| |
| |
|
|
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
|
|
|
WHEREAS, The Texas Silver-Haired Legislature, a volunteer, |
|
|
nonpartisan organization that advocates for older Texans, |
|
|
celebrated the 25th anniversary of its founding in 2010; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Created in 1985 by the 69th Texas Legislature, the |
|
|
TSHL is composed of 116 Texans, age 60 and over, who are elected by |
|
|
older, registered voters to represent the 28 Texas Area Agencies on |
|
|
Aging; collectively, those who serve in the TSHL volunteer more |
|
|
than 15,000 hours annually in service to their fellow seniors; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, During their two-year terms, TSHL members identify |
|
|
public policy issues affecting older citizens, research those |
|
|
issues, and craft pertinent legislative proposals in the TSHL |
|
|
legislative session, which is held every other year at the State |
|
|
Capitol; members subsequently present their legislative report to |
|
|
the governor, state representatives and senators, state officials, |
|
|
and the Texas Aging Network; they also testify at senate and house |
|
|
committee hearings on matters of concern to older residents; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Among the many significant laws passed relating to |
|
|
TSHL resolutions have been Acts establishing the Legislative |
|
|
Committee on Aging, creating the Silver Alert for missing seniors, |
|
|
allowing grandparent caregivers to enroll their grandchildren in |
|
|
school and to access state programs for their grandchildren, |
|
|
requiring criminal history checks of employees and applicants at |
|
|
special care facilities, and setting up a volunteer advocate |
|
|
program for elderly persons; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, For two and a half decades, the work of the Texas |
|
|
Silver-Haired Legislature has promoted the engagement of older |
|
|
Texans in the legislative process and contributed to improved |
|
|
quality of life for older residents of the Lone Star State; now, |
|
|
therefore, be it |
|
|
RESOLVED, That the 82nd Legislature of the State of Texas |
|
|
hereby commemorate the 25th anniversary of the founding of the |
|
|
Texas Silver-Haired Legislature and extend to all those who have |
|
|
ever been associated with the program sincere appreciation for |
|
|
their invaluable service; and, be it further |
|
|
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
|
|
prepared for the Texas Silver-Haired Legislature as an expression |
|
|
of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives and Senate. |