Summer in Concord can seem quieter. Perhaps a better way to put it is that the work is simply less public.

While the Legislature is out of session, NHNPA’s advocacy work continues. This is the time of year when we meet with our partners and our government affairs team at the Dupont Group, reflect on the past session, talk strategy, and begin laying the groundwork for what comes next.

This summer, there has also been something new to watch in Concord as the new Legislative Office Building comes together—and it is truly beautiful.

During an evening walk recently, I stopped to take a few photographs. In one of them, the eagle atop the State House is facing away from the camera. There was something about that image that seemed fitting.

Sometimes advocacy is face-forward: testimony at a hearing, a vote in the House or Senate, or an issue being discussed publicly.

And sometimes the work happens with its back to the camera—in conversations, strategy sessions, relationship-building, research, collaboration, and preparation that most people will never see.

That quieter work matters. It is where we evaluate what happened during the last legislative session, identify emerging issues affecting APRNs and their patients, strengthen relationships with policymakers and healthcare partners, and begin deciding where NHNPA can make the greatest difference in the year ahead.

The halls may be quieter in the summer, but the work continues.

Help Shape What Comes Next

Summer is also an important time for looking ahead. As NHNPA prepares for the next legislative session, we are assembling our Government Affairs Committee and want to hear from members who are interested in being part of that work.

Have you encountered a barrier to providing care? Is there a law, regulation, or practice requirement creating unnecessary challenges for APRNs or their patients? Is there something you believe NHNPA should be working to change?

This is the time to start the conversation.

Interested in sharing an issue or getting involved in NHNPA’s Government Affairs work? Contact Kim Mohan at kimmohan@nhnpa.net.