The United Way Area Agency on Aging of Jefferson County is now accepting applications for the Jefferson County delegation of the Alabama Silver-Haired Legislature (ASHL).
The Alabama Silver-Haired Legislature is a non-partisan, non-profit organization which was established by the Alabama Legislature on August 8, 1991 and signed into law by Governor Guy Hunt. The ASHL held its first legislative session in 1993. ASHL delegates are elected by their peers and represent their constituent seniors in the same districts as in the Alabama House of Representatives. Anyone who is age 60 and older and a registered voter in the state of Alabama can apply by completing the required forms. Applications and petition forms are available at the United Way Area Agency on Aging of Jefferson County.
The purpose of the ASHL is to inform the Alabama legislators about elderly needs and issues of concern, and to serve as an educational organization for Alabama’s senior citizens.
ASHL delegates work throughout the year to identify the needs of seniors in their district by attending meetings and participating in community events in senior organizations. Delegates are also responsible for drafting resolutions on senior issues that should be addressed at the legislative session.
Each year, a mock legislative session is conducted in Montgomery, usually in October, to educate seniors on the legislative process and to pass resolutions concerning issues of importance Alabama’s seniors. Resolutions are introduced, debated and considered for passage by vote of the members. In the final session, members will identify and prioritize the top issues from those passed during their session. The top 10 of these resolutions are then submitted to the Governor and the Alabama Legislature to consider for actual legislation.
For more information and to obtain the required forms, contact Helen Anderson (aaa@uwaaa.org) at United Way Area Agency on Aging by calling 205-458-2330 or Linda DeMarco (lhdemarco@bellsouth.net) at 205-568-5500. You may also click here for a printable PDF of the application.