Silver haired legislators

Watch out Tryon Lewis.

Local Texas Silver-Haired Legislature members are about to come knocking.

Pat Porter and Jonell Sims are the Permian Basin's representatives on the TSHL, an elderly advocacy group that's structured similarly to the Texas Legislature. TSHL members are elected by their colleagues every two years and have their own legislative session in September to draft resolutions on various issues that affect the elderly in the hope that state representatives will pass them into law.

Porter and Sims are planning on working with Lewis, Odessa's new state representative, and other legislators in January's 81st session to ensure that TSHL's set of ordinances are taken up in the Texas House.

No. 1 on the list - establishing a state legislative committee on aging.

"That includes health care, legal, transportation, long-term care - anything that touches people over 60," Porter said Wednesday. "In the next 20 years, we're going to have a tremendous influx of people over 60 years of age in the state of Texas. We've got to start planning for that. In fact we're probably 10 years behind the curve now."

TSHL members envision the committee as a resource for legislators to use if state agencies propose new laws that affect the elderly.

"The Texas Legislature is made up of young white males from urban areas, and they don't have a clue what goes on west of I-35," Porter said. "It is our job to keep putting a face on what's west of I-35 as well as senior issues. They haven't quite caught on yet that their parents and grandparents are going to be affected tremendously with what's happening and what's coming."

TSHL members are also pushing for more state funding for Medicaid, public transportation and long-term care, particularly community-based health care programs that allow the elderly to stay out of nursing homes if they're able.

It costs Medicaid about $3,000 a month to keep someone in a nursing home, Porter said, and sometimes that still falls short.

"Medicaid doesn't come close to covering those costs," she said. "(Nursing homes) hope that they have enough private pay residents to make up the difference. Or you can decline to accept anymore Medicaid patients. Then where do they go? They don't have a place to go."

Transportation's another big issue on the TSHL agenda.

Porter stressed the need for rural public transportation for the elderly. West Texas Opportunities bus routes are about the only way for elders to get around if they're not able to drive themselves, but those buses don't take riders into Odessa or Midland's city limits per their operating agreement. 

"You think about McCamey, Rankin, Crane - all these little communities out here, everybody has to come to Odessa for anything," she said. "They have to come into Odessa or Midland for doctor's appointments. The big picture difference between rural and urban is we have time and distance challenges."

Permian Basin Regional Planning Commission's Area Agency on Aging Director Jeannie Raglin said some of her clients face up to three-hour drives to get medical care.

"The state's really good about helping us, and that's why we have our TSHL, because they are the advocates for our region," Raglin said. "I stand behind 100 percent anything those TSHL members can do to improve the quality of life for any person over 60."

TSHL members are hoping they can convince legislators to cap annual property tax valuation increases at 5 percent to lessen the burden on income-strapped seniors. Porter said with some elderly having to choose between medication and food, a property tax increase just compounds the problem.

"If your appraisal value on your property went up 10 percent, your taxes went up," she said. "The tax rate stayed the same, but the amount of money you're paying went up dramatically."

The average appraised value of a home in Ector County this year is $99,529. There was an $80,983 average last year. That figure takes in dozens of newly built homes valued at more than $100,000, so those figures don't necessarily mean that a home valued at $80,893 last year jumped to $99,529 in value this year.

"When (counties) start raising the valuation on their property just because you can, you're taking money out of their pocket that they don't have to give you," Porter said.

And grandparents' rights made this year's resolution priority list this year.

TSHL wants legislators to encourage the state education and health and human services departments to allow grandparents who don't have legal custody of their grandkids to enroll them in school and consent to medical treatment on the child's behalf.

They also want older caregivers to have access - with proper documentation - to state housing, legal, educational and medical care and counseling services.

Sims is a newbie on the TSHL representing Ector and Midland counties. She was elected in late May.

Porter represents 15 counties in the area, including Andrews, Ward and Borden, where she lives on a ranch.

"It will be interesting to see how many resolutions make it to the floor," Sims said.

She got interested in serving on TSHL after the Texas Federation of Republican Women president suggested it. Sims said she doesn't know a whole lot about the process yet, but she got a nice taste during TSHL's session in September. The group uses the state House chamber in the capitol for their meetings.

"It made you feel really important," she joked.

AT A GLANCE

>> What: Texas Silver-Haired Legislature.

>> When: The state Legislature established the TSHL in 1985.

>> Who: Up to 117 seniors 60 and older are elected to a two-year term by their peers from 28 Area Agency on Aging districts across Texas.

>> Why: The group drafts resolutions in their own legislative session to present to state legislators when they convene in Austin. The group hopes representatives will turn its resolutions into law.

Source: TSHL.