2003 SESSION

03-1076

08/01

SENATE BILL SB 49

COMMITTEE: Environment

ANALYSIS

This bill requires that if industrial-grade flouride is to be introduced into a water supply, then the chemical ingredients contained in the flouride shall be listed on the question put to the voters.

This bill also allows cities which are currently flouridating the water, to continue to flouridate until the question can be voted upon.

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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

03-1076

08/01

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Three

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1 Public Water Supplies; Flouridation. Amend RSA 44:16 to read as follows:

44:16 Public Water Supplies. Upon the written application of 10 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 pharmaceutical-grade fluorides into the public water system?" In the event that the chemical being considered for introduction is not pharmaceutical-grade flouride, the question inserted on the ballot shall be "Shall permission be granted to introduce into the public water system, industrial-grade fluorides which contain the following chemicals: (insert the name of each chemical)?" 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 percent of the registered voters of said city.

2 Continued Use of Flourides in Public Water Supplies. Cities which have properly introduced unidentified flourides into the public water supply as of the effective date of this act shall once again place on the ballot for the next municipal election the appropriate question, pursuant to RSA 44:16. Cities may continue to introduce existing flourides until such time as the question is approved by the voters.

3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.