What is the purpose of the SHLS?

The SHLS provides an opportunity for senior Arkansans to:

• learn about the legislative process and become more effective advocates for all seniors in the state
  
  
• bring the issues and concerns of senior Arkansans to the attention of the Arkansas General Assembly and the general public
  
  
• have legislation passed during the SHLS that may become actual Arkansas law

Where can I get more information about the SHLS?

For more information about the Silver Haired Legislative Session, please contact your local Area Agency on Aging or the Arkansas Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Aging and Adult Services.

Little Rock - The Department of Health and Human Services Division of Aging and Adult Services in partnership with the Arkansas Area Agencies on Aging is seeking Arkansans who are at least 60 years old to volunteer to serve as delegates to the fifteenth biennial mock Silver Haired Legislative session August 23-24.    Delegates will act as legislators in this non-partisan session by writing, debating, and voting on bills addressing issues critical to older Arkansans.

Organizers are seeking one delegate from each Arkansas County.  Anyone who is interested in becoming a delegate should contact the Area Agency on Aging in their county or the Division of Aging and Adult Services.  County candidates need to circulate qualifying petitions and submit them to their Area Agency on Aging by March 15, 2006. 
Elected delegates will receive training on topics such as the legislative process, how to write bills, and how a bill becomes a law. 

The Silver Haired Legislative Session has been conducted biennially since its institution by a 1977 General Assembly resolution sponsored by Rep. B. G. Hendrix and the late Rep. W. F. “Bill” Foster.  It is one of at least 28 such sessions held throughout the country to give senior citizens a chance to participate in the legislative process. 

For more information please contact Berdina Nickerson of the Division of Aging and Adult Services at (501) 682-2441 or your local Area Agency on Aging.  You may also access information the DAAS web site at www.state.ar.us/aging.

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The Area Agency on Aging will notify certified candidates about the date and location of the election meeting in the candidate's home county. Candidates must be present at their county election.

Voting is by secret ballot. County voters must be 60 years old or older, residents of the county in which they are voting, and vote in person.  Absentee balloting may be available in some regions. The candidate receiving the most votes will become the SHLS delegate for that county, and the candidate with the second highest number of votes will serve as alternate. 

The 2006 SHLS delegates and alternates will attend a two-day training session to learn about the legislative process and prepare for their work as delegates.

They will meet again in a one-day bill writing session.  All delegates will attend the Fifteenth Biennial Silver Haired Legislative Session in Little Rock at the State Capitol on August 23, & 24, 2006. 

Alternates may observe the SHLS, but do not participate in voting.  A trained alternate may be called on to serve as a delegate if a delegate from the same region is unable to participate.

On the first day, delegates attend a luncheon in the Capitol Rotunda, then adjourn to committee rooms where the bills are introduced, debated, and fine tuned to pieces of legislation that will be voted on the following day. 

On the second day, the delegates meet in the House of Representatives, participate in opening ceremonies, introduce their bills, debate, amend, and vote on their legislation.  The bills and resolutions that passed are sent to all members of the Arkansas General Assembly.

The expenses for delegate participation  in the training, bill writing, and the Capitol session will be reimbursed by the Area Agencies and the Division of Aging and Adult Services according to their usual volunteer reimbursement rate.

Anyone who is interested in becoming a delegate should contact the local Area Agency on Aging or the Division of Aging and Adult Services. County candidates need to circulate qualifying petition forms and submit them to their Area Agency on Aging by March 15, 2006.

You may download a copy of the
Official Candidate's Petition
in Adobe Acrobat Reader format by clicking here.

Acrobat Reader®© is available free from Adobe by clicking here.

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You may read or download a copy of the
2006 Delegate Training Manual
in Adobe Acrobat Reader format by clicking here.

Acrobat Reader®© is available free from Adobe by clicking here.

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