SB 312 - AS INTRODUCED
2000 SESSION
SENATE BILL 312
SPONSORS: Sen. Wheeler, Dist 21; Sen. Squires, Dist 12; Rep. Emerton, Hills 7; Rep. Copenhaver, Graf 10
This bill changes to 5 percent the percentage of town, city, or village water district voters needed to put an article or question relative to fluoridation of the municipality's water supply on the warrant or ballot for an annual meeting or election.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
00-2641
08/01
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand
AN ACT relative to fluoride.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Public Water Supplies; Town Referendum on Fluorides in Water; Percentage Required. Amend RSA 31:17-a to read as follows:
31:17-a Referendum. Upon the written application of [10] 5 percent of the voters in a town, presented to the selectmen or one of them at least 15 days before the day prescribed for an annual town meeting, the selectmen shall insert in their warrant for such meeting an article relative to the use of fluorides in the public water system for said town. If the town has an official ballot, the town clerk shall insert on such ballot the following question: "Shall permission be granted to introduce fluorides into the public water system?" Beside this question shall be printed the word "yes" and the word "no" with the proper boxes for the voter to indicate his choice. If a majority of the voters do not approve the use of fluorides in the public water system, no fluorides shall be introduced into the public water system for said town; or if fluorides have prior to said vote been introduced, such use shall be discontinued until such time as the voters of the town shall, by majority vote, approve the use of fluorides. After such popular referendum, the selectmen shall not insert an article relative to the use of fluorides in the public water system in the warrant nor shall such question be inserted on the official ballot for a minimum period of 3 years from the date of the last popular referendum and only upon written application at that time of not less than [10] 5 percent of the registered voters of said town.
2 Public Water Supplies; City Referendum on Fluorides in Water; Percentage Required. Amend RSA 44:16 to read as follows:
44:16 Public Water Supplies. Upon the written application of [10] 5 percent of the voters in any city, presented to the city clerk prior to the municipal election, the city clerk shall insert on the ballot to be used at said election the following question: "Shall permission be granted to introduce fluorides into the public water system?" Beside this question shall be printed the word "yes" and the word "no" with the proper boxes for the voter to indicate his choice. If a majority of the voters at said election do not approve the use of fluorides in the public water system for said city, no fluorides shall be introduced into the public water system. If fluorides have, prior to said vote, been so introduced, such use shall be discontinued until such time as the voters of the city shall, by majority vote, approve the use of such fluorides. After such popular referendum, the city clerk shall not insert the aforementioned question relative to the use of fluorides in the public water system on the ballot to be used at the municipal election for a minimum period of 3 years from the date of the last popular referendum, and only upon written application at that time of not less than [10] 5 percent of the registered voters of said city.
3 Public Water Supplies; Village Water District Referendum on Fluorides in Water; Percentage Required. Amend RSA 52:23 to read as follows:
52:23 Public Water. Upon the written application of [10] 5 percent of the voters in any village water district, presented to the commissioners or one of them at least 15 days before the day prescribed for an annual meeting of the district, the commissioners shall insert in their warrant for such meeting an article relative to the use of fluorides in the water system for said district, and the district clerk shall prepare a ballot for said meeting with the following question: "Shall permission be granted to introduce fluorides into the district water system?" Beside the question shall be printed the word "yes" and the word "no" with the proper boxes for the voter to indicate his choice. If a majority of the voters do not approve the use of fluorides in the district water system, no fluorides shall be introduced into the district water system; or if fluorides have, prior to said vote, been so introduced, such use shall be discontinued until such time as the voters of the district shall, by majority vote, approve of the use of fluorides. After such popular referendum, the commissioners shall not insert an article relative to the use of fluorides in the district water system in the warrant nor shall the district clerk prepare such a ballot for a minimum period of 3 years from the date of the last popular referendum of the district and only upon written application at that time of not less than [10] 5 percent of the registered voters of said district.
4 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.