COUNTY'S SILVER HAIRED LEGISLATORS ARE SERIOUS

Although they are involved in the legislative process just three days each year, John and Jean Seay take their responsibility as Silver Haired legislators quite seriously.

As elected representatives from senior citizen nutrition centers in Cape Girardeau County, the Seays enjoy the opportunity to work with others around the state to share ideas and potential legislation of importance to the elderly of Missouri.

Priority bills passed in the fall during the session are forwarded on to the Missouri General Assembly in January where they are pushed in the hopes of becoming part of state law.

"After our legislature is over, it is our responsibility to get out and talk to our representatives and senators to impress on them the importance of our bills," said Jean Seay, a Silver Haired legislator for four years.

"We provide a lot of good input on issues involving elderly citizens.

John Seay, a member for five years, said he and his wife likely will spend some time in the state Capitol promoting the package of bills during the 1995 session.

The Silver Haired Legislature is a not-for-profit organization that attempts to draw attention to issues affecting citizens age 60 and older. Each May, delegates are elected to the legislature for staggered two-year terms.

Fifteen delegates are elected from each of the 10 designated Area Agencies on Aging's geographic boundaries in the state, three to serve in the Senate and 12 to serve in the House.

As part of the process, legislators discuss problems with the people they represent and draft bills to propose to the Silver Haired Legislature.

The legislature also has officers and a board of directors that meets several times a year.

Jean Seay said they not only seek input from people they represent but also seek advice from experts on the ideas they are trying to propose as legislation.

Each of the 10 areas can send legislative proposals to the Missouri Division of Aging office, where they are drafted into bills.

Five priority bills were approved this year to submit to the General Assembly.

The top priority is a constitutional amendment creating a state Department of Aging. Currently, it is a division under the Department of Social Services, and supporters of the measure believe department-level status would draw more attention to the needs of seniors.

Another bill would make it easier for seniors to receive payment for pharmaceuticals and reduce the costs of drugs.

The third priority bill would expand funding for nutrition and in-home services for the elderly.

A fourth priority deals with the state juvenile code. It calls for changes in laws related to juveniles and for the appointment of a Juvenile Crime Study Committee to research problems and make recommendations.

A fifth priority is to abolish secret parole hearings. Under this bill, funds would be provided to publish dates of parole hearings for convicted felons in the communities from which the felon would be paroled, as well as in the town of the victim's family.

Other bills that passed but were not one of the top five priorities related to pharmaceutical assistance, universal health care, auto liability insurance and caregiver assistance.

All other bills either failed in committee or on the floor. In all, 22 bills were presented.

The Seays are active in the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. Jean Seay believes that experience provides good input on the kind of legislation that is needed.

"This is a job I've really enjoyed and hope to continue," she said.

"We have an important job of gathering opinions from people in this area about what is needed to help the elderly," added John Seay.

Missouri was the first state to hold a mock legislature for the elderly. It has become a model for the nation and is now done in 22 states.

Missouri's Silver Haired Legislature has convened for 22 years.