Senior Tar Heel Legislature Met in Chapel Hill
The seventy-third session of the North Carolina Senior Tar Heel Legislature met last month in Chapel Hill. Over 75% of North Carolina counties were represented, including Transylvania County.
John Moran, Director of Investor Protection and Education Services Program, spoke to the Session, giving beneficial data, contact information and a packet prepared by the Department of the Secretary of State. He included information on Investor Alert, Scamming, Frauds aimed at Senior Citizens, Ponzi Schemes, Unsuitable Investments and the Advance Health Care Directive Registry.
Bill Mueller, Delegate and Chair of the Resolutions Committee, addressed the session with information about the duties for the six issue committees. The committees are: Long Term Care, chaired by Rev. Howard Whitehurst; General Legislation, chaired by Kaye White; Health, chaired by Linda Blake; Enrichment Opportunities, chaired by Dr. Earlena Lowry; Crime/Safety/Security, chaired by Rosalyn Pettyford and Service Access chaired by Charles Jefferson. Almost 50 resolutions were distributed to the various committees with the duty of prioritizing the top three resolutions in each committee for a total of 18 resolutions. These 18 resolutions will be narrowed down to five priorities at the October meeting and will constitute the legislative agenda for the North Carolina Senior Tar Heel Legislature for the 2019 state legislative session.
Mary Edwards, with the Division of Aging and Adult Services, gave a legislative update concerning bills she is tracking for the NCSTHL. She advised that the recently passed state budget passed increased funding of the North Carolina Home and Community Care Block Grant by $1,000,000. The Home and Community Care Block Grant funds public services provided to older adults.
The North Carolina General Assembly established the North Carolina Senior Tar Heel Legislature in 1993. The purpose of the NCSTHL is to provide information to senior citizens on the legislative process and matters being considered by the North Carolina General Assembly, to promote citizen involvement and advocacy concerning aging issues before the North Carolina General Assembly and to assess the legislative needs of older citizens by convening a forum modeled after the North Carolina General Assembly. Each of the 100 North Carolina counties is entitled to one delegate and one alternate, who must be age 60 or older, to the North Carolina Senior Tar Heel Legislature. The North Carolina Division of Aging and Adult Services provides staff support for the NCSTHL in cooperation with the 16 Area Agencies on Aging, which are responsible for conducting the selection of Delegates and Alternates.
For more information on the Senior Tar Heel Legislature or to provide input on its advocacy efforts and legislative priorities you may contact Transylvania County’s delegate, Pat Roberts, at [email protected]. Roberts is a retired attorney residing in Lake Toxaway.