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By Dee Taylor Texas AARP recently released the highlights for the 79th Texas legislative session in Austin (Jan-May 2005). The Texas AARP legislative team and the AARP volunteers worked hard and sweated in the trenches for several months during the 79th session. Their efforts helped create the impact that AARP Texas expected. If you are a member of AARP, it is important that you realize you too can assist as AARP gets ready for the called special sessions this year and the 80th legislative session in 2007. Here is a short review of the 79th session, so you too can get in the trenches where it counts for aging Texans during the next legislative session in Austin, Texas. The 79th Regular Session and the 79th 1st Called Session of the Texas State Legislature have ended. The 79th 2nd Called Session is now active. The Governor will call soon for the 3rd Session. Insurance Reform will not be one of those you must fight for next session. AARP won the victory on this one with Senate Bill 14 during the 79th regular legislative session! Governor Perry signed into law an insurance reform bill that may put money back into the pockets of many AARP members. The bill will allow the insurance commissioner to require homeowner and auto insurance companies to reimburse customers for the excessive premiums they paid - plus interest! Way to go AARP! The Campaign Finance Reform House Bill 1348 was strongly supported by AARP in the 79th session. This bill would have restored the Texas tradition of keeping corporate and union money out of Texas elections. While working with a bipartisan coalition they had support of 90 state representatives from both parties, but unfortunately the bill did not pass out of the House Elections Committee. Now and then you lose one. Payday Lending House Bill 846 would have weakened consumer protections and significantly raised interest rates for payday loans. If passed, it would have raised the interest rate of a payday loan to 780 percent. AARP working along side of others, successfully killed HB 846. Good work AARP! There were many active AARP members who were instrumental in defeating the legislation for Voter ID- Bill 1706. AARP fought this one because it would have created some of the most restrictive voting laws in the nation. The terms of this bill could have disenfranchised many of AARP's elderly and disabled voters who live with their children or in nursing homes. Many thanks to AARP's members who helped to achieve this victory. You can sleep well tonight! Grandparents raising grandchildren, of which I personally have been one, is a top priority for AARP Texas. Bills SB 6 and HB 2231 were introduced in the 79th regular session and include provisions that AARP strongly supported. Both Senate Bill 6 and House Bill 2231 passed the legislature in the regular session. HB 2231 became effective May 30th, and it has to do with payments going to the person - such as a grandparent - who actually has the child. SB 6 is huge, will become effective on September 1, 2005 and will have a major impact on family law in Texas. For items concerning grandparents, this will be a continual fight by AARP to provide continuity and stability for the families it affects. The work is not done yet! A long-term care service in nursing homes and communities is another priority for AARP. They actively worked on many long-term care bills this session and will continue to partner with other community partners to get a bill passed to provide protection for nursing home residents; and to increase the "personal needs allowance" for nursing home residents in Texas. We all need to get involved in this issue, because if you live long enough - you might make it into a nursing home, and it could also affect your life. That is about it for the 79th legislative session. These things and more are a continual plight for AARP members and our Austin, Texas legislative team who will not quit until their battles are won in legislation. Make no mistake, AARP does have the membership power to make it better and change the things that need to be changed as we age. As a member when you are ask to participate, please get in the trenches when that urgent call comes from AARP - take a moment and make a phone call to your legislator, or a write letter or let AARP know where you stand on the issue. We all can make a difference in many elderly persons' lives who cannot speak for themselves. Choose your battles and don't lay back and watch while AARP's legislators are in the trenches where it counts - wrestling in hot debates for senior issues - for the betterment of us all. You have a voice, let it be heard! Earnestly give AARP your support to continually remind your legislators they are there to serve you and your aging loved ones. Note: Dee Taylor is a volunteer DFW Media Specialist for AARP Texas. Dee may be seen 6 days a week on Time Warner Television, Channel 14 and 16, hosting discussions on senior issues. For air times, please see her website: www.sizzlinsen.org or e-mail Dee at: sizzlinsen@aol.com.
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