Kentucky lawmakers will try again in 2026 to let local water systems’ governing bodies decide whether or not to fluoridate their water.
Rep. Mark Hart, R-Falmouth, said the bill he will file in 2026 is nearly identical to ones from previous years. One change, though, ensures water districts cannot be sued for their decision to either add or not add fluoride to the water.
“Water districts will be immune from any type of civil litigation regardless of which direction they go, whether they keep fluoride in the water or take it out,” Hart said.
Several lawmakers also floated the idea of a statewide ban on fluoride in drinking water.
Water fluoridation would become optional in KY under bill advanced by House committee
Dental and health advocacy organizations sent a letter to the committee stressing the importance of water fluoridation for oral health.
“Maintaining comprehensive community water fluoridation programs promotes a healthy, more engaged workforce,” the letter said. “A higher prevalence of dental problems impacts Kentuckians’ ability to work and learn, with employees missing more work to address their own dental treatment needs, or to support their children’s needs, as kids are nearly three times more likely to miss school when they have poor oral health. Jeopardizing water fluoridation programs will lead to increased healthcare costs and disparities in oral health outcomes, particularly among low-income and underserved populations.”
Hart and other bill supporters stressed that they want to promote local control rather than litigate the pros and cons of fluoride.
“The United States is a free country. We do not dictate any medical treatment to anybody,” Hart said. “It’s always a choice between the patient and their doctor. The same thing needs to apply to dental medicine.”
Rep. Mary Lou Marzian, D-Lousiville, took issue with that.
“One of the comments made was that we have to have choice and not be involved in medicine, and we don’t do that, but we certainly do in the General Assembly, because we’ve taken away the right of women for reproduction rights,” she said. “So we do, in the General Assembly, make decisions on health care all the time.”
Original article online at: https://kentuckylantern.com/briefs/bill-to-make-fluoridated-water-optional-in-kentucky-coming-back-in-2026/