Note: This undated document was received on May 31, 2010

HLS 10RS-864

Regular Session, 2010
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 207
BY REPRESENTATIVE HARDY

WATER/DRINKING WATER: Directs the Fluoridation Advisory Board to address questions and concerns regarding the health, environmental, and fiscal effects of fluoridation of drinking water and to report responses to certain legislative committees

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
To direct the Fluoridation Advisory Board to address questions and concerns regarding the health, environmental, and fiscal effects of fluoridation of drinking water and to report responses to such questions and concerns to the House Committee on Health and Welfare, the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare, the House Committee on Natural Resources and Environment, the Senate Committee on Environmental Quality, the House Appropriations Committee, and the Senate Finance Committee.

WHEREAS, Act No. 761 of the 2008 Regular Session of the Legislature of Louisiana relates to water systems which provide drinking water to more than five thousand customer connections and which have natural fluoride levels below the optimal range as established by rule; and

WHEREAS, this Act requires such water systems to fluoridate their water supplies to within the established optimal range, provided that the state of Louisiana funds the acquisition and installation of fluoridation equipment and material required to fluoridate such system for at least six months from the date of initial installation; and

WHEREAS, Act No. 908 of the 1997 Regular Session of the Legislature of Louisiana established the Fluoridation Advisory Board within the Department of Health and Hospitals, office of public health, for the stated purpose of protecting the dental health of the citizens of this state; and

WHEREAS, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets standards for the concentration of fluoride in drinking water in accordance with the Safe Drinking Water Act; and

WHEREAS, the National Academy of Sciences commissioned a study of drinking water fluoridation by the National Research Council which resulted in the release of a report in 2006 titled “Fluoride in Drinking Water: a Scientific Review of EPA’s Standard”; and

WHEREAS, this study concluded that “the EPA’s Maximum Contaminant Level of four point zero milligrams per liter is not protective of public health”, and recommended topics for further research; and

WHEREAS, in the April 12, 2010, issue of Time Magazine, fluoride is named as one of the ten most common household toxins; and

WHEREAS, the EPA has no authority under law to endorse or oppose fluoridation of drinking water, while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recognizes fluoridation of drinking water as one of the “ten great public health achievements of the twentieth century” and endorses and actively promotes artificial fluoridation of drinking water yet recommends against using fluoridated water in infant formula, suggesting that the science of drinking water fluoridation is yet to be settled; and

WHEREAS, an organized group of scientists and other professional staff of the EPA have long supported discontinuing the practice of fluoridation until the science of this practice is settled; and

WHEREAS, the Fluoride Action Network has published on its website, http://www.fluorideaction.org, a list of fifty reasons to oppose fluoridation developed by Dr. Paul Connett, Professor of Chemistry at St. Lawrence University; and

WHEREAS, the signing of Act No. 761 of the 2008 Regular Session of the Legislature of Louisiana into law as R.S. 40:5.11 has stimulated a number of scientific, environmental, legal, and ethical questions; and

WHEREAS, the Lafayette City-Parish Council passed Resolution R-024-2009 in April 2009 to officially oppose the fluoridation of the Lafayette Utilities System water supply and to request that the Acadiana delegation of the Legislature of Louisiana seek legislation to repeal R.S. 40:5.11.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby direct the group known as Citizens Opposing Fluoridation to prepare a list of questions and concerns regarding the health, environmental, and fiscal effects of fluoridation.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that on or before September 1, 2010, Citizens Opposing Fluoridation shall furnish a document containing this list of questions and concerns to the Fluoridation Advisory Board, the House Committee on Health and Welfare, the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare, the House Committee on Natural Resources and Environment, the Senate Committee on Environmental Quality, the House Appropriations Committee, and the Senate Finance Committee.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Fluoridation Advisory Board shall prepare a written response to the questions and concerns submitted by Citizens Opposing Fluoridation.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that on or before December 31, 2010, the Fluoridation Advisory Board shall furnish such response to the House Committee on Health and Welfare, the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare, the House Committee on Natural Resources and Environment, the Senate Committee on Environmental Quality, the House Appropriations Committee, and the Senate Finance Committee.
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DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
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Hardy
HCR No. 207

Directs the group known as Citizens Opposing Fluoridation to submit by Sept. 1, 2010, a list of questions and concerns regarding the health, environmental, and fiscal effects of fluoridation of drinking water to the Fluoridation Advisory Board and to the House Committee on Health and Welfare, the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare, the House Committee on Natural Resources and Environment, the Senate Committee on Environmental Quality, the House Appropriations Committee, and the Senate Finance Committee.

Directs the Fluoridation Advisory Board to respond in writing to these questions and concerns, and to provide such response to the House Committee on Health and Welfare, the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare, the House Committee on Natural Resources and Environment, the Senate Committee on Environmental Quality, the House Appropriations Committee, and the Senate Finance Committee by Dec. 31, 2010.

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