The Department of Human Services, Division of Aging and Adult Services, in partnership with the Arkansas Area Agencies on Aging, is seeking Arkansans 60 and older to volunteer as delegates to the 20th Biennial Silver Haired Legislative Session.
The event will be held Wednesday and Thursday, Aug. 17-18. Delegates will serve as legislators in this non-partisan session by writing, debating, and voting on bills addressing issues critical to older Arkansans.
Organizers are seeking one delegate from each county in Arkansas. Anyone interested in becoming a delegate should contact the Area Agency on Aging in their county or the Division of Aging and Adult Services.
County candidates need to circulate qualifying petitions and submit them to their Area Agency on Aging by April 15. Elected delegates will receive training on topics such as the legislative process, how to write bills, and how a bill becomes a law.
The Silver Haired Legislative Session has been conducted biennially since its institution by a 1977 General Assembly resolution sponsored by Rep. B.G. Hendrix and the late Rep. W.F. “Bill” Foster. It is one of at least 28 such sessions held throughout the country to give senior citizens a chance to participate in the legislative process. Bills from the SHLS also have an opportunity to be introduced at a regular legislative session and that has occurred several times.
Details: Gwen Ervin-McLarty of the Division of Aging and Adult Services, 501-320-6557, gwen.mclarty@dhs.arkansas.gov, the local Area Agency on Aging or the DAAS website at http://www.daas.ar.gov/
Southeast Arkansas is serviced by Area Agency on Aging of Southeast Arkansas Inc., P.O. Box 8569, Pine Bluff, Ark., 71611, or call 543-6300.