The Texas Silver-Haired Legislature completed the Legislative Session in record time, especially since it was a virtual session rather than an in-person session. Many committee meetings were held virtually beginning in April. The LAC session followed, also virtual, and three days of virtual floor debate followed resulting in the Top Ten resolutions being determined by the use of an electronic voting system called Survey Monkey brought to the membership by The Honorable Pat Gleason-Wynn. Beginning floor debate, there were 54 resolutions to be considered and at the end the following list are the Top Ten:

1. Support Evidence-Based Testing of Cannabis and Allow Licensed Physicians to Legally Prescribe Medical Cannabis
2. Preserve or Increase Funding for Home-Delivered Meals
3. Increase Medicaid Reimbursement to Improve the Quality of Texas Nursing Home Care
4. Increase Access to Healthcare for Seniors Via Telemedicine
5. Prevent Financial Abuse of Older Adult Citizens
6. Grant Full Practice Authority for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs)
7. Offer the Citizens of Texas the Opportunity to Vote on the Expansion of Medicaid
8. Strengthen Public Policy and Initiatives to Expand Rural Broadband Infrastructure in Texas
9. Increase the Personal Needs Allowance for Medicaid Residents in Nursing Homes
10. Enhance Criminal Degree and Fines for Those Who Perpetrate Internet Fraud Against Seniors

A TSHL Executive Committee meeting is scheduled for October 15, previously to be in Lubbock, will be virtual beginning at 2:00 PM. A link will be made available for all members to use to participate in this meeting as desired. Only EC members may vote, but all members are encouraged to attend.

You are invited to submit your concerns about aging issues or questions about TSHL. Questions will be answered by a TSHL member.