Sponsors (15)
Introduced February 26, 2026 by Lois Frankel · Last progress February 26, 2026
The bill highlights and supports the population-level dental-health and cost-saving benefits of water fluoridation, but doing so risks increased local pushback and individual liberty objections over mass fluoridation.
Children and adults in communities with fluoridated water would have about 25% fewer cavities, reducing dental disease, pain, and tooth loss.
Communities and taxpayers would save roughly $32 per person per year and an estimated $6.5 billion nationwide, lowering public dental care and related public-health costs.
Low-income people and children with limited access to dental care would receive an equitable, population-wide preventive benefit because fluoridation protects everyone regardless of income or access.
Some residents and advocates may view water fluoridation as involuntary medication, prompting rights and civil-liberties disputes and eroding trust in public-health actions.
Emphasizing and defending fluoridation could intensify conflicts over local control, leading to political tension for local governments and taxpayers when decisions to remove fluoride are contested.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Declares findings supporting community water fluoridation’s health and economic benefits and expresses concern about recent state bans on adding fluoride to public water.
Supports community water fluoridation as an effective, long-standing public health measure that reduces tooth decay roughly 25%, saves money per person, and is endorsed by major health organizations. Notes high rates of untreated tooth decay and dental-related ER visits, cites cases of severe dental infections, and expresses concern about recent state-level prohibitions on adding fluoride to public water systems.