[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6665250,"mediaKeyId","2362013-d471b898cb11629450e13af94182c191","parentId",2362013,"title","Committee approves bill giving local water authorities option to remove fluoride; debate centers on public health and costs","audioSeconds",3921,"startMs",1329000,"endMs",5250000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2362013-d471b898cb11629450e13af94182c191&start=1329&end=5250","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2362013-d471b898cb11629450e13af94182c191/thumbnail_1329000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6665250/Kentucky/Committee-approves-bill-giving-local-water-authorities-option-to-remove-fluoride-debate-centers-on-public-health-and-costs","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6665250-88b8e45fd56bc709c7be188b667cb451/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154700&Signature=XR08xrMmcAMpd0XpnqY0UgUz6dzmp-zDMvIu4fl5IZcgTOAlFkumyNOyN7KLwB9yGOwSz9nZpMdEJB23gBBqCGFXcYa7rc18QHQgG8BOrVKvuX49F0AE0sjcJhAPrcGmVzJCbxqr8ua~dEuI7vTuWxb5SSx5Bnedpab6aJkXyJoJYXfc01NU-k6e18OVGvAWEoaqMfPDGqrA2b85foJ6jHDjeUgUNb6HC8iMf-CkFuLp7j8Z90oOQoTJoMYRuadWnv-kFN3nIudDXCfFkTItUFuTV2VD42ELRM8f0~Urm5ABnP7JCgVF0-3BwK3DMPYqgC52rzPF4Jmkx9a6NDsmgQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Kentucky Legislature","date","2025-02-20T18:33:18.76Z","article","House Bill 16, which would return authority over community water fluoridation to local water-system governing bodies, passed the Committee on Health Services after extended testimony from medical professionals, public-health advocates, water customers and the bill sponsor.

\"House Bill 16 does one thing and one thing only,\" Representative David Hale (substituting for Representative Mark Hart) told the committee. \"This does not mandate removal. It just brings it back to a local body of control.\" Hale said the bill would allow local governing boards for water districts or city councils to choose whether to discontinue fluoridation.

Supporters, including dentist Dr. Jack Call and registered nurse Cindy Batson, argued for local control and raised concerns about cost and potential health effects. Dr. Call described fluoridation in broad terms as \"mass medication without informed consent\" and urged the committee to apply the precautionary principle; Batson noted Kentucky is one of 13 states with a mandate and said Kentucky's requirement is the most stringent of those states.

Opponents included the Kentucky Dental Association, the Kentucky Oral Health Coalition, University of Kentucky pediatric dentistry officials and other clinicians who said community water fluoridation is an effective, equitable public-health measure. Dr. Steve Robertson, executive director of the Kentucky Dental Association, said decades of study support fluoridation at the level used in Kentucky (target 0.7 parts per million), and warned of higher Medicaid costs if fluoridation rates decline. \"For every 10 percent of Kentuckians that are taken off water fluoridation, we can anticipate a $19,100,000 increase in Medicaid expenses,\" Robertson said, citing public-health analyses presented to the committee.

Public-health and clinical testimony offered data and experience: Kelly Taube of Kentucky Voices for Health said fluoridation costs about 50 cents per person per year and that the state's target concentration is 0.7 parts per million (with many plants operating nearer 0.6 ppm). University and clinical witnesses described higher tooth-decay rates among Kentucky children and warned that removal would worsen access challenges where dental care is already scarce.

The committee received questions on operational issues, including which entity would decide when a water system serves multiple jurisdictions and whether decisions would be made by elected bodies or appointed water-district boards. Representative Fleming asked about ownership and governance of water systems; sponsors said structures vary across the state and that the governing board of the system would make the decision.

The committee voted to report the bill: the chair announced \"House Bill 16 passes with 11 yes votes, 4 no votes and no passes.\" Sponsors said the bill does not itself remove fluoride but would allow local systems to opt out if their governing body so chose; opponents warned lawmakers to consider costs and public-health consequences before devolving the decision to local districts.

The transcript shows both extensive expert testimony and numerous committee questions but does not include a fiscal offset plan for potential Medicaid impacts if fluoridation were reduced or removed. Several members said they wanted clarifying amendment language about which governing bodies could authorize changes and indicated interest in more study of Medicaid budget impacts before final floor action.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Standing Committee on Health Services (2-20-25)","oneSentenceSummary","House Bill 16 would give local water-system governing bodies the option to remove fluoride from drinking water; the Committee on Health Services advanced the bill after extended pro and con testimony.","taxTitle","Committee on Health Services, House of Representative, Committees, Legislative, Kentucky","taxId",29085,"location","Kentucky","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6665257,"Committee approves bill tightening out-of-state license review for nurses and adding school emergency medications",311,927000,1238000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2362013-d471b898cb11629450e13af94182c191&start=927&end=1238","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2362013-d471b898cb11629450e13af94182c191/thumbnail_927000.jpg","/articles/6665257/Kentucky/Committee-approves-bill-tightening-out-of-state-license-review-for-nurses-and-adding-school-emergency-medications","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6665257-6b140a6a03582ce3593569d99f4bba82/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154700&Signature=EV8sIoyKElRzQ4oiRy34B8KLJOuKgeUE6FvBhlBTOXHZSSSrfaANHPM9-UwXCCiEtojNALcgBQRso4X7nsE3dce7qBWX4mjTS-LY3r0qWNbFwbnWHtR4zvvdTVYPAW9GEFAA2r5xqchkVeQSLd4lYxcbf7lABQdK8wmXWCxS6f8yMNl8qj5wO-TcuDnhgLJGtkbD8sMnVwuyLGUhtB8X8Y4pr1Apsaroq~JUgfCXdY67ZfOLTAFJaBxNgfiO2JzA~v2YmtVzaxITuq4FehUgcQXzo78se0aHR5nxybfTqIzNsGkQ43vZ4xOcxG9w-9rG5-dpP26R7uug9j82ZLgtsQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","House Bill 688 was reported favorably by the Committee on Health Services after sponsors described two separate changes: restoring discretion to license reviewers for nurses credentialed out of state and expanding the list of rescue medications schools may administer.

\"House Bill 688 does basically two things,\" Representative Steve Bratcher said in his presentation. \"One, it addresses issues of potential fraud of people becoming nurses in other states and us adopting their license in Kentucky. And it also ... adds in some protections and some support for the education system to be able to give certain medications when needed.\"

Bratcher and Board of Nursing representatives described fraud uncovered after the state relaxed licensure requirements during an emergency period; testimony said an FBI probe identified fraudulent nursing-school documents in other states. The bill would change language in current law from \"shall\" to \"may\" when the Board evaluates out-of-state credentials, restoring discretion to scrutinize educational transcripts, curriculum and accreditation before accepting licensure.

Board counsel and the bill's sponsor also described substantive language added for school medical response. Chair Mosher, explaining her recorded vote, said the bill adds glucagon and Solu-Cortef for adrenal crises and clarifies that if a health care provider prescribes an emergency medication for a child at school, the school may store and administer that medication. \"We are adding glucagon and we are adding, Solu Cortef for adrenal crises,\" Mosher said, adding the language also accommodates new delivery systems for epinephrine.

The committee approved the bill; the chair announced that House Bill 688 \"passes with favorable expressions\" and that the measure should pass on the House floor. The transcript excerpt does not include a numeric roll-call tally for this bill in the provided excerpt.","House Bill 688 received committee approval after sponsors said it would give the Kentucky Board of Nursing discretion to scrutinize out-of-state credentials amid fraud concerns and add authority for schools to administer additional emergency medications.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6665261,"Committee backs bill to tighten training, supervision and registration timeline for peer support specialists",255,306000,561000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2362013-d471b898cb11629450e13af94182c191&start=306&end=561","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2362013-d471b898cb11629450e13af94182c191/thumbnail_306000.jpg","/articles/6665261/Kentucky/Committee-backs-bill-to-tighten-training-supervision-and-registration-timeline-for-peer-support-specialists","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6665261-8181af1bb02af947166dfe289ceb0eea/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154700&Signature=IdImc1yNKaXYmrg25IwMK~22Gbg-yEf3NxFBMn8Um9BPmqwrx17oicB5zp~SLqtsRVSgAqGck6lcobpM~HyRBZNxYKa9kKAx4fyU6b9DvQzNxyNEwUYtOmtgVa8mICz0ogXXnrwEBdfXiCF4zbu~4KozSaqs0niaYWFxxbbSzvgErRnXMmuVB35JWlQyeLRV2Gfh5dRG2BMqd8BFDdbsVNPqP3x~EEbXIwOBKhVaHrsKumiYFNNkpmrClfsQK-mGUetl2LrVtxvXEQVV6quQ6gfSXQLuCfseSOmVyb1KaZQgVhNgTERXlOu7z~pUSpQyKDez4bR6qRW7mwxPO-xzwg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Committee on Health Services reported House Bill 580 — as amended by House Committee Substitute 1 — with a favorable recommendation, moving the measure to the House floor.

\"What we are looking to do with House Bill 580 is simply tighten up some of the guidelines around our peer support specialist,\" Representative Kim Mosher told the committee. Mosher said the bill builds on last year's House Bill 505, which required registration for peer support specialists, by reinstating some supervision requirements and parameters on group sizes for nonclinical peer support staff.

Elena Sweezy, a social worker who testified in support, described her decade of experience in substance use treatment and said: \"This legislation builds upon the foundation established by House Bill 505 from last year.\" She told the committee the bill creates a clear pathway for temporary peer support specialists to become fully registered and addresses a Medicaid reimbursement issue by \"incentivizing all peer support specialists to become fully registered within a reasonable time frame\"; she also said temporary specialists would need to complete registration after a nine-month period.

Committee members expressed bipartisan interest in the oversight and financial implications. Representative Fleming called the bill a proactive measure and said oversight is needed because Medicaid spending on peer support codes has increased; Fleming said additional monitoring and controls were appropriate. Representative Marzion asked whether insurers would reimburse registered specialists; sponsors said the bill addresses Medicaid reimbursement but does not mandate commercial insurance coverage.

Members approved the committee substitute and the measure: the committee chair announced that House Bill 580, as amended by House Committee Substitute 1, \"passes with favorable expression.\" The committee also approved a title amendment before adjournment.

The committee record does not include a detailed vote tally for the bill in the transcript excerpt provided. The bill advances with the committee substitute and a title amendment; sponsors said it aims to strengthen supervision, require board-approved supervisors, create a revocation/reporting process, and align credentialing with Medicaid billing.","House Bill 580, amended by a committee substitute, was favorably reported after sponsors said the bill restores supervision and group-size limits for peer support specialists, creates a pathway from temporary to full registration and aligns Medicaid reimbursement with a recognized, billable credential.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6665266,"Committee advances bill to clarify payment for off-site medical care for state facility patients",139,116000,255000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2362013-d471b898cb11629450e13af94182c191&start=116&end=255","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2362013-d471b898cb11629450e13af94182c191/thumbnail_116000.jpg","/articles/6665266/Kentucky/Committee-advances-bill-to-clarify-payment-for-off-site-medical-care-for-state-facility-patients","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6665266-d78b1152ad2909b4bebf7d43f11af729/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154700&Signature=OON5fSYC8nKwNPi79zYnAqRvwL0irpfuYn~5M35RkB8Dz2EhGxRCOQ9A0d-W2nketwTgSffR-0eGn4hdrPjzfCuDxVb82pw80iGcHcMOSfmWkMrgFiJIMjSui-cmKeW7CaECD~QzAtyLH3B8XwCBc010oUtelUL6fNK1N0METztRnjRAEKRytkcQzbahH7dsc-uNic~BjcbWUNFdHY0yYA2eKTJPrKcYCaCbjT2B5cv7yK-mZETKNt1IfVl80SODmbrC3P6GCFf9k4R5kpwTNWMw6Xp1aw4SiQTenjSTL3M2v~gLBaj6x11xbAehIgqjSBLUE1iAod~2CpuJSrwx~Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","House Bill 392, which the Committee on Health Services reported favorably, would clarify existing statutory responsibility for the Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental, and Intellectual Disorders to pay for medical and psychiatric services provided to patients of state facilities when those services are delivered at community providers.

\"This is what I would call a continuing improvement bill,\" Representative Mary Anne Proctor told the committee, saying the Department raised the issue about covering services provided outside state psychiatric hospitals and intermediate care facilities when those facilities cannot meet a patient's emergent needs.

Proctor said the bill responds to cases in which a patient housed in a state facility requires emergent medical care at a community hospital and the facility is unable to provide that care on-site. Committee members asked no follow-up questions during the short discussion. After a roll call, the committee chair announced: \"House Bill 392 passes with favorable expression. 15 yeses, 0 noes, 1 pass.\"

The measure was introduced to address administrative clarity between the Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental, and Intellectual Disorders and community providers; it does not change the underlying obligation described in current statute, according to Proctor's remarks. The committee recorded the bill as recommended to pass on the House floor.

The committee had no additional discussion recorded on implementation steps or changes to departmental policy. The committee adjourned after completing other agenda items.","The Committee on Health Services voted to report House Bill 392 with a favorable recommendation after Representative Mary Anne Proctor said the measure clarifies the state's obligation to pay for emergent medical and psychiatric care delivered outside state behavioral health facilities.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee approves bill giving local water authorities option to remove fluoride; debate centers on public health and costs

Committee approves bill tightening out-of-state license review for nurses and adding school emergency medications

Committee backs bill to tighten training, supervision and registration timeline for peer support specialists

Committee advances bill to clarify payment for off-site medical care for state facility patients