Delegates to the Silver-Haired Legislature choose their priorities for 2023

The 65 delegates in attendance chose their top five priorities and formulated plans to advocate for senior issues during the coming legislative session.

The delegates chose these issues as their priorities for the 2023 legislative session:

1. No income tax on Social Security income.
2. Real estate tax relief for seniors.
3. Absentee and early voting for seniors.
4. Increase Medicaid asset level.
5. Authorize the Department of Health and Senior Services Section for Long-Term Care to include dementia-specific training in licensure for health facilities accepting dementia patients

Missouri’s Silver Haired Legislature was founded in 1973, the first in the nation after the Older Americans Act was amended to include advocacy groups. The SHL is composed of fifteen volunteers from each of the ten statewide Area Agencies on Aging. These 150 senior advocates, elected by their peers, identify and advocate for issues critical to older Missourians.