Legislative Work


Jerry Knirk in the NH Legislature
  • New Hampshire House of Representatives for 6 years, serving on Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs Committee (HHSEA)
  • Chair of New Hampshire State Health Assessment/ State Health Improvement Plan Advisory Council
  • Chair of New Hampshire Therapeutic Cannabis Medical Oversight Board

For six years I have represented District 3, Madison, Tamworth, Albany and Freedom in the New Hampshire House of Representatives, serving on the Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs (HHSEA) Committee. With redistricting, I am running in Carroll County, District 8, the floterial district, including the towns of Moultonborough, Tamworth, Madison, Freedom, Eaton, Effingham, Wakefield and Brookfield. I am well known in my old towns but in five of the eight towns in which I am now running, people do not know me and what I have been doing for the past six years. I have worked hard at this job, as I did in my previous career as a surgeon. As a retired physician, much of my focus is on healthcare issues and policy. Much of our work in the legislature is done in committees. I have become the workhorse of the HHSEA Committee carrying the load to either push through or defeat many of the bills we process. I frequently debate our bills on the house floor. My scientific training and attention to detail help me use a data-driven approach to analyze problems and search for solutions. But it is important to remember that the bills we are working on affect real people, not just populations and budget numbers. Both in our hearings and in my speeches on the House floor I emphasize the impact of the legislation and the issue on individuals, not just the population. Though I am a Democrat, I have forged strong relationships with many Republicans in the New Hampshire House and work with them a great deal. We are friends. I enjoy finding common ground with others, including those from the other party, and working with others to find solutions to problems. When our committee worked on the Medicaid expansion reauthorization bill I spent hours with a very conservative Republican and a moderate Republican to draft needed amendments which became part of the final bill.

Sounds like a joke–what do you get when Democrats and Republicans work together? Good important bills passed!

I have been appointed to numerous legislative committees and commissions. I currently serve as the chair of the Therapeutic Cannabis Medical Oversight Board, charged with overseeing the medical issues of the New Hampshire Therapeutic Cannabis Program. I also currently serve as the chair of the New Hampshire State Health Assessment/ State Health Improvement Plan Advisory Council, aiding the development of our long term plan for improving health outcomes in the state.

Skip to content