TIVERTON — John G. “Jay” Edwards, who has represented District 70 as a Democrat in the Rhode Island House of Representatives since his first election in 2008, last week announced his candidacy for re-election in a press release.

“I have never stopped fighting to improve the quality of life in our wonderful communities of Tiverton and Portsmouth,” said Rep. Edwards, who serves as the House majority whip, the third highest-ranking member of the House. “After the Bay Street area in Tiverton was ravaged with pollution, it was my legislation that increased the maximum fines for industrial polluters from $1,000 to $25,000 a day. And I worked tirelessly until we killed the toll on the Sakonnet River Bridge.”

Most recently, Rep. Edwards said he sponsored legislation that was signed into law that regulates transportation network companies, such as Uber and Lyft, making them subject to the same taxes and regulations as traditional taxi services, as well as requiring a background check of the drivers.

“I just want to make certain that they abide by regulatory rules and regulations just like everybody else. Competition is great; an unfair advantage over traditional taxi services is not.”

Rep. Edwards voted in favor of a constitutional amendment that would put members of the General Assembly under the eye of the state Ethics Commission. The amendment, which must be approved by state voters, will appear on the ballot in November’s election. A further ethics measure introduced by Edwards and signed into law increases the accountability of the campaign finance law by strengthening and clarifying the language.

He was also a supporter this session of legislation that led to a cut in taxes on Social Security income and other pensions. He has supported efforts to reduce the minimum corporate tax, which went down to $450 in 2015, and then down to $400 this year.

In 2015, Whip Edwards sponsored legislation that creates a tax exemption for incomplete or unoccupied dwellings, a move that was supported by the Rhode Island Builders Association.

Last year he called for an an end to the delays in the completion of promised road projects here including demolition of the old Sakonnet River Bridge..

His bill aiming to prevent foreclosing owners from evicting tenants in one- to four-family units without just cause also became law in 2014.

The representative also listed legislative accomplishments including laws to strengthen safety standards for building schools on former industrial properties, decriminalizing small amounts of marijuana, and requiring any group or PAC working on charter-amendment questions to disclose contributions of more than $100.

Rep. Edwards served on the Tiverton Town Council from 2006 to 2008 and the Tiverton Zoning Board from 1996 to 2006. He served as vice chairman of the town’s Elementary School Building Committee from 2004 to 2008 and as chairman of Tiverton’s Landfill Sub-Committee from 2006 to 2008.

An advocate of blood donation, Rep. Edwards reached the milestone of 75 gallons of blood donated in 2015.

A 1983 graduate of Northeastern University, he works as a project manager for Carlin Construction Company. He was a director for Caritas RI, a former member of the Rhode Island Builders Association and the former chair of the Rhode Island branch of Associated Builders and Contractors. He is also a member of the Tiverton Land Trust, Save the Bay, Friends of the Tiverton Library, the Tiverton Democratic Town Committee, the Ancient Order of Hibernians, the Tiverton Lions Club and the National Eagle Scout Association.

He resides in Tiverton with his wife, Donna. The couple have three children: John, Kelsey and Mae.