The Overview

If you ever stop by a pharmacy counter in New Hampshire, your pharmacist's responsibilities may have increased, and so did the options open to seriously ill patients. Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte signed New Hampshire House Bill 1735 into law on July 10. ​

The law addresses a growing concern: pharmacy closures have reduced access to medication and health advice in some communities, and research has identified "pharmacy deserts" where low-income residents face barriers to basic pharmaceutical services. The bill passed both the House and the Senate, and parts of it started taking effect on July 10.

What the Law Does

House Bill 1735 lets pharmacists do more and widens New Hampshire's Right to Try law, the *New Hampshire Union Leader* reported. Pharmacists can now handle a wider range of patient care, and seriously ill patients have new options for treatments that federal regulators have not yet fully approved.

Some parts of the law start on Sept. 8, 2026, other parts follow a separate schedule, and the rest took effect on July 10, 2026, the day the governor signed it.

The New Hampshire Medical Society opposed the bill. The society's opposition reflects a broader national debate over how far pharmacists' authority should extend into territory traditionally held by physicians.

By the Numbers

New Hampshire has about 1.4 million residents, according to 2024 American Community Survey estimates. About 5.3 percent of people in the state lacked health insurance, and 13.3 percent had a disability. These numbers cover all ages and the state as a whole, not the specific groups the law targets.

Legislative Status

The bill was led by Rep. Brian Cole (R-NH). Cosponsors include Rep. Erica Layon (R-NH), Rep. Jeanine Notter (R-NH), Rep. Sherri Reinfurt (R-NH), Rep. Dan McGuire (R-NH), and Rep. J.D. Bernardy (R-NH), along with five other cosponsors.

The House passed the bill 181 to 151 on March 11. The Senate passed it 14 to nine on June 4. The Senate revived HB 1735 after it had been headed toward interim study, with Sen. David Rochefort as its sponsor. Rochefort said the law would make it "easier for patients to receive timely care in their own" communities.

Americans for Prosperity-New Hampshire (AFP-NH) praised the House passage of HB 1735 on March 11, grouping it with two other bills it said would "increase access to affordable care options while empowering patients and physicians to pursue innovative" options. The group's support and the Medical Society's opposition put the bill at the center of a debate over patient access versus professional oversight that played out across both chambers.

Gov. Kelly Ayotte (R) signed the bill July 10, making it Chapter 311.

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