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Pennsylvania Fluoridation Legislation

Mandatory Fluoridation bills have been proposed in nearly every legislative session since 1987. In 2000, the Fluoridation Choice Act was first introduced as an alternative which would empower local governments or water systems to stop fluoridation.

For details on a bill, click on the bill number, then choose "Text" for a copy of the bill or "Bill History" for the most recent information about the bill.

Fluoridation Choice Act History
SessionBill #CommitteeNotes
2005-2006(none) Bill may be irrelevant now that DEP has a permit process for removing water fluoridation.
2003-2004HB 1471Environmental Resources and EnergyDied in committee with 10 sponsors.
2001-2002HB 1174Environmental Resources and EnergyDied in committee with 14 sponsors.
1999-2000HB 2167Local GovernmentDied in committee with 13 sponsors.

History of Pro-Fluoridation Legislation
SessionBill #CommitteeNotes
2009-2010HB 1382Health and Human ServicesIntroduced by a Democrat with 17 sponsors on April 29, 2009. Died in committee.
HB 584Health and Human ServicesIntroduced by a Republican (in the first Democratic House in many years) with only 6 sponsors on February 24, 2009. Died in committee.
2007-2008HB 1649AppropriationsAssigned to Appropriations Committee on Nov 1st, 2007. Died in committee.
RulesPassed committee on July 5th, 2007.
Health and Human ServicesPassed committee on June 29, 2007 only two days after introduction with no hearings or even discussion.
2005-2006HB 1588Public Health & WelfareDied in committee.
Health and Human ServicesPassed, without hearings, through Health & Human Services Committee in Oct 2005; passed entire House 150-42 (also with no hearings or debate; see vote) on June 29th, 2006 after being amended by Rep. Flick to make water systems immune from lawsuits over fluoride and to ensure that fluoridation costs would be passed along to consumers. Sent to the Senate in June 2006.
2003-2004HB 761Environmental Resources and EnergyDied in committee with 18 sponsors.
2001-2002HB 595Health and Human ServicesDied in committee with 21 sponsors. Two original sponsors (DeLuca and Trello) dropped off, but two others (Harhai and Stetler) joined later as co-sponsors.
1999-2000HB 939Environmental Resources and EnergyAfter Committee Chair Arthur Hershey evaluated the issue and found that there is no scientific evidence to support the merits of water fluoridation, he committed to not allow the bill to pass out of committee. The bill died in committee with 12 sponsors (2 of the original 14 sponsors removed their name from the bill).
1997-1998(none)  
1995-1996HB 2855Consumer AffairsDied in committee with 16 sponsors.
1993-1994SB 359Public Health And WelfareDied in committee with only 2 sponsors.
1991-1992SB 1581Public Health And WelfareDied in committee with only 5 sponsors.
1989-1990HB 507Local GovernmentHB 507 was amended and passed by the Local Government Committee, then considered by the House, re-referred to the Appropriations Committee where it was further amended and passed back to the full House, where they amended it again and passed the bill in a vote of 116-86. The bill then went to the Senate for consideration, where the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee amended it once again, then passed it to the Senate, where they considered it then re-referred it to their Appropriations Committee, where the bill died with 47 sponsors. This is the closest the bill ever came to passing.
1987-1988SB 423Local GovernmentIn a 43-0 vote, the Senate passed the original SB 423, a bill about local tax collection from mobile homes and house trailers. The bill was then referred to the House's Local Government Committee, where the bill was completely changed in an "amendment" which deleted all of the original language and replaced it with language identical to HB 1004. This "amended" bill was passed out of committee, considered by the House, then re-referred to their Appropriations Committee where the bill died with only 3 sponsors.
HB 1004Health and WelfarePennsylvania's first Fluoridation Act since at least 1980. Died in committee with 41 sponsors.
SR 40 Senate Resolution passed urging Governor Casey to proclaim the week of April 20, 1987 as Community Dental Health Awareness Week. This is the only dental health resolution considered by the Pennsylvania legislature in the last 2 decades. It claims that fluoridation has improved dental health of Pennsylvanians.

Fluoridation Act (House Bill 1588 of 2005-2006 Session)

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL
No. 1588 Session of 2005

INTRODUCED BY TIGUE, ALLEN, BARRAR, BELFANTI, BUNT, CALTAGIRONE, CORRIGAN, CRUZ, CURRY, DALLY, EACHUS, FABRIZIO, GERGELY, JAMES, LaGROTTA, LEDERER, RAYMOND, SAINATO, SATHER, SHANER, STABACK, FRANKEL, GODSHALL, JOSEPHS, LEACH, McNAUGHTON, REICHLEY, SANTONI, SCAVELLO AND SHAPIRO
MAY 12, 2005

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES,
MAY 12, 2005

AN ACT

Providing for fluoridation of public water.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1.  Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Fluoridation Act.

Section 2.  Purpose.
It is the purpose of this act to prevent dental disease as a health care cost-containment measure.

Section 3.  Fluoride content of water.
Whenever the fluoride content of water served by public water suppliers to 500 domestic water connections or more is less than 0.8 milligrams per liter of fluoride, the person, association, firm, corporation, authority or municipality having jurisdiction over the supply shall add a measured amount of fluoride to the water so as to maintain a fluoride content of between 0.8 milligrams per liter and 1.2 milligrams per liter, in accordance with regulations adopted by the Department of Environmental Protection in consultation with the Department of Health, and recommended levels as established by the United States Public Health Service and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Section 4.  Enforcement.
The Department of Environmental Protection shall enforce this act commencing one year after the effective date of this act.

Section 5.  Effective date.
This act shall take effect in 120 days.

Source: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/billinfo.cfm?syear=2005&sind=0&body=H&type=B&BN=1588

Fluoridation Choice Act (House Bill 1471 of 2003-2004 Session)

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL
No. 1471 Session of 2003

INTRODUCED BY SURRA, GEORGE, GRUCELA, CAPPELLI, FABRIZIO, FEESE, GOODMAN, HORSEY, WANSACZ AND WHEATLEY,
MAY 22, 2003

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY,
MAY 22, 2003

AN ACT

Providing local choice for fluoridation of public water.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1.  Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Fluoridation Choice Act.

Section 2.  Purpose.
It is the purpose of this act to allow municipalities and public water authorities the option of removing fluoride or fluoridation systems from public water supplies in this Commonwealth.

Section 3.  Local fluoridation option.
Notwithstanding any other law, a municipality or public water authority may remove an existing water fluoridation system from a public water system.

Section 4.  Notification.
At least 60 days prior to taking action, a municipality or public water authority which intends to cease adding fluoride to a public water supply must communicate its intent in writing to all customers served by that water supply and to the Department of Environmental Protection. The municipality or public water authority shall hold a public hearing on the proposal within 30 days after notifying the public.

Section 5.  Effective date.
This act shall take effect in 60 days.

Source: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/billinfo.cfm?syear=2003&sind=0&body=H&type=B&BN=1471

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Last modified: 30 November 2007

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