Care Connection for Aging Services is seeking several older community members to represent and advocate for their peers about legislative issues that affect senior Missourians.

Residents 60 and older are being sought to file as candidates for the Silver Haired Legislature, an elected body of citizens who promote legislative advocacy for older adults.

As an Area Agency on Aging, Care Connection oversees a delegation of 12 seats in the Silver-Haired Legislature House of Representatives and 3 seats in the Senate. In all, the Silver Haired Legislature includes 150 older adults representing all 10 area agencies on aging in Missouri.

Representative seats open for election for twoyear terms include those representing these counties: Bates, Benton, Lafayette, Saline, Johnson, Pettis, and Vernon.

Representative seats open for election for a one-year term include those representing Cedar and Hickory/St. Clair counties.

In the SHL Senate, Region 1 has an opening to represent Carroll, Chariton, Lafayette, and Saline counties for two years. Region 2, Senate seat representing Johnson, Pettis, Henry & Benton counties is also open for election as a two-year term.

People who wish to file may call or visit their local senior center and ask the center coordinator for a declaration of candidacy. The candidate must agree in writing to abide by a code of ethics and declare for candidacy. The declaration must be signed and mailed to Care Connection for Aging Services, P.O. Box 1078, Warrensburg, MO 64093 and be postmarked by March 20, 2026.

Since 1973, the SHL has served as a legitimate voice for older adults to support legislation to improve the lives of senior Missourians.

The all-volunteer SHL members are elected in May. After the elections, SHL legislators will meet to elect officers and begin to ascertain the needs of seniors. Bills and resolutions are then prepared for presentation at the statewide conference in the fall.

The SHL meets for two days in the fall in the Capital, Jefferson City, to conduct a model legislative session. Members present, debate and vote on a prepared docket of bills and resolutions. From the docket, five bills having the highest priority are selected as the group’s focus for the upcoming year.

Once the five priorities are chosen, the legislators return to their districts to encourage support of those issues. They testify before the Missouri Senate and House and speak with senior groups regarding those issues.

The 2026 priorities include: • Foot care funding.

• Increasing (PNA) Medicaid Personal Needs Allowance with an inflation rider.

• Resident Dwelling Accessibility Tax Credit (DAT).

• Real property tax exemption for veterans with a 100% VA rated service-connected disability.

• Modify eligibility for Aged and Disabled Medicaid.

SHL delegates also convene at the Capitol in Jefferson City each spring for a regular meeting of the Board of Directors and a chance to meet with legislators and discuss SHL’s achievements and priorities. Travel expenses may be reimbursed.

If you are interested in the position, please call or visit your local senior center and ask for the declaration of candidacy. If you want more information or have questions, call Christina Kanak, SHL Coordinator for Care Connection, at 1-800-748-7826, or visit the website, https:// health.mo.gov/seniors/ silverhaired/ Care Connection is a nonprofit area agency on aging operating 18 locations in 13 West Central Missouri counties, including Bates, Benton, Carroll, Cedar, Chariton, Henry, Hickory, Johnson, Lafayette, Pettis, Saline, St. Clair, and Vernon. The agency mission is to provide opportunities to create positive aging experiences. For more information, visit www. goaging.org Local Care Connection centers include:

Carroll County

• 315 N Jefferson St Carrollton, MO 64633 660-336-4112

Lafayette County

• Concordia Senior Center 710 Main Concordia, MO 64020 660-463-7393

• Higginsville Senior Center 2100 Walnut Higginsville, MO 64037 660-584-7040

• Margaret Gray Center 8111 C S. Business Highway 13 Lexington, MO 64067 660-259-2025

Saline County

• Marshall Senior Center 14 E. Morgan Marshall, MO 65340 660-886-9888