When I was a Calhoun County Commissioner, folks could readily see what my job was. When a road needed repair or repaving, I would work to see it was done. From water to parks, the responsibilities and services provided by county government are readily apparent, and so was the role of the county commissioner.

However, when I had the good fortune of having the support of Calhoun County voters to serve in the State Legislature, I still got calls from constituents about roads, water and the like. I'd still make some calls, but my job and responsibilities had changed. A legislator's job is different, and sometimes not readily apparent. But it is important.

Last week's article focused on the important role of state budgets. The majority of school funding comes from the state, and the state school budget sets everything from class sizes to the age and condition of buses. The state General Fund budget pays for everything from the courts to public health offices. Budgets are the only constitutionally mandated responsibility of the Legislature, involving not only spending measures, but also tax laws. However, Alabama House and Senate members do much more.

First and foremost is the passing of civil and criminal laws. We often think of laws as abstract things that just somehow exist. Laws are living documents, and measures that must also change with the times.

For example, there is great controversy over the idea of texting with a cell phone while driving. Now we've had driving laws on the books for more than 100 years. We have speed limits, safety measures, insurance requirements, seat-belt requirements, and dozens of other statutes that provide the rules of the road and keep drivers and passengers safe.

However cell phone use, and especially sending text messages, is a relatively new phenomenon that is posing an increasing danger. People have been killed in our state because drivers said they were concentrating on their cell phones and not the road. Studies show the distraction of texting may be as great as driving drunk.

Last session, the House passed a bill that limited texting, but the Senate Judiciary Committee refused to report it out for a floor vote. It will come up again, there will be debate, and over time laws are passed that deal with new situations.

Another critical part of being a legislator is to represent the area when it comes to economic issues.

For example, down on Alabama's gulf coast insurers have been either not underwriting homeowners' policies or jacking up rates to unsustainable amounts. The big insurance companies have said this is in response to the two big hurricanes that have hit the area this decade. It is becoming a crisis that is hurting coastal Alabamians, and hurting development in the area.

Legislators from Baldwin and Mobile Counties want the state to do something about it, whether that means new regulations or creating a state risk pool. It is right that they want to do something about their insurance problem.

I represent Calhoun County, and it is my job to make sure that any solution or state action on behalf of the coast does not hurt families here with increased taxes or higher insurance rates. When a bill is introduced in the next session, I will act in the interest of our county and vote accordingly. An important part of a legislator's job is making sure that legislation is fair to local communities.

Not everything is a zero-sum game. Legislators often work together on things that seemingly benefit only one part of the state. As an example, our area benefited mightily by the state offering incentives for Honda to locate in Lincoln, as did Mobile when the state landed ThyssenKrupp.

Another job of a legislator is to pass local legislation. It is a quirk (some say an intentional flaw) of our state constitution that many measures you'd think that a county government would do on its own need legislative approval. From county millage rates to liquor laws, votes must be made in the statehouse before they can go before local voters. Local legislation takes up a great deal of a legislative session.

Legislators may not be able to fill a pothole, but wherever state government has a role it is critical that a representative be there. It is different to be one of a 105 representatives instead of one of five county commissioners, but it is no less an important responsibility.

This column was prepared with assistance from the office of the House Majority Leader.