Latest news with #HB81
Epoch Times
15-05-2025
- Health
- Epoch Times
DeSantis Signs Bill to Make Florida 2nd State to Ban Fluoride Drinking Water Systems
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday signed a bill that made the Sunshine State the second to ban fluoride from its drinking water systems. The Republican governor signed the measure at an event in Dade City after state lawmakers At a Thursday event where he signed the bill, DeSantis Fluoride is 'readily available now, so that led to this being put' in the bill to say that local governments 'cannot engage in this fluoride forced medication,' the governor added. Some local governments in Florida have already voted to remove fluoride from their water ahead of the statewide ban. Earlier this month, Miami-Dade County commissioners voted to override a veto by Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and move forward with plans to remove fluoride from the county's drinking water. Some Republican-led states have moved to impose bans following a push by U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to stop fluoridating water, and earlier this year, Utah became the first state to Related Stories 5/13/2025 5/7/2025 Fluoride is a mineral that has been added to drinking water since the 1940s to strengthen teeth and reduce cavities by replacing minerals lost during normal wear and tear, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Excess fluoride intake has been associated with streaking or spots on the teeth, and studies have also traced a link between excess fluoride and brain development. Last year, a landmark ruling on the matter was issued by a federal judge in California who told the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to review the risks of adding fluoride to drinking water. The agency was mandated by U.S. District Judge Edward Chen to make sure that there is a margin between the hazard level and the exposure level, his order said. 'If there is an insufficient margin, then the chemical poses a risk,' the judge said in the September order. 'Simply put, the risk to health at exposure levels in United States drinking water is sufficiently high to trigger regulatory response by the EPA [under federal law].' In 2024, the federal National Toxicology Program When Utah's governor signed its fluoride bill into law, multiple medical associations said they opposed such a move. 'With the weight of the evidence and nearly universal support of community water fluoridation in all corners of the health care sector, we urge your veto of HB 81,' said the American Dental Association (ADA), group that has long backed water fluoridation, in a The ADA added that Utah's measure, which went into effect earlier this month, would 'take away the most effective, efficient and equitable way for dental disease prevention.' The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
These new Utah laws take effect Wednesday
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways Two months after this year's general legislative session ended, many new laws are taking effect. The laws will impact Utahns' lives on a variety of issues, from health and safety to how much we pay in taxes to housing. Here's a look at what's changing starting Wednesday. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks in Salt Lake City on April 7. Rep. Stephanie Gricius, R-Eagle Mountain, HB81 bill sponsor, and House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, listen. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News Health The Capitol is pictured in Salt Lake City, on Feb. 8, 2023. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News Business and taxes Fatal doses of heroin and fentanyl are on are display at the Drug Enforcement Administration Salt Lake City District Office in Salt Lake City on July 25, 2024. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News Crime and policing Signage from Oak Ridge National Labratory is displayed during The Advanced Reactors Summit XII and Technology Trailblazers Showcase held by the U.S. Nuclear Industry Council in Salt Lake City on Feb. 18. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News Transportation, energy and environment Nuclear energy : Utah is pushing to go nuclear. HB249, which takes effect Wednesday, is designed to lay the groundwork for bringing nuclear power to the state. It creates the Nuclear Energy Consortium to advise on nuclear development in Utah and recommend appropriate regulations for it, among other things. Water conservation: Municipalities in Utah now have to factor in water conservation when setting water rates under HB274. Road safety projects: SB195's one-year moratorium on road safety projects in Salt Lake City begins Wednesday, as the Department of Transportation studies the impacts of such projects. A voter drops their ballot in a drop box at the Utah County Health and Justice Building in Provo on Oct. 30, 2024. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News Elections, transparency and governance Protesters unfurl a 200-foot transgender flag during the start of a march down State Street starting at the Capitol for Transgender Day of Visibility in Salt Lake City on March 29. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News Social issues and education Flag ban: One of the most closely watched bills of the recent session, HB77, takes effect Wednesday, barring gay pride and 'Make America Great Again' flags from being flown in public school classrooms or at government buildings. Gender Inmates won't be able to initiate gender-related surgeries or hormone treatment while in prison. HB252 also requires inmates be housed in facilities matching their biological sex. It also prohibits staff in juvenile detention centers from engaging in sexual relationships with inmates in custody up to the age of 25. Hands-on education: Aimed at getting more high school students into career and technical education programs, HB447 will support 'catalyst centers' across the state. The new law championed by Utah's House speaker allocates $65 million to create or expand those centers in the next fiscal year, with an ongoing cost of $150,000 to manage the program. Isa Empey, left, and Haley Kline, center, both hold vigil candles during the annual Homeless Persons' Memorial Vigil in Pioneer Park in Salt Lake City on Dec. 19, 2024. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News Housing and homelessness
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
As Utah's fluoride ban begins, health officials urge Utahns to protect their teeth
As Utah's law banning fluoridation in water takes effect, health officials are focused on educating the public and reminding them that fluoride is now readily available at most pharmacies. (Photo by) Utah is set to become the first state in the nation to ban fluoride in drinking water, with a new law taking effect later this week, on Wednesday. That day, the fluoride taps will turn off, if they haven't already. While Davis and Salt Lake counties, and Brigham City, are the only governments that still add fluoride to drinking water, roughly half of the state's population lives there. Sponsored by Rep. Stephanie Gricius, R-Eagle Mountain, HB81 prevents counties and municipalities from adding fluoride to drinking water, while adding it to the list of drugs pharmacists can prescribe. The reasoning, Gricius said, is that the decision should be left to the individual. 'I would just say it doesn't get more local control than my own body,' she said during the legislative session earlier this year. RFK Jr. 'proud' of Utah's ban on fluoride in drinking water, hopes other states will follow Gricius' bill was one of several that aligned with the 'Make America Healthy Again,' or MAHA, agenda promoted by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who praised the law earlier this year. Now, for health officials like Stacey Bank, executive medical director for the Utah Department of Health and Human Services, the focus is on educating the public and reminding them that fluoride is now readily available at most pharmacies. 'I'm grateful for the opportunity to have this conversation. We haven't talked about oral health and fluoride this much in my career as long as I can remember. This is an opportunity to get the message out to the entire state,' she said on Friday. 'I know it's not always easy to get into a doctor or dentist, there are barriers there. Going to your local pharmacist, talking to the person behind the counter, is enough to take care of your teeth.' There are currently 25 water systems serving about 1.6 million people spread out across Davis and Salt Lake counties, and Brigham City, that add fluoride to the water. Brigham City has been adding fluoride to the water since the 1960s; Davis County started in 1999; and Salt Lake County in 2003. Some treatment plants have already stopped adding fluoride to the water, including a handful in Davis County, and Salt Lake County's City Creek Water Treatment Plant. 'If I was looking into a crystal ball, we're going to see a decline in oral health if our community doesn't take action, and now go to their dentist and talk about what's best for them and receive their supplements. If that happens, I don't think we'll see much of a change,' said Brian Hatch, director of the Davis County Health Department. In Salt Lake County, where the water has been fluoridated for almost two decades, health officials say they're losing an effective public health tool. 'From a public health standpoint, we know that community water fluoridation is the best way to benefit individuals and the overall community's oral health,' added Ron Lund, environmental health director for the Salt Lake County Health Department. 'It's the most efficient and effective way to do that for people who cannot afford or may not be able to go to routine dental visits.' But while health officials say it's possible they'll see an uptick in cavities in regions currently fluoridating their water, others see the bill as an opportunity. Most of rural Utah has already stopped adding the mineral to the public water supply. Fluoride is a hot topic now, and with the May 7 deadline approaching, it gives public health experts a chance to educate communities, they say. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX 'It's an opportunity for our more rural communities. Other than Brigham City, none of our rural communities have been adding fluoride to the water. So this is bringing more attention to how important fluoride is and giving them access to get it, that they may not have known they needed,' said State Dental Director Stacey Swilling. But concern remains. Shifting the responsibility to individuals means Utahns will have to be more proactive about getting fluoride, which could be a burden, especially to low-income families that may already struggle with access to transportation or public health information. Swilling, who used to practice dentistry in another state, said it was clear which patients have access to fluoridated water. 'Anectdoally, where I used to practice, I can tell you I saw a huge difference … There's plenty of research out there that does show the disparities,' she said, pointing to studies conducted in Juneau, Alaska, and Calgary, Alberta, where the removal of fluoride from drinking water resulted in a spike in cavities. Most officials agree — Utah is headed into uncharted waters. While there are case studies in other cities, counties, states and countries, Utah is the first U.S. state to pass a sweeping ban, while also trying to make fluoride more accessible over the counter. 'We don't know how this is going to turn out,' Bank said. 'We know about barriers to care, that's our job, to look for and eliminate those. At this point, we're trying to educate the public. It is going to take a more proactive effort, and we are going to have to look at those barriers and let this unfold to see how those barriers are affecting people.' Fluoride is a mineral that has been shown to strengthen teeth by replacing minerals that are lost from acid breakdown, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Since the 1940s, communities around the country have been fluoridating their water. A recent report from the National Toxicology Program found that high levels of fluoride in drinking water can be associated with a lower I.Q. in children, but according to the report, those levels are twice as high as the current recommended amount of fluoride. 'The thing we need to know about those studies is that they were done looking at fluoride levels that were far outside what we are recommending for oral health,' Bank said. 'We know what we're trying to do today is a safe and effective dose of fluoride.' Still, that drop in I.Q. is often cited as a reason to stop adding fluoride to water, part of a nationwide movement against the mineral. Perhaps the most prominent critic of fluoride is Kennedy Jr., who applauded Gricius' bill during a stop in Utah in April. 'It makes no sense to have fluoride in our water. The evidence against fluoride is overwhelming … we know that it causes I.Q. loss,' Kennedy, a longtime critic of certain public health policies and medical practices, said during his visit 'I'm very, very proud of this state for being the first state to ban (fluoride). I hope many more will come.' Gricius' bill passed mostly along party lines, with a handful of Republicans joining Democrats in opposition. Despite the pushback from dentists and other health professionals, it was signed by Utah Gov. Spencer Cox on March 27. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Hello, flamingo! Florida might replace state bird after nearly 100 years
Quick, what's the official Florida state bird? If you guessed the mockingbird, you'd be correct. However, you'd also be correct if you named the mockingbird as the official state bird of Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Texas. If either of two bills in the Florida Legislature passes, the mockingbird would get dumped after its nearly 100-year reign, and the Sunshine State would get its own, unique state bird. Actually, it would get two. SB 880, from Sen. Ileana Garcia, R-Miami-Dade, and HB 81 from Reps Jim Mooney, R-Islamorda and Chip LaMarca, R-Lighthouse Point, would designate the pink-feathered American flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) as the official Florida state bird and the Florida scrub-jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens) as the official Florida state songbird. The House bill has yet to leave its perch, but the Senate bill has flown unanimously through two committees so far. This marks the eighth time an attempt to dethrone the mockingbird has been made over the last 25 years. Will it finally take flight this time? Flamingos flourish: Space Coast bird fest spies flamingos, other sky-high hopes of ecological recovery Most people in and out of the state (who weren't trivia buffs) would probably be surprised to find out the flamingo wasn't Florida's official state bird. It certainly seems like it. "We often say Florida is unlike anywhere else," said Ana Maria Rodriguez, R-Doral when she presented the bill for Garcia. "Let's prove it. The flamingo is not just an icon; it reminds us that Florida is bold, brilliant and unafraid to stand tall." The flamboyant, 5-foot-tall flamingo has been used to promote travel to the state for over a century, supporters say, a symbol of brightly colored sunshine and fun. The Florida Lottery has used it in its logo since starting up in 1988. Homes across the state have long been festooned with bright pink plastic versions. There aren't a lot of Florida mockingbird magnets for sale out there. Widely distributed throughout the Caribbean and parts of South America, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission considers flamingos native to the state. Flamingos were common in South Florida until the end of the 19th century, when trends turned to feathers on women's hats and hunters slaughtered millions of birds in the Everglades. The last resident flamingos in Florida were nearly wiped out, but have bounced back thanks to captive breeding colonies in South Florida and migratory birds flying in from elsewhere. The flocks continue to struggle, however, thanks to threats from rising sea levels, pollution, human development and storms. American flamingos have been seen along much of the coast but mostly in the Everglades, Biscayne Bay and the Florida Keys, the FWC said. The scrub jay is uniquely Floridian, the only bird species that lives exclusively in the state, and it never leaves. "The scrub-jay is not just a songbird; it is a call to protect what is rare and precious," Rodriquez said. "And this bill is not just about birds; it is about identity, conservation and culture. Florida deserves to be represented by what is ours and only ours.' Florida scrub-jays are blue and gray birds that prefer sand pine, oak scrub and scrubby flatwoods and they live in the driest areas, "including ancient sandy ridges in Central Florida, sand dunes along the coast, and sandy deposits along rivers in the interior of the state," according to an analysis of the Senate bill. Scrub-jays have also been designated a federally threatened species and are protected by Florida's Endangered and Threatened Species Act and by the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act due to habitat fragmentation from development, agriculture and fire-suppression efforts that prevent them from easily moving from one suitable habitat to another. The song of a Florida scrub-jay varies and has been described as a scratchy weep, a harsh scold, or a gutteral growl, according to All About Birds. The mockingbird, while common to other states, is a year-round Florida resident and can be seen all over the state. It has a "pleasant lilting sound," according to the Florida State Department, which is capable of mimicking other sounds. It feeds on insects and weed seeds. It has also long had a powerful defender. Marion Hammer, a longtime lobbyist for the National Rifle Association, has aggressively fought off any attempts to change the state bird for decades, ever since the first attempt to install the scrub jay 26 years ago. After it was mentioned that a scrub-jay was friendly enough to eat from a child's hand, she said at the time, "Begging for food isn't sweet. It's lazy and it's a welfare mentality" and she mocked the children's petition in the bird's favor. She reiterated her claim again in 2023 in an opinion piece for The Tallahassee Democrat that said the mockingbird was a "well-established, independent, prolific bird" that has "never needed government protection or our tax dollars to survive." Hammer also described the scrub jay as "evil little birds that steal other birds' eggs and kill the babies of other birds." Hammer has accused scrub jay supporters of promoting a scam for environmentalists to block development and designate areas of Central Florida as 'protected.' However, Hammer stepped down from her lobbyist position for the NRA in 2022 after four decades. When the Floridian Press asked her in January about the new scrub jay attempt, she texted them, "I'm retired." After attempts in 1998, 1999, 2000, 2016, 2022, 2023 and 2024, it might finally happen. If passed by the legislature and signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, the act would take effect July 1, 2025. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Flamingo may soon be Florida state bird over mockingbird
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bye bye mockingbird? Florida might replace state bird after nearly 100 years
Quick, what's the official Florida state bird? If you guessed the mockingbird, you'd be correct. However, you'd also be correct if you named the mockingbird as the official state bird of Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Texas. If either of two bills in the Florida Legislature passes, the mockingbird would get dumped after its nearly 100-year reign, and the Sunshine State would get its own, unique state bird. Actually, it would get two. SB 880, from Sen. Ileana Garcia, R-Miami-Dade, and HB 81 from Reps Jim Mooney, R-Islamorda and Chip LaMarca, R-Lighthouse Point, would designate the pink-feathered American flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) as the official Florida state bird and the Florida scrub-jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens) as the official Florida state songbird. The House bill has yet to leave its perch, but the Senate bill has flown unanimously through two committees so far. This marks the eighth time an attempt to dethrone the mockingbird has been made over the last 25 years. Will it finally take flight this time? Flamingos flourish: Space Coast bird fest spies flamingos, other sky-high hopes of ecological recovery Most people in and out of the state (who weren't trivia buffs) would probably be surprised to find out the flamingo wasn't Florida's official state bird. It certainly seems like it. "We often say Florida is unlike anywhere else," said Ana Maria Rodriguez, R-Doral when she presented the bill for Garcia. "Let's prove it. The flamingo is not just an icon; it reminds us that Florida is bold, brilliant and unafraid to stand tall." The flamboyant, 5-foot-tall flamingo has been used to promote travel to the state for over a century, supporters say, a symbol of brightly colored sunshine and fun. The Florida Lottery has used it in its logo since starting up in 1988. Homes across the state have long been festooned with bright pink plastic versions. There aren't a lot of Florida mockingbird magnets for sale out there. Widely distributed throughout the Caribbean and parts of South America, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission considers flamingos native to the state. Flamingos were common in South Florida until the end of the 19th century, when trends turned to feathers on women's hats and hunters slaughtered millions of birds in the Everglades. The last resident flamingos in Florida were nearly wiped out, but have bounced back thanks to captive breeding colonies in South Florida and migratory birds flying in from elsewhere. The flocks continue to struggle, however, thanks to threats from rising sea levels, pollution, human development and storms. American flamingos have been seen along much of the coast but mostly in the Everglades, Biscayne Bay and the Florida Keys, the FWC said. The scrub jay is uniquely Floridian, the only bird species that lives exclusively in the state, and it never leaves. "The scrub-jay is not just a songbird; it is a call to protect what is rare and precious," Rodriquez said. "And this bill is not just about birds; it is about identity, conservation and culture. Florida deserves to be represented by what is ours and only ours.' Florida scrub-jays are blue and gray birds that prefer sand pine, oak scrub and scrubby flatwoods and they live in the driest areas, "including ancient sandy ridges in Central Florida, sand dunes along the coast, and sandy deposits along rivers in the interior of the state," according to an analysis of the Senate bill. Scrub-jays have also been designated a federally threatened species and are protected by Florida's Endangered and Threatened Species Act and by the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act due to habitat fragmentation from development, agriculture and fire-suppression efforts that prevent them from easily moving from one suitable habitat to another. The song of a Florida scrub-jay varies and has been described as a scratchy weep, a harsh scold, or a gutteral growl, according to All About Birds. The mockingbird, while common to other states, is a year-round Florida resident and can be seen all over the state. It has a "pleasant lilting sound," according to the Florida State Department, which is capable of mimicking other sounds. It feeds on insects and weed seeds. It has also long had a powerful defender. Marion Hammer, a longtime lobbyist for the National Rifle Association, has aggressively fought off any attempts to change the state bird for decades, ever since the first attempt to install the scrub jay 26 years ago. After it was mentioned that a scrub-jay was friendly enough to eat from a child's hand, she said at the time, "Begging for food isn't sweet. It's lazy and it's a welfare mentality" and she mocked the children's petition in the bird's favor. She reiterated her claim again in 2023 in an opinion piece for The Tallahassee Democrat that said the mockingbird was a "well-established, independent, prolific bird" that has "never needed government protection or our tax dollars to survive." Hammer also described the scrub jay as "evil little birds that steal other birds' eggs and kill the babies of other birds." Hammer has accused scrub jay supporters of promoting a scam for environmentalists to block development and designate areas of Central Florida as 'protected.' However, Hammer stepped down from her lobbyist position for the NRA in 2022 after four decades. When the Floridian Press asked her in January about the new scrub jay attempt, she texted them, "I'm retired." After attempts in 1998, 1999, 2000, 2016, 2022, 2023 and 2024, it might finally happen. If passed by the legislature and signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, the act would take effect July 1, 2025. This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Florida's flamingo may soon be state bird over mockingbird
