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Committee recommends ITL on bill to prohibit fluoridation after contested hearing with experts and agencies
Summary
After hours of expert testimony and agency briefings, the committee recommended ‘inexpedient to legislate’ on HB 691, which would ban adding fluoridation chemicals to public water systems. Witnesses included dentists, public‑health staff, toxicology advocates and state regulators.
The House Resources, Recreation and Development Committee recommended “inexpedient to legislate” (ITL) on HB 691, a proposal that would prohibit adding fluoridation chemicals to public water systems in New Hampshire. The committee’s recommendation followed an extended hearing that included public health officials, dentists, toxicology researchers and numerous members of the public.
Representative Peter Schmidt, the prime sponsor, framed the bill as a public‑health and precautionary measure, citing a federal court finding in an ongoing case that directed the Environmental Protection Agency to re‑examine potential neurotoxic risk from fluoride exposures. “This is not a bill about banning fluoride topical applications,” Schmidt said. “This bill concerns adding fluoride to community water.”
Proponents included Stuart Cooper of Fluoride Action Network, who said recent federal reviews and a court decision show developmental neurotoxicity at exposures relevant to…
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