The proposed bill establishes a formal election procedure for determining the fluoridation of public water systems in Arkansas by introducing "Subchapter 9 - Fluoridation Election" to the Arkansas Code Title 14, Chapter 116. It allows for a fluoridation election to be initiated through a petition signed by at least 38% of registered voters served by the public water system, which must be filed with the county clerk at least 120 days before the election. The bill outlines the responsibilities of election officials, including the verification of signatures, and sets penalties for failing to perform their duties. It also includes regulations for hiring and training paid canvassers, emphasizing the importance of accurate personal information from signers and measures to prevent fraud.

Additionally, the bill introduces new requirements for petition verification, mandating that each petition part includes an affidavit from the canvasser confirming their residence and the validity of the signatures collected. It specifies that petitions cannot contain signatures from more than one county and outlines the format for the canvasser's affidavit. The bill also details the responsibilities of county clerks in examining and certifying petitions and establishes that if a majority of voters choose to prohibit fluoridation, the public water system must cease fluoridation within 30 days of the election results. Furthermore, it amends existing law to clarify that entities controlling water systems must maintain fluoride levels as established by the Department of Health unless prohibited by an election.

Statutes affected:
SB 613: 14-116-901, 14-116-913, 14-116-914, 20-7-136(b)