Woman attends model legislative session

St Louis Cardinals Donate to Kenny Rogers CenterSoutheast Missourian

Loretta Schneider of Cape Girardeau, first vice president of the board of directors and chairwoman for the Southeast Missouri Area Agency of the Silver Haired Legislature, recently attended a model legislative session at Jefferson City. Schneider, who has served for three years, first read about SHL in the Southeast Missourian and decided to follow up on it.

After the session, delegates return to their respective areas to talk to their legislators about what occurred. Delegates also make presentations to their local senior center groups, the AARP, local agencies on aging and other organizations interested in senior issues. Many also come to Jefferson City to testify before legislative committees when a particular bill is being considered.

The SHL is an elected body of residents 60 years of age or older that promotes conscientious legislative advocacy for Missouri's older adults. All members are volunteers.

Elections are held annually at the local area agencies on aging's nutrition or senior centers. Senior citizens elect three senators and 12 representatives from each of the 10 area agencies on aging. Following elections, legislators meet to elect officers and ascertain the needs of seniors in their districts. Bills and resolutions are then drawn up and prepared for presentation at the state-wide conference in the fall.

Docket of bills

During the model legislative session the SHL members present, debate and vote on a prepared docket of bills. This year the mock legislature hashed out 21 bills. Five bills having the highest priority are selected from the docket as the main focus in the Missouri Legislature for the upcoming year.

"Legislators look to us for advice on what's important to seniors and dependent individuals since we are a well- informed group in those areas," Schneider said. "We try to get the attention of our legislators so that when the House goes into session in January they're all ready."

This session's five priority bills were on home-delivered meals, transportation, property tax relief, funding the Silver Haired Legislature and limiting interest on unsecured loans of less than $500.

For more information, call Loretta Schneider at 335-3546.