Silver-Haired Legislature

The MARC Silver-Haired Legislature delegation is made up of volunteers from Cass, Clay, Jackson, Platte and Ray counties. SHL Volunteers participate in the following activities each year:

1. Solicit feedback about the needs and interests of older adults in their districts.
2. Research policies and programs serving older adults in other.
3. Meet in the fall to participate in a model legislative session to determine the next year’s priorities. The members present, debate and vote on a docket of bills and resolutions.
4. Advocate to their senators and representatives about the SHL legislative priorities. A Silver-Haired Legislature Advocacy Day is held at the capitol annually.

SHL delegates chose the following issues as their top five priorities to support for the 2025 legislative session:

1. Improve the Missouri Property Tax Credit (AKA Circuit Breaker) and add annual indexing.
2. Increase the Personal Needs Allowance and add annual indexing. 
3. Increase Excise Tax on tobacco products to benefit AAA transportation fund. 
4. Increase Medicaid income eligibility limits for the Aged and Disabled category from 85% of Federal Poverty Level (FPL) to 133% of FPL, in line with non-disabled adults accessing the Medicaid expansion category, a difference of around $600 a month in allowable income. 
5. Increase Medicaid Asset Level.

The Missouri Silver-Haired Legislature has the distinction of being the very first organization of its kind in the United States. In 1973, a small group of senior citizens met with the President Pro Tem of the Senate, William Cason, to discuss and form a group whose specific purpose was to advocate for issues impacting older adults. Throughout the years, SHL has served as a legitimate voice for older adults, to support legislation to improve the lives of Missourians.