Texas State Capitol, Austin, TX, July 6 – 9, 2025. Mary Nixon, Ida Duplechin and Ira Wilsker
from Beaumont, and Katherine (Kitty) Rice from Hamshire, representing the Southeast Texas
delegation (SLD-15), were sworn in as legislators of the 21st Texas Silver-Haired Legislature
(TSHL) at its Legislator Development Session. 70 legislators representing the 28
Silver-Legislature Districts (SLD) in Texas took the Oath of Office in the House Chambers at the
Texas Capitol for a two-year term. Representative Chris Turner, HD-101 in Arlington, Texas,
administered the oath. TSHL legislators were greeted by Representative Donna Howard, HD-48
in Austin, Texas, with closing comments by Robert Howden, Senior Advisor and Legislative
Director for Governor Greg Abbott.
The Legislator Development Session was the first of three TSHL sessions over this
biennium. The delegates will research issues of concern to older Texans, prepare resolutions for
proposed legislation, pass them through committees, and vote on them in full chamber at the
TSHL Legislative Session to be held in May 2026. Approved resolutions will be included in a
TSHL Legislative Report that will be delivered to all Texas Legislators, as well as to the
Governor and Lieutenant Governor, in advance of the 2027 State Legislative Session.
“We sincerely thank our elected officials for the significant number of bills passed to
address the needs of older Texans,” said Sherry Hubbard, re-elected TSHL Speaker for the 21st
Session. “We also remind them we’ll be back to address unfinished business, and we have
started that process with this Development Session and swearing-in of our new delegates.
Citizens can be proud of and comforted by the 40-year relationship of TSHL and the State
Legislature that has led to passage of approximately 300 pieces of legislation related to concerns
for the ever-growing population of older Texans,” she stated.
The Texas Silver-Haired Legislature is a non-partisan legislative body authorized by the 69th
Texas Legislature with the adoption of SCR 37, on April 3, 1985. Interested candidates 60
years of age and older who are registered voters living in the Silver Legislative Districts they
would represent can learn more about the TSHL on the website www.tshl.org
