10/13/2026
The Silver Haired Legislators of Missouri is All of Us!
The Missouri Silver Haired Legislature (SHL) is a non-partisan non-profit advocacy organization not affiliated with or supported by any political party or special interest group. Our mission is to advocate on behalf of Missouri residents age 60 and above. Since our inception in 1973, we have encouraged the decision-makers in Jefferson City to focus on the issues that directly address the needs of this population. We work in coordination with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services and your local Area Agencies on Aging. The Missouri SHL is the first organization of its kind in the United States and since 1973, hundreds of SHL delegates have walked the halls of the Capitol. We have stepped into the offices of thousands of state representatives and pulled hundreds of senators into a corner alcove to discuss the real issues concerning real people. There may be no other group of unpaid advocates that has ever accomplished so much for so long, and our constituency is growing.
There are more than 1.3 million Missouri citizens age 60 and above (roughly 23%). This figure is growing every day and estimates suggest that by the year 2030, older adults will outnumber minors for the very first time. The impact of this transformation may alter the nation in many ways but what is critically important is that our influence on these alterations is also growing. Nationally, In the 2020 presidential election, the voter turnout for citizens 65 and above was 71.9%. Typically, this population is the recipient of government controlled Social Security and/or Medicare benefits. We have good reason to stay attuned to possible changes in these programs. Any changes will directly affect a senior voter’s finances and this serves as a clear and powerful incentive to vote.
One of the guiding principles of the Missouri Silver Haired Legislature is to “assess the needs and priorities of older Missourians by convening a forum modeled after the Missouri General Assembly” (SHL manual, p.3). In just a few short weeks, we will fulfill this phase of our mission. Every October, SHL delegates from all over the state assemble in the House and Senate chambers of the Missouri State Capitol. We will follow Robert's Rules of Order in a legislative session very much like the state and federal government. We will hear expert testimony, engage in debate, attend committee sessions, and eventually reach a consensus on our top 5 Issues of Advocacy. These issues will become the focus of our advocacy efforts during the 2027 session of the Missouri General Assembly.
What follows is a second and even more important principle of your Missouri Silver Haired Legislature. We are tasked to “promote community and legislative advocacy by increasing the awareness and participation of Missouri residents age 60 and above in the governmental decision-making process” (SHL manual, p.3). Any Missouri citizen of any age can join in our mission by becoming a subscriber to our Public Advocacy Initiative (https://www.agingahead.org/get-involved/advocacy/missouri-shl/).
If you received this email through ordinary channels, you are already a subscriber of the SHL Public Advocacy Program. The 2027 regular legislative session of the Missouri General Assembly will convene on January 6, 2027, and adjourns on May 14, 2027. As the law-making process moves through this legislative session, you will receive time sensitive alerts and updates about proposed legislation that may directly affect you and your loved ones. These updates will alert you to the status of this legislation and the appropriate decision-makers in the House and Senate. We make it easy for you to voice your concern, for or against the issue. An active level of citizen participation is critically important to the governmental decision-making process.
We are the Missouri Silver Haired Legislature. All of Us. We are the most powerful voting demographic in the state of Missouri, but only if we raise our voice.
Decisions are still made, with or without you. Whether you participate or not, political outcomes will still affect your life. Abstaining doesn’t make you immune to the decision of those who do participate.
Missouri Silver Haired Legislature
https://health.mo.gov/partners-providers/silver-haired-legislature
Making a Difference since 1973
