Excerpts:
… Former state representative, Bruce Hawkins of Morrilton… said his firm, whose clients include Delta Dental, is helping state Sen. David Johnson, D-Little Rock, push three bills aimed at improving children’s oral heath…
Johnson said one bill would require any water system that serves 5,000 or more people to have fluoride in the water at levels established by the bill or rule. There would be an exemption for systems that receive their water from outside the state, like Texarkana, he said.
No water system would be required to comply with the bill until funding for capital equipment is provided by outside sources such as the Delta Dental Foundation, Johnson said.
Six years ago, a House passed bill to require more water systems to fluoridate failed to clear the Senate…