The 42nd Annual Conference of the Silver Haired Legislature took place at the state Capitol in Jefferson City on Oct. 21-23.The 126 delegates in attendance chose their priorities and formulated plans to advocate for senior issues during the coming legislative session.After spirited debates in the Legislative chambers, the delegates chose these issues as their top five priorities for the 2016 legislative session:1. Increase funding for home-delivered and congregate meals provided by Area Agencies on Aging.2. Increase the Medicaid home-delivered meal rate by 10 percent, increasing the current rate of $5.74 to $6.31.3. Expand Missouri HealthNet programs.4. Increase MO HealthNet Allowable Asset amount to $2,000 for an individual and $4,000 for a couple starting in 2017, and incrementally thereafter, so that by 2020 the limit will be $5,000 for an individual and $10,000 for married couples.5. Establish the Senior Services Enhanced Funding Program (propose collecting 1 percent fee from health insurance companies on the sale of each Medicare plan to be used as a funding source for Area Agencies on Aging Services).Anyone interested in learning further details about the priorities of the Silver Haired Legislature is encouraged to call or email Pam Windtberg, Northeast Missouri Area Agency on Aging, at 800-664-6338 or nemoaaa@sbcglobal.com or SHL delegate Walt Bittle, of Warrenton, at 636-456-5603 or waltb50@charter.net.Missouri’s Silver Haired Legislature was founded in 1973, the first in the nation after the Older Americans Act was amended to include advocacy groups. The SHL is composed of 15 volunteers from each of the 10 statewide Area Agencies on Aging. These 150 senior advocates, elected by their peers, identify and advocate for issues critical to older Missourians.Silver Haired Legislature