Local legislators are saying the 2014 election year left several, controversial issues unaddressed during the legislative session.

The session ended in early April, but state Rep. Darrio Melton, D-Selma, and state Sen. Hank Sanders, D-Selma, are already looking to 2015. Because 2014 is an election year for many legislators, Sanders said controversial issues weren’t addressed.

“All these controversial issues were pushed through in the first three years and [the Republican majority] shied away from some of those issues this year to increase their chance of being reelected,” Sanders said. “Voting rights, women’s rights, immigration and guns are some of the issues that still need addressing.”

Sanders spoke in detail about unaddressed issues related to voting rights. He said requiring photo identification to vote is unfair.

“There have been no incidents of any significance of voter fraud,” Sanders said. “Photo ID has become the new literacy tests for voters. The right to vote is fundamental. Someone in poverty may be unable to purchase a government issued photo ID.”

Melton added expanding Medicaid and raising the minimum wage to the list of problems legislators should focus on.

“The Republican leadership didn’t want to take up anything that is controversial,” Melton said. “That is why we are elected — to deal with tough issues.”

When reviewing actions in the recent session, Sanders and Melton focused largely on education. Melton praised the passage of House Bill 384, by Rep. Mac Buttram, R-Cullman, which sets up a scholarship program for high school student to train at two-year colleges.

“Dual-enrollment provides an opportunity for students to be employable after high school,” Melton said. “Every high should student, who is eligible, should be able to attend college.”

Sanders also expressed support for expanded dual enrollment across Alabama.

“I came from a big family,” Sanders said. “Without public education, I would not be a lawyer, in the state senate, would not have graduated from college, or graduated from high school. My family was poor and education was the ladder for me to climb out of poverty.”

Sanders said legislators should also begin a renewed focus to give a pay raise to teachers in public education.

In the 2014 session, Melton sponsored bills pertaining to beer tax in Orrville, expanding Medicaid, allowing voter registration up to and on election day, raising minimum wage and electronic voter registration. The Orrville tax bill was approved.

Melton cosponsored 25 bills. Enacted bills, co-sponsored by Melton, include a raise for the Dallas County Sheriff and a tax exemption for the Community Action Association.

Sanders sponsored nine bills, including the Orrville beer tax and several related to criminal law. He co-sponsored 11 bills. Enacted bills, co-sponsored by Sanders, include two-year motor vehicle registration, designating specific counties for states of emergency and increasing compensation for the Department of Labor’s Board of Appeals.