The Iowa Legislature officially began it’s 2014 session on Monday in the way that all political events begin. There were speeches, calls to fellow party members to find unity in coming elections and issues and talk of the necessity to reach across party lines to find success in items pressing the well being of the public good. It was a day of speeches and all were sound byte ready.

There might not have been a ton to take to heart on the first day back for Iowa’s politicians, but that doesn’t mean that students shouldn’t being paying attention. The Legislature sessions may be all seem the same at the beginning of each year, but they rarely end the same. New issues are brought forward to discuss and old issues are looked at again and rehashed.

It’s important to keep up with the issues and not try to play catch up at the end of the 2014 session after many matters have already been voted on and made their way to the governor’s desk. By this time next year, you would be too late to have your voice be weighed in the decision making process.

The Iowa Legislature is looking to discuss raising the minimum wage, a topic that can have a major impact on many Iowan’s lives. Appropriations for the regent universities will also be brought to the table, and possibly even funding for new buildings and renovations on all three of the regent universities.

Even talk of how to keep our state’s water clean will be heard within the Capitol this year. It can be equally important to look to issues in other states, such as the legalization of marijuana to understand what future topics may be reaching Iowa. The issues are far and wide and can have a varying impact on everyday life here in the state. The effects of some of these decisions may very well not even be realized for years to come. Students may have the feeling that they will not be in the state long enough to take notice of matters being brought to light by the Legislature, but there is never a solid reason to refrain from exercising your voice in state matters. 

Students have more power than they know and can lend their voice to many of these discussions in the coming months. As long as you live within the state of Iowa, the matters discussed by our elected officials will have an effect on your life in some way, so staying up to date on what is being voted on will never cease to be important or beneficial to your life.

In today’s age there are plenty of ways to offer your voice and to join in the conversation. Many politicians have at least one social media account, allowing for easy access to not only their thoughts on issues, but a way for you to share your own thoughts. Emailing a politician is also a quick and effective method for contacting your representatives at the Statehouse. If neither of those options fulfill your needs, a phone call or written letter is a more than acceptable means of communicating with the individuals voting on the issues for you. But remaining silent and then objecting to final votes later achieves nothing.

It may seem like you have heard the same things from our state’s politicians each year, but the only way to make change is to become part of the process. Do not wait until it is too late and then complain of being voiceless. Get involved earlier and stay involved.

Our state may not always take the direction you find ideal, but the process of moving forward can only be made better by more people voicing their thoughts and opinions. Forget the sound bytes and take the extra minutes to follow the issues.