Jess Edwards, Rock 4 NH Representative

03/06/2026

03/28/2025

Starting a busy day with the Governor’s Commission on Alcohol and Other Drugs Misuse (budget task force).

This afternoon is the final sprint to an (interim) finish line in division III. Could go very late tonight. Long week in the House.

Anyone wanting to watch the division III hearing at 1pm can go to the General Court/ House/ multimedia page.

03/28/2025

For the tenth year in a row, a national data analysis declares New Hampshire the state with the best taxpayer return on investment (ROI).

The new Wallethub Report credits the state’s lack of an income tax as a key reason for its efficiency with tax dollars.

“The Granite State’s tax resources have had a good impact on crime prevention and the environment, as the state has the lowest crime rate and the second-lowest air pollution in the country. It has one of the best public-school systems as well,” according to the report.

New Hampshire - A Perfect 10! NH Is Named #1 in Taxpayer ROI for Tenth Year in a Row - NH Journal - Politics

03/10/2025

I'm getting a form email from AARP. I'm going to share my response first and then the email that motivated my response.

The PDAB has existed five years. What has it done to reduce NH spending on prescription medications?

The committee amended my bill to vote for repeal. I have the PDAB leadership in my budget hearing this week. I've been encouraging them to make a forward-looking business case to justify the investment. We all need to deliver results. We can't just support good intentions.

I'm looking forward to the proposals to deliver a Return on Investment.

You're welcome to attend Wednesday or watch remotely.

FINANCE - DIVISION III, Room 210-211, LOB 10:00 a.m. Budget Work Session - Prescription Drug Affordability Board

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9xxEfWv9UQ

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Dear Rep. Edwards

I'm your constituent and I'm asking you to vote NO on HB570's amendment to eliminate NH's Prescription Drug Affordability Board.

We must protect the PDAB! If the PDAB is repealed, New Hampshire will lose its only independent entity focused on ensuring our residents can afford the prescription medications they need.

The PDAB works for people like me—health care consumers and taxpayers—not pharmaceutical companies, insurers, or middlemen profiting off high drug prices. Granite Staters have made it clear that we're struggling to afford health care, and our prescription medications are an important part of that.

Older adults are deeply concerned about the rising price of prescription drugs. Many are on fixed incomes and face difficult choices between paying for medications and other essentials. One in four NH residents cut pills in half, skipped doses, or did not fill a prescription due to cost. Further, over half of our residents are worried about affording their prescription medications, and 89 percent support the PDAB as a strategy to help address this issue.

For these reasons, I urge you vote NO on the amendment to HB 570 and protect NH's PDAB!

03/07/2025

One bill I submitted for AVS (and all schools) passed today. HB208 on a 211-163 tally. The AVS school board asked me to submit this for them.

It was a bill I negotiated with the school nurse association. It would have provided some flexibility that doesn't exist now.

However, my friends on the committee wanted to go further. They repealed the certification process, getting DHHS off the hook.
This is what will go into effect if the Senate agrees with us.

School Nurses. RSA 200:29 is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:

200:29 School Nurses. A superintendent may nominate and school board appoint a school nurse to function in the school health program, and provide that nurse with proper facilities and equipment. A school nurse shall be a registered professional nurse currently licensed by the board of nursing in New Hampshire.

2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect upon its passage.

If you want to look at the current law to see how much simpler this will be:

Source. 1971, 499:1, eff. Sept. 4, 1971. 2016, 285:2, eff. Aug. 20, 2016. 2019, 144:1, 2, eff. Aug. 25, 2019. 2023, 172:1, 2, eff. July 28, 2023.

02/23/2025

Reappointed to evaluate the effectiveness of a major part of the state Medicaid program.

02/07/2025

My roll call votes yesterday.

02/07/2025

Rep. Jess Edwards, an Auburn Republican, echoed Belcher’s assessment on equity efforts, but said his interactions with the office alleviate his concerns.

“The word ‘health equity’ has jumped out at me as well,” Edwards said. “I think we’ve got a situation where whoever came up with the name of that department really regrets it, because they couldn’t forecast how the name would basically become synonymous with actual discrimination.”

He said he’s repeatedly questioned the department about this office, and has concluded “they are not trying to have any individual demographic get superior care; it’s just a search to remove barriers to make sure we all have an equal access to care.”

“Unless they’ve been lying to me in testimony for the last five years, I would say this is a program that, by and large, most of us can agree to,” he said. “Each time I’ve gone into it with my cynicism fully activated, I’ve been comfortable that the DHHS Office of Health Equity is probably doing good work.”

As President Donald Trump and Republicans in Washington, D.C., seek to eradicate diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts throughout the federal government, their state-level allies in New Hampshire are working to do the same in the Granite State.

02/03/2025

I've been reappointed.

Pursuant to House Bill 2 (Laws of 2023), Speaker Packard appoints the following House Members to the Commission to Evaluate the Effectiveness and Future of the New Hampshire Granite Advantage Health Care Program.



Hon. Erica Layon

Hon. Jess Edwards

Hon. Mary Jane Wallner

01/28/2025

This is the first hearing of Division III working with the Department of Health and Human Services. Budget season is upon us.

11/15/2024

I'm feeling very positive about the teamwork that Governor-elect Kelly Ayotte has already begun to implement. I was allowed a seat at the table today as DHHS provided their agency budget to the Governor and the transition team.
I'm optimistic that the level of communication and potential coordination/cooperation will be vastly better than I've seen in my four prior terms.