By William T. Pound

Welcome all new and returning members elected to serve in our state legislatures.

The decisions you make in the next two years will affect the daily lives of your constituents far more than those made by your colleagues in Congress. As you convene in capitols across the country and begin the difficult work of solving some of the nation’s biggest challenges, NCSL is here to help. From education and energy to transportation and taxes, we have thorough, unbiased and comprehensive information to help you navigate complex policy issues.

Ironically, during the recent midterm elections, we read and heard the least about the people who matter the most: you, the country’s 7,383 state legislators and your staffs. Yet the hard work you will be tackling in 99 chambers across our great country has far-reaching consequences.

State legislatures decide how to fund road repairs, which crimes send offenders to prison, how teachers are evaluated, what the minimum wage should be, how to spur job growth, who must get a background check before buying a gun, how to ensure clean drinking water, how to protect people from identity theft. The list goes on.

Americans have made it clear: They want action, not impasse, from their government. And state legislatures, the laboratories of democracy, deliver. You respond first to new issues and emerging concerns. You seek real solutions to difficult problems. You reach across the aisle to find common ground. You negotiate and compromise to get things done. You innovate.

In spite of all the noise surrounding the 114th Congress, we would do well to remember that state legislators play second fiddle to no one, not to high-profile governors, nor to your federal counterparts in Washington. It’s true that state lawmakers spend less on campaigns, are not as well-paid, and may have a harder time being seen and heard. But you—just like your federal counterparts—do have power. The only difference is, you use it.

We hope the resources available at NCSL help you in your challenging job. Through NCSL publications, including LegisBriefs and State Legislatures magazine, you’ll discover people you can relate to, ways to improve your skills, solutions you can adapt to your state, insights to challenge your assumptions, and facts to bolster your positions.

The contributions you and your staffs make to American democracy cannot be overstated. Remember, through NCSL, you are part of the community of all legislators across the country—Republicans and Democrats. We are committed to your success. Turn to us often.

William T. Pound is executive director of NCSL.This open letter to legislators appears in the January issue of State Legislatures magazine.