Kentucky lawmakers won’t be able to file proposed bills until the next legislative session starts Jan. 7. But that hasn’t stopped them from saying what they plan to submit.
During the 2024 interim, several legislators shared draft bills they plan to file during in the 2025 legislative session. While some are bills that have been filed in previous years, others are new ideas.
The only way to view pre-filed bills publicly is if lawmakers share their drafts on their own social media accounts, websites or as part of meeting materials for interim committees. That’s because legislation passed in 2022 removed the process of posting pre-filed bills on the Legislative Research Commission’s website.
Here’s a look at some of the bills lawmakers have shared or said are expected to appear during session.
Making fluoridation in water optional
Rep. Mark Hart, R-Falmouth, is renewing the push to make fluoridation in water optional for local districts.
The bill Hart said he plans to file again next session would eliminate the state’s water fluoridation mandate. Last year’s legislative session was the first time Hart’s bill received a committee hearing, but it didn’t make it across the finish line.
Hart said the bill wouldn’t ban the use of fluoride but would protect the state from liability related to “risks” stemming from fluoride exposure, citing data from a report released by the National Toxicology Program.
Meanwhile, prominent health organizations, including the Centers for Disease Control and American Academy of Pediatrics, say adding small amounts of fluoride to public drinking water helps strengthen teeth, with research showing fluoridated water reduces tooth decay by 25% in children and adults.
Original article online at: https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/2025/01/05/kentucky-lawmakers-to-file-bills-on-fluoride-school-bathrooms/76892797007/