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Wilda M. Ferguson, Commissioner of the Department of the Aging, announced recently the issues to be addressed at the Virginia Silver-Haired Legislature scheduled for July 29-31 in Richmond. The legislature will follow the rules which govern the operation of the Virginia General Assembly with a few adjustments due to the short length of the session.
The Silver-Haired Legislature will be composed of seven joint committees: general laws, health and institutions, social services, housing and education, labor and commerce, courts of justice and finance. Twenty-seven bills and nine resolutions have been drafted by the Virginia Division of Legislative Services for the Silver-Haired Legislators’ consideration. Issues were selected for the legislators’ review based upon pre-determined criteria.
Bills and resolutions passed by the Legislature will be included in the “Report of the Virginia Silver-Haired Legislature, 1985,” which will be presented at the closing session on Wednesday, July 31. Copies of the Silver-Haired Senators and Delegates report will be provided to the Governor, members of the General Assembly, the Secretary of Human Resources and the heads of state human resources agencies.
A list of the committees and the issues they will raise includes:
The courts of justice committee will establish a joint subcommittee to study the means of providing legal assistance to indigent persons, prohibit drinking alcoholic beverages while operating a motor vehicle, require certain persons to report suspected cases of abuse of older persons, provide for enforcement of orders of restitution to victims of crimes and provide penalties for bodily injury of older persons.
The finance committee will examine ways to exclude from state taxable income certain retirement benefits of older retirees, exempt food and nonprescription drugs from state sales and use tax for older residents, provide state income tax deduction for certain expenses associated with caring for older relatives, provide an income tax credit for real estate taxes paid by lowincome older residents and provide a state income tax exemption for interest earned by older residents.
The general laws committee will propose a Constitutional amendment relating to the length of the regular sessions of the General Assembly, consider ways to establish a state lo tery, create a State Lottery Commission and provide for a referendum, place consumer-oriented senior citizens on certain regulatory boards, provide for continuation of and administrative and financial assistance for the SilverHaired Legislature, establish a Transportation Services for the Elderly Fund and require development of local transportation plans, express appreciation to the Governor and all supporters and contributors to the Silver-Haired Legislature.
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