A special legislative committee is holding hearings across the state to investigate whether our senior citizens are getting the nutrition they need.

Eight legislators make up the Interim Committee on Senior Nutrition. Rep. Joe Smith (R-St. Charles County) is chairman. A special focus of the committee is on administration of home delivered meals for senior citizens. Smith says all 163 state representatives receive communication through telephone calls, e-mails and letters on the issue.

The committee has held its first hearing in Springfield. It travels next week to Lexington, then on to hearings in St. Louis, Hannibal, Marble Hill and Sikeston before returning to Jefferson City.

Smith says the committee wants to hear from citizens. The committee also will meet with local governmental officials to determine whether senior citizens are getting the nutrition they need.

The next meeting of the Interim Committee on Senior Nutrition will be held at the Margaret Gray Center, 811 C S. Business Hwy 13, Lexington on Monday, October 15 th . Two meetings will be held on Monday, October 22 nd . The first will be held at the O’Fallon Senior Center, 106 N. Main, O’Fallon. The second will be held at the Hannibal Senior Center, 125 South 6 th Street, Hannibal. On Monday, November 5 th , the committee will travel to southeast Missouri for two public hearings in that region. On the 5 th , the committee will meet at the Marble Hill Senior Center, 503 3 rd Street, Marble Hill. The next day, November 6 th , the committee meets at the Sikeston Senior Center, 305 Cresap Street, Sikeston.

The committee wraps up is public hearing schedule on Friday, November 30 th , in the House Hearing Room 7 at the State Capitol in Jefferson City.

Download/listen Brent Martin reports (:60 MP3)