and work on legislative priorities they would like to see passed in the General Assembly. Missouri had the first such legislature in the U.S., Murphy said, and is currently working on its legislative priorities for the upcoming year. They include increased funding for home-delivered and congregate meals, a 10 percent increase in the Medicaid home-delivered meal rate, expansion of Medicaid, an increase in the allowable asset level for persons on MO HealthNet, establishment of a Senior Services Enhancement Funding Program, an increase in transportation funding, financial assistance for seniors for medically necessary hearing, vision and dental services through MO HealthNet, a ban on texting on any hand-held cell device by any driver of any age when operating a vehicle and reasonable restrictions of payday loans.
Ms. Miller talked about the delegate selection process, which includes election of a delegate from each county based on voting done at senior centers throughout the state. Any Missouri resident age 60 and older is eligible to vote. Once the delegates are selected, they meet to establish area priorities, which are then taken to a state meeting where the final state priorities are decided.
Mrs. Foster talked about several laws now in effect which started out as Silver-Haired Legislature priorities. The include exploitation of elderly and elder abuse laws, deletion of sales tax on pharmaceuticals, permanent funding for CLAIM, creation of the Missouri Senior Rx Program, the Senior Savings Protection Act, increasing the personal needs allowance for Medicaid residents in long-term care facilities and notification of lien against real estate property.
During the business meeting, it was announced the club would be ticket takers at the demolition derby on Aug. 6 during the North Central Missouri Fair. Members were reminded that the $40 payment due to meet the “Every Rotarian, Every Year” campaign will be due by June 30.
Next week’s meeting will be a committee meeting and planning for the upcoming year.
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