PRINTER'S NO. 1178
No. 1041 Session of 1991
INTRODUCED BY FOX, KUKOVICH, NAHILL, ARGALL, WILSON, SCHULER,
MARKOSEK, HAYDEN, STURLA, LAUGHLIN, PERZEL, RUDY, GERLACH,
SEMMEL, MUNDY, JOHNSON, HAGARTY, DeLUCA, ULIANA, NYCE,
GLADECK, CORNELL, ALLEN, GRUPPO, KOSINSKI, CAWLEY, DENT,
ARMSTRONG, BOYES, BUNT, BELARDI, SURRA, SAURMAN, ITKIN,
E. Z. TAYLOR, TRICH, TRELLO, KRUSZEWSKI, CIVERA, PESCI,
J. TAYLOR, HUGHES, COWELL, TELEK AND ADOLPH, APRIL 8, 1991
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON AGING AND YOUTH, APRIL 8, 1991
AN ACT
1 Providing for a program known as the Silver-Haired Legislature
2 Program to be established by the Pennsylvania Council on
3 Aging in cooperation with the Department of Aging and other
4 groups; and making an appropriation.
5 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
6 hereby enacts as follows:
7 Section 1. Short title.
8 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Pennsylvania
9 Silver-Haired Legislature Act.
10 Section 2. Legislative findings.
11 The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:
12 (1) The older citizens of this Commonwealth face many
13 problems which require legislative action.
14 (2) The problems facing older citizens can best be
15 articulated by older citizens in a representative capacity.
16 (3) It is the purpose of this act to give older citizens
1 the opportunity to speak to the General Assembly with a
2 unified voice in setting priorities for the legislation which
3 they most urgently need.
4 (4) Bringing representatives of older citizens from
5 throughout this Commonwealth together on an annual basis will
6 be of great value to the General Assembly by helping it
7 recognize the programs which should be given priority.
8 (5) The Silver-Haired Legislature Program will not only
9 give older citizens an opportunity to meet, discuss and
10 present their views, but will also give them a better
11 understanding of the workings and procedures of the General
12 Assembly.
13 Section 3. Program established.
14 (a) Establishment and implementation.--The Pennsylvania
15 Council on Aging is directed to establish and implement a
16 program known as the Silver-Haired Legislature Program.
17 (b) Educational legislative session.--The program will
18 consist of an annual one-day educational legislative session to
19 be held in Harrisburg which will involve a model unicameral
20 legislature consisting of 203 members, one to be selected from
21 each district of the House of Representatives. The model
22 legislature shall meet in Harrisburg and debate, discuss and
23 pass proposals which would address the needs and concerns of
24 older Pennsylvanians. The delegates shall be at least 60 years
25 of age or older and must be residents of this Commonwealth.
26 Section 4. Cooperation.
27 The Pennsylvania Council on Aging shall cooperate with the
28 Department of Aging and all other public and private groups
29 working with older citizens to develop an effective program
30 which will benefit all concerned parties.
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1 Section 5. Appropriation.
2 The sum of $50,000, or as much thereof as may be necessary,
3 is hereby appropriated to the Pennsylvania Council on Aging to
4 establish and develop the Silver-Haired Legislature Program.
5 Section 6. Effective date.
6 This act shall take effect immediately.
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