Rosemarie Rung, NH State Representative

Last year, when Nancy Murphy and I were going door-to-door talking to voters, one issue that came up often was the concern about restrictions to abortion. Well, NH Republicans have filed a bill to ban abortion after 15 days, which is the very earliest a pregnancy would be detected. It amazes me that a party who used to stand for personal liberties and fiscal conservatism has veered so severely from that course - from this bill to the private school vouchers which send tens of millions of taxpayer dollars to private entities, with no public oversight or control.

Please voters - engage with your representatives and candidates for office. Don't assume the party of their registration represents your priorities. I can't tell you how many people think I support an income tax because I'm a Democrat, which is not true.

Today, former Republican state rep, Troy Merner, who ran for office and won while he hid the fact that he had moved out of his district, was arrested on multiple felony & misdemeanor charges for wrongful voting, theft by deception, unsworn falsification & tampering with public records. In the report, he admitted that other elected officials knew he was falsely elected but they did nothing. The State House operations chief, Terry Pfaff was notified in Dec. 2022 and he did nothing or told others who did nothing. Regardless, Granite Staters have been betrayed by those who hold their public trust.

I'm angry that the honor & privilege of keeping the oath of office meant nothing to Merner and to those who knew of his fraud and either ignored it or enabled it. They need to resign. But mostly, I feel so sad that I serve among people who put politics and their party over people. If people can't serve with integrity, they do not deserve to represent others.

Happy Thanksgiving! I give thanks to the Merrimack community for the honor and privilege of representing you in Concord. We are blessed to have a community that takes care of each other and values our police, fire, DPW, schools, and all the public employees who take care of us. I also thank those who respectfully share their opinions with me, regardless of whether we agree, as free speech is the bedrock of a democracy. I thank my colleagues, both in Merrimack and those throughout NH, for working together to ensure NH remains the best state to live in. I thank all the advocates in the state who speak up for their causes and educate me on their issues. I thank the legislative staff for the work they do to support state reps. And last but certainly not least, I thank my husband and family for their support which makes it easier for me to put in the work it takes to represent this great town of Merrimack.

For those who struggle during holidays, I wish you peace and that tomorrow passes gently.

I condemn in the strongest terms the attack that occurred this morning at Merrimack's Elbit Systems of America facility. Not only did it threaten the well-being of our neighbors and friends who work there, but violent actions like this attack are not the way to solve problems. My thoughts go to the employees, members of law enforcement and for all of those who endured this situation. Elbit is one of Merrimack's best corporate citizens - for years they have shared their athletic fields with our youth, supported our students, and developed technology for life sciences and for the protection of our troops.

UPDATE: Reps. Tim McGough, Maureen Mooney, and Nancy Murphy have confirmed to me that they were not aware that Merner lived outside his district until the news broke. I have not yet heard from Reps. Boyd, Healey, Notter, or Thomas.

Some of you may remember that in March a poll worker in Lancaster, NH reported to authorities that Troy Merner who voted in 2 elections and was elected as state rep and town selectman did so while not living in his district. This goes beyond just voter fraud to a serious Constitutional violation. People cannot run for office and certainly not serve in an elected office for a town or city in which they do not live. It took the Attorney General 5 months to notify the NH Speaker of the House, at which point Merner was forced out.

However, a news report today quoted Rep. Kat McGhee, the Ranking Member of the House Science, Technology and Energy committee where Merner was a member, that Merner told her that Republican House leaders knew of Merner's fraud, but allowed it to continue so their party could maintain their very slim majority. I know Rep. McGhee personally as someone with the highest ethics and integrity. I have no doubt that what she is saying is true. It exposes an obscene violation of the public trust for those who knew but did nothing.

I want my constituents to know that I was totally unaware that Troy Merner was not qualified to serve. I was not aware that others knew but allowed it to continue. I hope every resident of Merrimack demands each of their reps opens up to their role, if any, with this fraud.

Dem Rep: Merner Said House Leadership Told Him To Stay On After Moving Out of District After the news broke in September that former Republican state Rep. Troy Merner was living out of district during the entire last House session, Rep. Kat McGhee, D-Hollis, said he told her that “everyone knew” he had moved away from Lancaster but House “leadership” told him to continue servi...

Those who follow this page since I was first elected know that I am all about transparency, whether it be explaining my votes, activities, to sharing my home phone number (603-424-6664). Constituents deserve to know how I am representing them and hold me accountable. Because social media is a significant source of information, I use FB and X (formerly Twitter) to communicate, as I am doing now. In this vein, I want to inform you that Rep. Jeanine Notter filed an ethics complaint against me to the NH Legislative Ethics Committee. I immediately waived my right to confidentiality so that the public could access all the documents and testimony about her charge. Today, the Committee found no basis in her complaint and discharged it.

As background, every state rep received an email on Aug. 15 from the Citizens Climate Lobby pointing out that Rep. Notter accepted over $11,000 from Koch-funded groups (ALEC & Heartland Institute) to pay for her travel to trainings and conferences to downplay the role of fossil fuels in climate change. On Sept. 25, the NH House X account promoted Rep. Notter's trip to an ALEC "Energy Academy." I reposted that by saying the account should have also disclosed the thousands of dollars she has taken from the group, which is not nonpartisan as they claim, but is totally run by partisan politicians.

Although my X post upset Rep. Notter and led her to file this ethics complaint, the committee found that I did not violate any rule, law or ethical standard, but, instead, exercised my First Amendment right to free speech. I believe Merrimack residents need to hold Rep. Notter and all of their reps, including me, accountable. Here is all the documentation associated with this charge (link is to Dropbox, "Ethics Charge" is the packet I received with Rep. Notter's charge and "Rung Response" is my response to it, including links to Rep. Notter's financial disclosures of payments she's received). Once the Committee approves the minutes of today's meeting, I'll post those, too. https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/hfa4s35dtj3tg5fdqdpo4/h?rlkey=7jorxnlc111sie01gnycd8x0b&dl=0

Today the NH House and Senate were in Session to have the opportunity to override or sustain the 9 bills vetoed by the Governor. Of those bills, the House had the necessary 2/3 vote for an override of a public transparency bill veto, but the Senate did not, so all of Gov. Sununu's vetos were upheld.

I am particularly disappointed that a children's lead poisoning bill sponsored by Rep. Nancy Murphy and co-sponsored by Rep. Wendy Thomas and myself failed to get enough votes to override the Governor's veto. It was a simple bill that would have provided families information about lead testing and the dangers of lead poisoning if they indicated on school or child care admission forms that their children were not tested for blood lead levels when they were 1 and 2 years of age (which is already in law). This bill came about when data that showed a large drop off in testing during COVID and when some of the testing equipment in doctors' offices was recalled. This bill was a reminder of the importance of lead testing as children were entering a place of learning.

Reps. Bill Boyd, Nancy Murphy, Wendy Thomas and I voted to support the bill with an override. Reps. Bob Healey, Tim McGough, and Maureen Mooney voted against it. Rep. Notter did not attend Session today. Here is the bill if you want to read it yourself.
https://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/bill_status/billinfo.aspx?id=201&inflect=2

Regardless of this loss, it is critically important to prevent lead poisoning and to know if babies & children have been exposed to lead. No amount of lead is safe and exposure causes learning disabilities, high special education costs, and most importantly, prevents children from reaching their potential. Even though exposure can come from lead paint, we find high lead levels in water when it passes through fixtures containing lead. So, please get your water tested. More information can be found here: https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/programs-services/environmental-health-and-you/lead-poisoning-prevention-program

Lead Poisoning Prevention Program Lead p​oisoning in young children is entirely preventable, however an estimated 65,000 children living in the New Hampshire have blood lead levels high enough to impair their ability to think, concentrate, and learn. Evidence shows that the most common source of lead exposure for children today is...

While in the State House today waiting with Rep. Nancy Murphy to accompany Reeds Ferry School 4th graders on their tour, I happened across this woman, Martha Cox, who has been working diligently on cleaning one of the huge paintings on the first floor. We chatted and I learned so much about restoration work. She offered an interesting tidbit: it's likely that several artists worked on this painting - some may have been experts at painting horses, others the landscape, etc. - and I find it fascinating that art from the past can still render discoveries today.

The NH State House is truly the People's House, so if you ever are in Concord, please stop in and walk around. They have a great gift store, too! https://gencourt.state.nh.us/nh_visitorcenter/whatwedo.aspx

What a great recognition ceremony tonight at the Merrimack School Board meeting for Jim Bailey, Dan Bantham, Mark Rivet and all the folks who put in tremendous time and organization to hold the Mock Accident program for MHS seniors. This event has likely saved lives and lots of heartache by getting the message across to teens that drinking and driving are never okay.

Thanks to my state rep colleagues, Reps. Maureen Mooney, Bill Boyd, Nancy Murphy, Wendy Thomas, and Tim McGough who joined me in presenting these business leaders with Proclamations from the NH House of Representatives. Here I am with the extraordinary, Jim Bailey, with his proclamation. This ceremony also celebrates the 40th anniversary of MHS' SADD Club (Students Against Destructive Decisions).

[long post] From Sept. 11-15 state reps had the opportunity to file "LSRs" - legislative service requests (precursor to bills) and I filed 8 listed below, three requested by constituents and others stemming from my House committee work and collaboration with NHDES.

LSR 2024-2069 - Reintroducing a bill to add an eating disorders helpline to student IDs. This came at the request of a constituent and passed the House and Senate earlier this year. However, because the partnering organization dropped their service, I asked the Governor to veto it, which he did. We have vetted another organization which has the resources and stability to provide a helpline service.
LSR 2024-2238 - a constituent, Dr. Ralph Wolf, was named the fiduciary of the estate of the late Tekeste Berhanu, a Nashua resident. Mr. Berhanu wanted his estate to go to an organization that specifically helps children, but he did not leave a will, only a note. Under NH law, without a will, his estate goes to the General Fund which funds everything from copy paper to dump trucks unless a specific bill directs it otherwise. This bill would direct it to an account within the Dept. of Heath & Human Services. A probate court decision expected in October may make this LSR moot so I would withdraw it at that time, but I needed this LSR as a placeholder in case probate could not or would not rule in favor of a targeted state account rather than the General Fund.
LSR 2024-2661 - Also at a constituent request, this LSR would amend a current law to specify how long a propane company can hold a tank once a customer notifies them of when they want to switch suppliers. Companies also have to make a good faith effort to transfer ownership to the new supplier instead of digging up a yard to reclaim it, they have to notify in writing of contractual fees and other notifications customers need before they commit to a supplier. I filed a similar bill last year just to study ancillary fees charged by propane companies. It passed the House but died in the Senate, due to heavy lobbying by the propane companies. Most of these companies are fair and upfront, but one in particular is the source of most complaints filed with the Attorney General. This bill will fix that, although that big company is going to spend a lot of money to fight this.
LSR 2024-2019 - Updating the definition of personal watercraft. Back in 1989, the late Sen. Susan McLane and former Congressman, and NH Representative, Charlie Bass, introduced a bill to allow waterfront owners to petition DES to consider restrictions on personal watercraft on a lake or a portion of a lake. The definition used in 1989 is obsolete to how personal watercraft are manufactured today so this bill updates that definition.
LSR 2024-2798 this bill will require DES to prepare a document "Your Responsibilities Under the Shoreland Water Quality Protection Act" and provide it to a buyer when they are purchasing property subject to the SWQPA. Most of these buyers have no clue that they are not allowed to clear cut land abutting state waters, not allowed to fertilize within 25 feet, and other activities that threaten lake and river water quality. Subsequently, our lakes and rivers suffer increased cyanobacteria blooms, f***l contamination and damage to watersheds.
LSR 2024-2105 - this bill would expand the Clean Lakes Program (which addresses aquatic invasive species) to include cyanobacteria blooms. This bill is a recommendation of DES from their draft cyanobacteria management plan.
LSR 2024-2079 - this bill requires property within the shoreland protection zone to have their septic system evaluated and determined functioning before the property can be sold. This is an important law to prevent the continuing damage done to lakes and rivers because failed system runs septage directly into public waters. Yuck.
LSR 2024-2048 - this bill amends the Shoreland Water Quality Protection Act to allow enforcement of violations without having to show evidence that the violator knew they were violating and that the violation directly damaged the public water. The SWQPA is very important statute, but the AG has concerns that its 2 clauses (intent and damage) make it unenforceable.

I'm also co-sponsor of other bills addressing PFAS, taxation removal of Meals on Wheels vouchers and other water-related bills filed by colleagues. Once the language of the LSRs is finalized, sponsors and co-sponsors "sign off", a bill # is assigned, and bills are "introduced" in January, then they go to committees for public hearings and recommendations. They go onto the House and Senate and if they are still alive, they go to the Governor's desk to be passed into law or vetoed.

If you have any questions on these or the process, please let me know. Message me here or call me at 603-424-6664. For a full list of LSRs, go here:

New Hampshire Legislative Service Requests (LSR's)

Today, Executive Councilor, Cinde Warmington, cut the ribbon on a new NH Dept. of Environmental Services Dam Maintenance Facility. The level of expertise & trade skills needed to monitor, respond and manage dam operations is incredible. Four other members of the NH House Resources committee joined me: Chair Andy Renzullo, Jim Horgen, Tanya Donnelly, and Will Darby. Sen. Debra Altschiller attended as well.

Today I had the privilege of attending a service at the NH Public Works Memorial in Concord to add new names of public works employees who have been killed on the job. It was heartbreaking to hear of how some employees went to work clearing roads, fixing bridges, unplugging pipes, to have their lives taken away, never to return home to their children and loved ones.

Public Works employees at all levels - state, county, town/city - are really under appreciated. All you have to imagine is what our communities would be like without them. We'd be buried in garbage, navigating broken roads and bridges, with sewers backing up into the street, and more.

So next time you are passing a road construction site or going to the transfer station, take time to be careful and don't put our public works employees in harm's way. They deserve our attention and respect.

(Here are some photos I took: with Rep. John Cloutier who sponsored the memorial bill, former Gov. John Lynch who signed it into law, and some reps from the House Public Works Committee.)

I agree with Leader Wilhelm that Rep. Sanborn needs to be removed from the Charitable Gaming oversight commission and from the House Ways and Means Committee, but I think she needs to resign as a member of the NH House. Accepting a Ferrari paid for with fraudulently acquired taxpayer money is unacceptable and beneath the ethical standard NH legislators should meet.

"Given the serious charges in the AG's report, removing Rep. Sanborn from positions directly involving charitable gaming is the only way to preserve public trust in the oversight of taxpayer $. I have asked Speaker Packard to take the necessary actions." -
Rep. Matt Wilhelm

Rep. Nancy Murphy and I want to thank all of you who contributed school supplies for our second "Community for Classrooms" event! Whether by dropping it off at our drive or through the Amazon wish list, we had boxes and bags for each school delivered today. These supplies are a big help to our teachers (saving them from paying from their own pocket) and support those families who are struggling. Thanks so much!!

Saint-Gobain announced this morning that it is closing their Merrimack facility. This will stop the air emissions of PFAS into the air, but there remains enough PFAS in the soil around their site and even extending to Londonderry, to contaminate surface and groundwater for decades. Please call Governor Sununu’s office and demand he secure an escrow fund or other financial guarantee to keep Saint-Gobain on the hook for all costs associated with their disgraceful operation in Merrimack. The Governors office number is: 603-271-2121. Thank you!!

Last night, several other state reps and I attended a session hosted by a special education advocate who wanted us to support legislation mandating cameras in "seclusion rooms." These rooms are used in many NH schools to isolate a student experiencing a severe behavioral episode ("meltdown" comes to mind). We heard from a few parents who shared their stories of injuries to their children, distrust of school personnel, and utter frustration when their child has been placed in these rooms.

Because my constituency is in Merrimack, I asked how the Merrimack School District ranks in this area and was told that we are one of the best in the State in managing children experiencing these crises - an outcome of having trained personnel and solid procedures - both made possible through the investment our taxpayers make to special education and ensuring the professionalism of our staff.

Nevertheless, it's heartbreaking to hear of the enormous responsibility and stress placed on parents of special needs children. They face situations that others could never imagine. Merrimack is a community that takes pride in "caring for their own" and I hope this extends to supporting families who shoulder more challenges than most. I firmly believe that when we strengthen one family, our community as a whole becomes stronger.

Today the NH Department of Environmental Services issued a permit which allows Saint-Gobain to discharge up to just under a pound of each of four PFAS regulated by the State. To say that I am angry and disappointed is an understatement. In oral and written comments by me and others, we told NHDES that any release of PFAS is unacceptable. Merrimack already suffers a higher rate of kidney/renal cancers, many families in this area are still forced to use bottled water, and costs that should be shouldered by Saint-Gobain to clean up this mess are borne by taxpayers. I'll be filing a bill in a few weeks to prohibit the granting of operating permits to companies which would allow the discharge of chemicals already present as contaminants in our soil, air or water.

NHDES is an executive department, under the control of the Governor. We have heard multiple times that it follows the directive of the Governor. Please Merrimack voters - make environmental protection a priority during next year's election. We need a Governor who will be a vocal advocate for our environment, not pro-business to the point that companies like Saint-Gobain damage our health, wallets and well-being.

Even though the NH House and Senate are not in Session during the summer, that does not mean that we are idle. Today, many reps (including me), senators, town/city clerks, moderators, poll workers and the public were in Concord to learn about 3 ballot counting machines being considered to replace the aging machines currently in use in NH. My thoughts:
1. New machines must meet a lot stricter security standards so the fear of compromise to software/hardware is unwarranted. Remember, these are counting machines; NH will continue to rely on paper ballots to record a voter's decision. Along with State procedural requirements in law, there is no reason for voters to distrust our State's electoral process.
2. NH's Secretary of State, David Scanlon, and his team are committed to transparency and public engagement, as evident in the fact that they held this demonstration day and opened it up to anyone wanting to attend. That says a lot about how serious he is in his responsibility to ensure the integrity of elections.
3. I was privileged to have Merrimack's Town Moderator, Lynn Christensen in my group. Her experience, knowledge, and commitment to election integrity is very impressive. We are so fortunate to have her in this role and I greatly appreciated her questions and insights into the difference between the companies (ES&S, VotingWorks, and Dominion). Her recommendation will be the right one.

Rep. Nancy Murphy and I had a great time this evening meeting and talking with constituents at the Merrimack Night Out, hosted by the Merrimack Police Department with the participation of many community groups and businesses. Thanks so much to the awesome Parks & Rec team for organizing it and all the wonderful families who came out! It’s an honor and privilege to represent Merrimack.

Citizens Count has published a great summary of NH state reps' attendance records, key votes and positions. Here's the summary on me and I encourage all Merrimack voters to look up the voting records of all their reps: Bill Boyd, Bob Healey, Tim McGough, Maureen Mooney, Nancy Murphy, Jeanine Notter, [me], and Wendy Thomas here: https://www.citizenscount.org/nh/hillsborough/merrimack -officials..
See which ones align with your values and priorities. As always, if you have questions about my record or any issue, please feel free to call me at home (603-424-6664).

Rosemarie Rung - current term in office | Citizens Count Rosemarie Rung is an elected official serving New Hampshire voters; learn about this term in office including position on issues and contact information.

Shortly into my first term in office, I testified before the NH House Election Law committee. While waiting for my turn to speak, I was in awe over the then chairman, David Cote's, intellect, wit, professionalism and kindness. Wow, would I ever be able to lead at that level? David set a very high bar for today's state reps and for those to follow.

In my ensuing terms and even earlier this year, I turned to David first when I needed legislative advice and a balanced perspective. His contributions to the State are countless and he will be deeply missed.

In a stunning failure of leadership, Gov. Sununu VETOED a bill, HB342, which would have simply asked parents of young children entering school if they ever had their blood tested for lead. Why is this important? Even though blood lead testing is required for 1 and 2 year olds (signed into law by Sununu!), only 50-60% of them actually get tested (btw, the test is done during regular checkup in doctor's office). When lead poisoning goes undetected, it leads to permanent learning disabilities, higher special education costs (and higher taxes), and negative impacts for families. Lead poisoning is the cause of 1 in 5 cases of ADHD. Being able to alert parents and educators to possible lead poisoning allows early intervention and better outcomes. The prime sponsor, Rep. Nancy Murphy, and I will not give up this effort to inform Merrimack parents and encourage our schools to be proactive in encouraging lead testing of all young children. For more information on lead poisoning:

Lead Poisoning Prevention | Lead | CDC Primary prevention – the removal of lead hazards from the environment before exposure and secondary prevention – including blood lead testing and follow-up – remains an essential safety net for children who may already be exposed to lead.

Last week, NHDES held a hearing to accept public comments on a draft air permit for Saint Gobain. The permit spells out the amount of PFAS they are allowed to discharge to the air, along with other requirements. If you weren't able to provide oral comments, the State is accepting written letters and emails until July 3. For more information on the permit, go here: https://www.pfas.des.nh.gov/news-and-media/blog/draft-air-permit-available-public-comment
In addition to my verbal comments last week, here is the email I sent today (emails can go to [email protected]):

You've all heard by now that the NH House and Senate have passed a budget. It's described as historic since it's been decades both chambers agreed to a budget without having to enter negotiations via a Committee of Conference. My esteemed colleague, Rep. David Meuse of Portsmouth, has done an excellent job summarizing its key points, so I won't try to repeat them, but link to his summary: https://www.davidmeuse4nh.com/updates1/2023/6/11/2vw8rzbon1nvp1ygxqmua9rwog9mda?fbclid=IwAR07trqsbRGCITr3jKftUD1f629sgBUd8guDzxSRL3ov5uLXVa0IMKYnFDE

What Just Happened? Yes, We Shocked Ourselves and the World and Passed a State Budget! — Rep. David Meuse By now—if you’ve had the stamina to consume any news beyond Trump’s indictments and the attempted asphyxiation of eastern US cities by Canada—you may have heard the New Hampshire House and Senate passed a new state budget. Here’s a quick recap of the good, the bad and the ugly.

A perk of being a state rep is being invited to local school events, like tonight's Art Show at Reeds Ferry School and seeing first hand what our children are learning and doing. The depth and breadth of artistic work on display was amazing. Kudos to RFS art teacher, Ms. Donovan, for successfully inspiring creativity and artistic expression in students. Thanks also to Mrs. Painchaud, Principal of RFS, for your enthusiastic leadership. It was a pleasure to see you this evening, along with one of my favorite paraeducators, Gail Collupy!

The NH House was in session yesterday and there were 2 key bills voted upon that have received quite a bit of attention. The first bill, SB272, was termed the "Parent Bill of Rights." What is important to remember is bills often get titled with a term different from the bill's content. This bill is an example of that. It outlined several "rights" that parents have in their interactions with schools. Almost all of these rights are already in Merrimack School District policy or state law. However, embedded in the language of this bill was the following:

(t) The right to inquire of the school or school personnel and to be truthfully and completely informed if their child is being identified by any name other than the name under which the child was enrolled in the school or any nickname that a reasonable person would understand to be commonly derived from such name, including under circumstances which a reasonable person would understand to be for the purpose of facilitating a change of gender or gender transition.

(u) The right to inquire of the school or school personnel and to be truthfully and completely informed if the child is being identified or referred to by school district staff, as being of a gender other than that of which the child was identified or referred when enrolled.

(v) The right to inquire of the school or school personnel and to be truthfully and completely informed if any school or school personnel are proceeding with any intervention to affirm or to provide an accommodation of a child’s asserted gender identity when the student’s gender identity is other than that of which the child was identified or referred when enrolled.

The kicker was this: Any parent claiming violation of any provision of this chapter may bring an action for declaratory and/or injunctive relief and monetary damages against the school or school personnel. If a parent prevails in any such court action, the court shall award to the parent his or her reasonable attorneys’ fees and court costs, including any such attorneys’ fees and court costs incurred in an appeal to the supreme court.

I voted against this for several reasons: 1. this is part of a national political agenda against LGBTQ rights, not a problem needing a solution in NH. I hate it when we are used as a pawn for some extremist agenda. 2. Parents already have the right to ask teachers anything they want. 3. Teachers should not be forced to insert themselves into an issue that should be private among families. How would a teacher even "completely and truthfully be informed" about a student's gender? If this is a concern of parents, they should TALK TO THEIR KIDS, not expect teachers to make this their concern. 4. The liability and its costs would prevent any teacher from remaining in the profession, one which is already suffering extreme shortages.

All the Republican Merrimack reps voted for this bill and all Democratic reps voted against it. Enough Republicans voted with the Democrats to defeat this bill.

The second bill was to remove the sunset provision for Medicaid, a state/federal program to provide health insurance for low-income residents. The fact is, Medicaid helps all of us, whether we need it or not. People that go on it, typically do it as a stop gap - they become sick, can't keep their job (or get fired), because of loss of income, they go on Medicaid, recover, return to workforce, go off Medicaid. Also, hundreds of elderly use Medicaid to pay for nursing home care. If they didn't, they would have to return to family members (if they have any) who would have to leave their employment to provide that care, not to mention the impact this would be on families to assume in-home care for their elderly relative. Because Medicaid is a revenue stream for nursing homes and hospitals, it helps them cover costs for services that we all use and stabilizes their financial planning. There are many other reasons this bill helps our economy and the lives of Granite Staters, but these are the major reasons why I and all the other Merrimack Democratic reps voted to pass it. Every Republican Merrimack rep voted against it.

Again, if you have any questions on bills or my votes, please feel free to message me or call me. My home number is 603-424-6664.