The session is winding down, but the work is not. This week: where Right to Try goes from here, how your church can save a life, and why the next six days are critical for Christians who care about who represents them in Concord.
HB 1735: A Setback for Right to Try in New Hampshire
After several weeks of negotiations and efforts to rescue HB 1735 — championed from the start by prime sponsor Rep. Brian Cole — the Senate brought the bill to a final vote on Thursday, June 4 and passed it with an amendment that rendered it essentially meaningless. Following the Senate’s vote in May to table the bill outright, the House worked hard to find a path forward. The Senate’s response was to pass an amended version that, while it does not damage existing Right to Try law, strips out every meaningful expansion that HB 1735 was designed to achieve. The House then voted to accede to the bill as amended, bringing this chapter to a close.
We are disappointed in the Senate’s unwillingness to go to bat for patients — people with severe and irreversible conditions who are out of options and simply asking for the right to try. The House fought for them. Governor Ayotte has been a steadfast champion for them. We are grateful to both for their commitment to expanding patient freedom in New Hampshire.
We want to take a moment to express our sincere gratitude to the representatives who gave so much to this bill. Thank you to prime sponsors Rep. Sherm Packard, Rep. Lisa Mazur, Rep. Brian Cole, and Rep. Steven Kesselring — each of whom invested real time, energy, and conviction in the effort to expand Right to Try protections for New Hampshire patients. Their work was not in vain, and we will be carrying it forward.
We believe New Hampshire patients deserved more, and we intend to keep working until they have it. The case for Right to Try only grows stronger with time — and so does the case for New Hampshire as a destination for patients seeking treatments that are not yet available through conventional channels. New Hampshire has the proximity to Boston’s world-class medical and biotech corridor, the regulatory environment, and the political will — in at least two of its three branches — to become a Right to Try hub for the region. That potential does not disappear because of one legislative session. We will be back.
Baby Boxes and Baby Safe Havens: A Ministry Your Church Can Offer
Many of you know that Manchester recently welcomed a new baby box installation — a safe, anonymous, life-saving option for parents in crisis who might otherwise make a devastating choice. We are grateful to everyone who made that possible.
But the network of protection for vulnerable newborns in New Hampshire depends on more than boxes. It depends on churches.
New Hampshire’s Safe Haven law allows parents to surrender a newborn at any staffed location — including a church — without fear of prosecution. Your congregation may already be positioned to serve in this way without knowing it. If your church has staffed office hours, you can become a safe haven. You simply need to post signage, inform your staff of the simple steps involved, and save the DHHS 24-hour intake line: 800-894-5533.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Take five minutes this week to learn whether your congregation can offer this ministry. A parent in crisis may not trust a government building. They may trust a church. Let us be ready. Learn about how to become a safe haven here.
Candidate Filing Is Happening Right Now — Will You Step Up?
New Hampshire’s candidate filing period runs through June 12, 2026 — one week from today. Filing for the NH House of Representatives costs just $2, or five primary petition signatures.
The outcomes of this legislative session — the wins and the losses — were shaped by who was sitting in those seats. The answer to the frustrations of this year is not to walk away from the process. It is to be part of it.
If you have ever thought about running, this is your moment. If you know someone in your congregation, your community, or your network who shares our values and has the time and heart for public service, encourage them. The State House is 400 seats. Many of those seats are winnable by someone who simply shows up, knocks on doors, and talks to their neighbors. The primary is September 8. The general election is November 3. The deadline to file is Friday, June 12. Don’t let it pass.
This year there are 71 open districts with no candidate filed yet. Of those, 7 are likely wins for a strong conservative candidate, and 20 are highly competitive — districts where the right person could flip the seat. This is a real opportunity, and it will not come around again until 2028.
If you live in any of the districts below — or know someone who does — now is the time to act.
✅ Likely Conservative Wins
| Belknap 5 | Laconia Wards 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 — Find your ward |
| Rockingham 5 | Epping |
| Strafford 7 | Rochester Ward 3 — Find your ward |
| Grafton | Littleton, Lisbon, Bath, Monroe, Sugar Hill, Lyman |
| Strafford 5 | Rochester Ward 1 — Find your ward |
| Sullivan 6 | Croydon, Claremont Wards 1, 2, 3 — Find your ward |
| Sullivan 8 | Claremont Wards 1, 2, 3, Sunapee, Springfield, Washington, Lempster, Acworth, Croydon, Goshen, Langdon — Find your ward |
⚡ Highly Competitive — We Can Flip These
These districts are within reach with the right candidate. If you live here, please seriously consider stepping up.
| Carroll 1 | Conway |
| Cheshire 13 | Jaffrey, Dublin |
| Grafton 7 | Campton |
| Hillsborough 12 | Merrimack |
| Hillsborough 34 | Amherst |
| Hillsborough 22 | Manchester Ward 11 — Find your ward |
| Hillsborough 24 | Manchester Ward 4 — Find your ward |
| Hillsborough 25 | Manchester Ward 5 — Find your ward |
| Hillsborough 26 | Manchester Ward 7 — Find your ward |
| Hillsborough 41 | Manchester Wards 2, 4, 5, 7 — Find your ward |
| Merrimack 6 | Sutton, Wilmot |
| Merrimack 8 | Henniker, Warner, Bradford |
| Hillsborough 4 | Nashua Ward 2 — Find your ward |
| Hillsborough 5 | Nashua Ward 1 — Find your ward |
| Hillsborough 7 | Nashua Ward 7 — Find your ward |
| Hillsborough 8 | Nashua Ward 6 — Find your ward |
| Hillsborough 9 | Nashua Ward 5 — Find your ward |
| Hillsborough 10 | Nashua Ward 9 — Find your ward |
| Rockingham 23 | North Hampton |
| Strafford 12 | Rollinsford, Somersworth Wards 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 — Find your ward |