SPONSOR: Wallingford
COMMITTEE ACTION: Voted "Do Pass" by the Standing Committee on Health and Mental Health Policy by a vote of 15 to 0. Voted "Do Pass" by the Standing Committee on Rules- Administrative Oversight by a vote of 12 to 0.
This bill requires any public water system or public water supply district that intends to start or stop fluoridation of its water supply on a continuing basis to seek and receive information about the impact of public water fluoridation from the local health department.
The public water system or public water supply district shall inform the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Health and Senior Services that the water system or water district has sought and received information on the impact of public water fluoridation prior to submitting notification of the water system's or water district's intention to start or stop public water fluoridation on a continuing basis.
In cases of an investor-owned water system, the entity calling for the modifications to fluoridation shall be responsible for all costs associated with compliance.
This bill is the same as SB 619 (2020).
PROPONENTS: Supporters say that the bill will keep consumers informed about whether or not their drinking water has fluoride in it and prohibits the water company from just stopping and starting fluoride treatment without notifying the public.
Testifying for the bill were Representative Wallingford; Missouri Coalition For Oral Health; Aaron Bumann, Missouri Academy of Pediatric Dentistry; Alicia Dione Snitker; Diann Bomkamp; Dwight E. McLeod, DDS, MS, Missouri Coalition For Oral Health: A.T. Still University-Missouri School of Dentistry & Oral Health; Ellen Wentz; Geoff Peterson; Jackie Barger; Jane Collignon; John Fasbinder, D.D.S.; Katie Schroeder, RDH; Kimberly Bray; Leslie Degroat; Lori Crawford RDH BS, Missouri Dental Hygienists' Association; Matthew Keepes; Vanessa Draper; Missouri Dental Association; Arnie Dienoff; Linda Hoffmann, RDH; Molly Foster; and Rob Goren, Delta Dental Of Missouri.
OPPONENTS: There was no opposition voiced to the committee. Written testimony has been submitted for this bill. The full written testimony can be found under Testimony on the bill page on the House website.
Statutes affected: