Bill would extend fluoridation opt-out

The Health and Human Services Committee heard testimony Jan. 26 on a bill that would eliminate a deadline for cities and villages to opt out of Nebraska’s mandatory drinking water fluoridation provisions.

Under a bill passed by the 2008 Legislature, cities or villages with a population of at least 1,000 were required to add fluoride to their drinking water supply unless voters approved local opt-out ordinances by June 1, 2010. The fluoridation requirement does not apply to municipalities with a population under 1,000.

LB36, sponsored by Scottsbluff Sen. John Harms, would extend the opt-out deadline for cities and villages that reach the population threshold for mandatory fluoridation after June 1, 2010.

“This is a simple bill,” Harms said. “I believe these citizens should be given the same right, the same opportunity, as previous citizens were.”

Under the bill, a city or village that reaches a population of 1,000 or more after June 1, 2010, could place a proposal on the next statewide general election ballot to prohibit the addition of fluoride to the water supply.

Terrytown mayor Kent Greenwalt testified in support of the bill, saying it would allow citizens in his community the opportunity to have a voice in the fluoridation question. He said Terrytown’s population is near 1,000 and, without an extension, will be required to fluoridate without a vote.

Residents are concerned about health implications and financial considerations, Greenwalt said, adding that the city faces an estimated $10,000 in annual operating costs for a fluoridation system.

David O’Doherty of the Nebraska Dental Association testified in opposition to the bill, saying the opt-out provision in the 2008 legislation was a mistake because it allowed some communities to vote against fluoridating their drinking water.

He said studies by the Centers for Disease Control indicate that every $1 spent on fluoridation results in $80 saved in dental costs.

“Fluoridation is one of our most potent weapons in disease prevention,” O’Doherty said.

The committee took no immediate action on LB36.