A bill to mandate fluoride in community drinking water recently cleared the New Jersey Senate health committee but may not be implemented because of economic concerns, according to a news story on philly.com.
The chairwoman of the Assembly Appropriations Committee, Nellie Pou (D -- Passaic), does not plan to post the bill for a hearing because of potential cost increases being passed onto the consumer, an Assembly Majority Office spokesperson said in the story.
The bill would require public and private utility authorities to add fluoride to drinking water. They could then pass the additional costs onto consumers.
Assemblyman Jeff Van Drew (D. -- Cumberland), a dentist, told philly.com that while he understands the importance and benefits of fluoride, the state's finances should take precedence at this time, according to the story.
