Advocacy

By Tracy Sutton Schorn

Wall Street speculators want to take over Texas’ largest electric utility. Hedge fund managers and bankers could snag a $250 million a year tax windfall, hurting millions of Texans. Let’s be clear: A proposed sale of Oncor is a handout to Wall Street speculators.

Elder abuse, like many other forms of domestic abuse, is an often hidden phenomenon that affects many older Texans. Financial exploitation is the most prevalent form of elder abuse. Every year, abuse and exploitation rob older Americans of $3 billion—and this is only the amount reported. When criminals take advantage of older people by forging a signature or coercing them to sign a will, the impact goes far beyond the pocketbook and affects the physical and emotional health of the victim. Those who perpetrate these crimes can be a stranger, such as an aide who comes into the home to assist with daily activities, or they can be someone in a position of trust, such as a family member.

Charlene Hunter James, a long-time volunteer and community advocate in Houston, has been named AARP Texas state president.

The 140-day Texas legislative session flew by--a blur of busyness. So too did this summer. Now, September is around the corner. With it's arrival, many new laws go into effect. So what changes do you need to know about? Here are some of the changes that will most impact Texans age 50+ and their families:

AUSTIN, Texas – After three decades as an educator, Mary Ragland is drawing from two pensions and modest Social Security earnings to make ends meet in retirement.

The recently completed 2015 Texas legislative session posted significant gains for older Texans in key areas including increased spending for home- and community-based care programs, consumer protections against surprise medical billing, and progress on a consumer and homeowner issues for middle class Texans, AARP Texas Director Bob Jackson said.

Amendments designated “Key Votes” by AARP

Mother Nature’s soggy wrath, a monumental first-of-its-kind celebration, and an airshow could not keep more than 600 drivers from recycling their private documents and electronics in Corpus Christi. The AARP Shred Day event was held at KIII-TV (an ABC affiliate) Saturday, April 18 and it set a new record.

We carefully chose the issues we're focusing on during the 2015 Texas Legislative Session. One of the key elements is that all these topics are close to home for countless Texas families. So chances are you have a relative, neighbor or friend with a personal experience highlighting why at least one of these issues are important--and why Texas legislators should take note and work to fix or improve the situation.