Elect Jay Edwards State Representative Tiverton

Elect Jay Edwards State Representative Tiverton Elect Jay Edwards State Representative Tiverton Elect Jay Edwards State Representative Tiverton
Home
Meet Jay
Issues
Legislation
Endorsements
News
Get Involved
Contribute

Elect Jay Edwards State Representative Tiverton

Elect Jay Edwards State Representative Tiverton Elect Jay Edwards State Representative Tiverton Elect Jay Edwards State Representative Tiverton
Home
Meet Jay
Issues
Legislation
Endorsements
News
Get Involved
Contribute
More
  • Home
  • Meet Jay
  • Issues
  • Legislation
  • Endorsements
  • News
  • Get Involved
  • Contribute
  • Home
  • Meet Jay
  • Issues
  • Legislation
  • Endorsements
  • News
  • Get Involved
  • Contribute

Issues

Substance Use Policy

Substance Use Policy

Substance Use Policy

As a former director of Caritas, Jay has a long history of  helping people with  substance use disorders.

  In 2019, Rep Edwards was selected as an Opioid Policy Fellow for the National Conference of State Legislatures, which focuses on health policies and programs being addressed throughout the country. When he returned, he sponsored a law that allows hospitals to contact the patient’s emergency contact and a certified peer recovery specialist in certain situations. The change will improve support for those hospitalized for drug overdoses and mental health emergencies by increasing the likelihood that their families or others wishing to assist them with treatment are aware of their hospitalization. Governor Raimondo named Rep Edwards to the State Opioid Task Force in 2019. Rep Edwards is the House Sponsor of legislation, H5245 Sub A, that will create safe injection zones in RI. This will help reduce overdose deaths and get people access to treatment options. In 2022, Speaker Shekarchi appointed Jay to the Opioid Settlement Committee Which will decide how the funds are allocated for the next 18 years.

Environment

Substance Use Policy

Substance Use Policy

Rep  Edwards  is  the  only  member  of  the  General  Assembly  who  is  a  LEED  AP,  Leadership  in  Energy  and  Environmental Design  Accredited  Professional.  Jay  has  used  this  professional  experience  in  his  legislation  from  re-using  brown fields,  thus  preserving  more  pristine  land  for  things  like  farms,  parks  &  schools.  As  a  longtime  member  of  the  Tiverton  Land  Trust,  Jay  believes  in  preserving  open spaces  for  future  generations.  Jay’s  experience  in  the  construction  of  sustainable  buildings  has  also  become  legislation  through  the  Green  Buildings  Act.  

Rep  Edwards is the RI House  appointee  to  the  national  State Agricultural & Rural Leaders  where he  has  promoted land preservation  &  small,  family  farms. Jay is a longtime supporter of true green energy and  advocate for increased use of green energy and reduction/elimination of fossil fuel based sources. In 2022, Rep Edwards introduced legislation to move aquaculture farms 1000’ offshore to allow continued access for all.

Finances

Substance Use Policy

Reproductive Rights

 Jay  sponsored the Rhode Island Market Stability and Reinsurance Act, which stabilizes health insurance rates and premiums in the individual market and provides greater financial certainty to consumers.  Rep  Edwards  has  also  sponsored  bills  to  broaden  and  reduce  the  sales  tax  and  supported  the  elimination  of  the  car  tax.  As a member of the House Finance Committee, Jay has a seat at the table for his constituents in Tiverton & Portsmouth. In this era of the COVID 19 pandemic and the subsequent huge shortfalls in tax revenues, Jay was able to shepherd legislation through the House to allow cites & towns the ability to continue to tax at the FY 2020 rate until the State budget is set giving clarity on what they will receive in State funding. The bill passed unanimously . In 2022, the House Finance Committee approved the budget removing the car tax completely. 

Reproductive Rights

Reproductive Rights

Reproductive Rights

The overturning of Roe vs. Wade was a devastating blow to reproductive rights. Jay is a strong supporter of strengthen access to reproductive care. In 2019, he played pivotal role in the passage of the Reproductive Privacy Act by ensuring that this vital legislation made it to a floor vote. He supports the passage of the Equality in Abortion Coverage Act and ensuring that every Rhode Islander has access to safe and legal reproductive healthcare.

Local Issues

Reproductive Rights

Local Issues

Rep  Edwards worked to ensure that the state budget includes language that mandates an annual flat fee of $200,000 each to the towns of Tiverton and Lincoln in compensation for serving as the host communities for sports wagering.  Jay also had the funding of the Town's Stipend amended so that despite closures, the Town will continue to receive funding as long as the Casino is open. This resulted in Tiverton receiving an extra $3,000,000 for FY 21. Representative Edwards led the East Bay delegation’s efforts in the House to halt tolling on the Sakonnet River Bridge in 2014. He played a crucial role in the General Assembly’s final compromise, which initiated the dismantling of the tolls and created a special infrastructure fund to support Rhode Island’s roads and bridges. Jay is also against the take over of the RI Turnpike & Bridge Authority by RIDOT. This would only shift the resources that currently maintain the 4 bridge system to the wider transportation infrastructure. 

Paid for by Friends of Jay Edwards

Powered by GoDaddy Website Builder