A JOINT RESOLUTION HONORING THE delegates of the NORTH CAROLINA SENIOR TAR HEEL LEGISLATURE ON THE OCCASION OF the organization's FIFTEENTH ANNIVERSARy.
Whereas, the North Carolina Senior Tar Heel Legislature was created by the General Assembly with the passage of Senate Bill 479 in July of 1993 (G.S. 1438‑181.55); and
Whereas, the primary sponsor of the bill was then Senator, and now Governor, Beverly Perdue; and
Whereas, the Senior Tar Heel Legislature was established (i) to provide information to senior citizens on the legislative process and matters being considered by the General Assembly; (ii) to promote citizen involvement and advocacy concerning aging issues before the General Assembly; and (iii) to assess the legislative needs of older citizens by convening a forum modeled after the North Carolina General Assembly; and
Whereas, the Senior Tar Heel Legislature currently meets three times a year, usually in Raleigh, to study issues, to hear from key resource persons and State officials, and to develop from three to five recommendations each year to present to the General Assembly; and
Whereas, since its inception, the Senior Tar Heel Legislature has made a total of 70 recommendations to the General Assembly, most of which have received positive action in some form or fashion; and
Whereas, each county is entitled to have one delegate to the Senior Tar Heel Legislature, and many counties also have an alternate delegate; and
Whereas, delegates and alternates to the Senior Tar Heel Legislature must be age 60 or older; and
Whereas, over 650 older North Carolinians have served in the Senior Tar Heel Legislature as delegates or alternates since 1993, including 16 who have served continuously; and
Whereas, seven delegates have served as Speaker of the Senior Tar Heel Legislature:  The Honorable Mary Horne Odom of Scotland County (1994‑1995), Doris Dick of Yadkin County (1995‑1997 and 1999‑2001), T. Ben Douglas of Columbus County (1997‑1999), Dorothy Crawford of Macon County (2001‑2003), Vernon Dull of Davie County (2003‑2005), the Reverend Lamar Moore of Davidson County (2005‑2007), and Charles H. Dickens of Buncombe County (2007‑2009); and
Whereas, the Senior Tar Heel Legislature will be celebrating its 15th anniversary of service to older Tar Heels during 2009; and
Whereas, observing the 15th anniversary of the Senior Tar Heel Legislature is a fitting memorial to the late Jackie Messer, a charter member of the organization, who served as the Haywood County Delegate for many years and as the Senior Tar Heel Legislature's first Secretary in 1994 and 1995; and
Whereas, prior to her service on the Senior Tar Heel Legislature, Jackie Messer was an Administrative Assistant for the Town of Waynesville for many years and was a member of the first Senior Leadership Council of Haywood County; and
Whereas, the North Carolina Senior Tar Heel Legislature's anniversary is worthy of recognition and should be appreciated and supported by all North Carolinians; Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:
SECTION 1.  The General Assembly honors the delegates of the North Carolina Senior Tar Heel Legislature, including Jackie Messer, for the service they rendered in making recommendations resulting in actions that have improved the lives of older Tar Heels.
SECTION 2.  The General Assembly extends its sincere congratulations and best wishes to the Senior Tar Heel Legislature on the celebration of its fifteenth anniversary.
SECTION 3.  The Secretary of State shall transmit a certified copy of this resolution to the Speaker of the Senior Tar Heel Legislature and the family of Jackie Messer.
SECTION 4.  This resolution is effective upon ratification.