Some big decisions are being made in Montgomery this week, as lawmakers gather to discuss an abortion bill, a distracted driving bill and the future of Common Core in our state.

We’ve heard from our local representatives, Debbie Wood and Bob Fincher, on these issues, which understandably have become topics of conversation statewide over the last week.

The potential repeal of Common Core standards, which identify what students should know after each grade, would be a major change for school districts statewide. Philip Johnson and Kelli Hodge, the local public-school superintendents, have both spoken publicly about what the repeal would mean for schools. Essentially, it would be a gigantic change to the standards currently in place and would eventually mean the implementation of new standards by 2021.

The most controversial bill is the abortion bill, which would ban most abortions, making them a felony during any stage of pregnancy unless the mother’s health is in jeopardy. That bill was expected to be proposed Tuesday, and likely will trigger deep discussions around the dining room table in more than a few Alabama households in the days ahead.

In our opinion, the distracted driving bill is far less controversial and is probably far overdue. We think just about everyone can agree that safer roads are a good thing, and limiting ways people can use an electronic device while behind the wheel cuts down on distractions.

Wood and Fincher will likely get the opportunity to vote on all of these issues, as Common Core is currently being reviewed by the House Education Policy Committee and has already passed the Senate. The abortion bill is still in the early stages. We hope that when Wood and Fincher go to vote on these issues that they’ll remember their constituents — the men and women in Chambers County and the surrounding area that voted them into office and who they represent each and every day.

It’s also important to let them know how you feel about these topics. Wood can be reached at (334) 261-0532 and Fincher at (334) 261-0538.

Obviously, these are extremely difficult decisions that will impact the future of our state. There are always pros and cons to these bills, and state representatives will have to weigh those while determining what’s best for our state as a whole.

We will be paying close attention and report back to you on what happens, including how our local representatives vote.