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House passes bill letting shareholders of private water companies vote on additives; debate spotlights fluoride, costs
Summary
The House approved first substitute Senate Bill 29 to let shareholders of private, mutual water companies vote on optional additives (likely fluoride) in their systems. Supporters framed it as protecting shareholder choice; opponents, including dentists, warned it could reduce fluoridation and public-health benefits. The bill passed 60–11.
Representative Painter introduced first substitute Senate Bill 29, describing it as a targeted change for privately held, shareholder water companies. "What this bill does is relates to an optional additive that may or may not be put into a chemical that may or may not be added to a private water company's water system," Painter said, explaining that shareholders would be able to vote whether the additive is included in their functionally separate system.
Opponents emphasized public-health benefits tied to fluoridation. "Fluoridation is one of the top health improvements in this last decade," Representative Polson said, noting she spoke for dentists and medical professionals who oppose the bill because it could be used to remove fluoridation. Representative Moss declared a potential conflict — she owns "a share or two" in Holiday Water Company — and gave concrete cost examples from past implementation, saying some private shareholders paid closer to $60–$80 per year when systems were required to add fluoride, not the small per-person cost public documents suggested.
Supporters countered that SB 29 preserves shareholders’ rights and is about process rather than public-health policy. Representative Lockhart said the question was "people who have water shares under their control deciding whether or not they want something added to their water." Several members described the bill as a compromise to avoid imposing central-system rules on small, multi-well mutual companies.
A floor amendment was offered to narrow notice language about annual reporting of fluoride averages to shareholders; Representative Powell proposed inserting a phrase to limit reporting to instances "in an election that is held," but withdrew the amendment after discussion with the sponsor.
The House opened voting and approved the bill 60–11. The sponsor noted the measure applies only to private, shareholder-owned systems and does not change public water system votes or countywide decisions that have already been made.
Next steps: first substitute SB 29 will be returned to the Senate for the President's signature.
