Date: September 26, 2007
Contact: Barbara Schoof Conant
barbara.conant@aging.ks.gov
Director of Communications
(785) 296-6154
Secretary of State Ron Thornburgh will administer the oath of office and Kathy Greenlee, Secretary of the Kansas Department on Aging, will give the welcome as the 2007 Kansas Silver Haired Legislature convenes Oct. 2. Because of the Statehouse renovation, the 25th annual session of the Silver Haired Legislature will be held Oct. 2-3 at the Ramada Hotel and Convention Center.
The Silver Haired Legislature is a body of individuals age 60 and older who are elected by their peers through the 11 Area Agencies on Aging. The body meets annually to develop bills and resolutions that advocate for Kansas seniors. The Silver Haired Legislature advocates for senior issues during the legislative session.
Following the Oct. 2 opening session at 8 a.m., bills will be introduced and testimony will be heard in committees beginning at 9 a.m. The SHL will discuss the body’s position on a variety of bills currently under consideration by the Kansas Legislature.
House Bill 2387 to provide an amount of sales tax collected on out-of-state catalog and internet sales by Kansans with the proceeds being placed in a Senior Trust Fund under the auspices of the Kansas Department on Aging.
House Bill 2388 to provide 2 additional regional ombudsmen in the state, bringing the total regional ombudsmen to 11, one for each Area Agency on Aging Planning and Service Area (PSA) in Kansas.
House Bill 2395 to provide the proceeds of the "new" tobacco settlement monies to be placed in a Senior Trust Fund under the auspices of KDOA.
The group also drafts legislation and resolutions that are then proposed to the Kansas Legislature. This year’s SHL legislation includes:
SHL Bill No. 2401 enacting the geriatric mental health act and establishing a geriatric mental health service program administered by KDOA.
SHL Bill No. 2402 providing for mandatory reinstatement of certain insurance policies.
SHL Bill No. 2403 providing for a certain amount of expanded lottery act revenues derived through lottery gaming activity under 2007 SB 66 to be set aside for the senior services fund and a new health care for seniors fund.
SHL Resolution No. 2404 commending the Kansas Legislature for past actions providing for post-retirement benefit increases and requesting consideration and enactment during the 2008 regular session of the Kansas Legislature of an additional post-retirement benefit increase to provide a cost of living adjustment (COLA) for retirees.
SHL Resolution No. 2405 urging the Kansas Legislature to enact 2007 SB 217 or 2007 HB 2244, or similar legislation, during the 2008 regular session, to help combat predatory payday lending practices and to enact similar legislation to regulate or prohibit income tax refund advance lending practices that adversely affect elderly and other residents of Kansas.