February 21, 2025

Yesterday, Feb. 20th, HB 16 to repeal the statewide water fluoridation mandate passed out of committee with 11 yes votes and 4 no votes. 25RS HB 16 would make water fluoridation optional in the state of Kentucky, giving the governing body of local water systems the opportunity to discuss this matter with their customers, and decide to stop or continue artificially elevating fluoride levels in drinking water. 

The "yes" votes were from the following representatives: Steve Bratcher (R), Josh Bray (R), Emily Callaway (R), Ryan Dotson (R), Ken Fleming (R), Deanna Gordon (R), Kim Holloway (R), Amy Neighbors (R), Marianne Proctor (R), Felicia Rabourn (R), and Rebecca Raymer (R).

The “no” votes were from the following representatives:  House Health Services Committee Chair Kim Moser (R), Lindsey Burke (D), Adrielle Camuel (D), and Mary Lou Marzian (D).

HB 16 currently has 31 co-sponsors, a very popular bill, and awaits a vote on the House floor. 

Representative David Hale, a co-sponsor of HB 16, presented the bill.  He was joined by Cindi Batson RN from Cynthiana and Dr Jack Kall DMD, a biological dentist from Louisville. The Kentucky Dental Association and a UK Pediatric Dentist spoke in opposition.  The primary sponsor for HB 16 is Representative Mark Hart. Rep. Hart was sick and unable to attend the hearing.  Rep. Hart has filed the coined “Fluoride Bill” for the past 4 years. 

Dr. Jack Kall, called fluoridation “mass medication without informed consent.” Kall questioned the overall safety of fluoride exposure and said “it’s a very wise choice to play it safe.”

Representative Marianne Proctor asked Mrs. Batson about the chemical used.  Batson said “it is not a pharmaceutical grade product, but someone else’s pollutant.” Batson preluded this statement explaining that the chemical purchased by her home treatment plant is hydrofluosilicic acid, a chemical from mining phosphate for fertilizer tested to contain heavy metals like aluminum and arsenic, a chemical Batson said, “too toxic to be emitted into the environment, and if it wasn’t being sold to our water department, it would have to be neutralized and disposed of by a hazardous waste company.”

“Having a mandate isn’t the norm for the rest of the country,” Batson said pointing to Kentucky as being only 1 in 13 states that mandates water fluoridation.

Representative David Hale presented the bill saying, "House Bill 16 does one thing and one thing only, it places the decision within the governing body of the local water producers - this does not mandate removal, it brings it back to a local body of control."

A companion fluoride bill, SB 180, has been filed by Senator Lindsey Tichenor, and awaits a hearing in Senate Health Services.

(Pictured:  Cindi Batson RN, Representative David Hale, Dr. Jack Kall DMD, FGD, MIAOMT) 

(House Health Services Voting Sheet for HB 16 on 2.20.25)