Dear Neighbor, 

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Our families shouldn’t worry about just getting by — and that’s what drives my work every day. 

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My name is Megan Cotter, and it is my honor to serve as your State Representative for  District 39 in Exeter, Richmond, and Hopkinton. I’ve brought hard work and compassion to  the State House to deliver results on what matters: making life more affordable; preserving  our rural landscape; funding healthcare, schools and safety; and standing up for neighbors  who need our help the most. 

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We all have important reasons to stand up for our community. For me it is the strength and  compassion this community showed my family. My parents raised me in Providence, working  hard, worrying about bills, and teaching me the value of kindness. After years of saving,  my husband Chris and I bought a home in Exeter to offer our three kids good schools and  the beautiful outdoors. In 2017, a battery explosion burned our home to the ground. We  lost everything, but help came from friends, neighbors and many strangers. The community’s  care was deeply humbling. We did not hesitate to rebuild our house right here.  

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When rural communities talk about finding common ground, it isn’t just talk — it’s the  land beneath our feet and the homes we make for our families. Neighbor helping neighbor  — that’s what we do, and too often that’s missing from politics.  

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Here’s what standing up for our community at the State House has looked like. 

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Lowering costs for families and seniors. I fought for real relief as prices skyrocketed  nationally. We won expanded Social Security and tax relief on retirement income  and restored cost-of-living adjustments for our seniors. Most families will receive a  $330 per child increase to their child tax credit. And I push every year for property  tax relief and limits on the profits utility companies can make. 

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Protecting taxpayers. I co-sponsored a bipartisan law to create an independent Inspector  General — a government watchdog to cut waste and protect taxpayer dollars. And I helped  win an audit of the RI Department of Transportation.  

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Preserving forests and open spaces. We live in the jewel of our state — surrounded by  forests, farms, open spaces, and the state’s largest wildlife area. And we must protect it. 

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When the Exeter fire burned more than 200 acres, it was a wake-up call. The words of our  fire chief stayed with me: Rhode Island’s forests are neglected. In 2023 I got a bill passed,  chaired a commission, brought in experts, and pushed hard to change a state budget with  zero funding for forest management. We won 2 new forest rangers and $200,000 for forest  management. I was named 2025 Legislator of the Year by the RI Southern Firefighters League. 

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We fought to get a Green Bond on the ballot in 2024. Voters approved it with 67% support  — funding $5 million for farm preservation, $5 million for forest management, and $3 million  for open space. In 2026 I won $50,000 for the first new forestry hose since the 1980s. Our  rural communities are finally seeing investments. 

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I’m the first legislator in decades to sit on the Northeast Forest Fire Prevention Commission  that covers New England, New York, and eastern Canada. In 2026, when the governor left  farms and open space out of the Green Bond again, I fought to win $3 million for farmland  and $3 million for open space. In June, I created a commission to study the impact of new  housing developments on water supplies and watersheds, so we avoid the problems other  towns have faced.  

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Supporting our schools and investing in our kids. As a working mom, I know what it’s like  to want a better future for our children. In 2026, we won more than $600,000 in new state  aid for our schools, and we’ve received increased school aid every year I’ve been elected.  In 2024, I passed a bill that increased funding for babies and toddlers with developmental  delays. In 2025, we passed a bill to make sure every school district has a plan to support  student mental health. This spring I led the fight for a commission to study the impact of  technology on our children. 

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Caring for our health. I made sure Wood River Health got a new van, so our neighbors can  get to appointments. We fought for $115 million to strengthen the state Medicaid system  and pushed to raise reimbursement rates. We took on big pharma to protect discount drug  programs, and I co-sponsored the most significant healthy housing legislation in over 20  years — targeting lead poisoning prevention for our kids. 

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None of this happened by accident, and none of it happened alone. I work with Republicans  and Democrats, with fire chiefs and farmers, with town councils, health advocates and  school officials — because getting things done means working together.

 

In 2024, the Council of State Governments recognized our progress by naming me one of  20 young legislators nationally with a commitment to bipartisan solutions. 

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Our work is not done. I’m running again because our families deserve a representative  who delivers real results. I hope to see you this summer — reach out any time at  Megan@MeganCotterRI.com or (401) 541-5588 or MeganCotterRI.com 

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I respectfully ask for your vote, because working together, we can get things done.

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Warmly