Hawaii 2025 Regular Session

Hawaii House Bill HB540 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B. NO. 540 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT related to safe water. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
2	2
3	3	HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B. NO. 540
4	4	THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
5	5	STATE OF HAWAII
6	6
7	7	HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
8	8
9	9	H.B. NO.
10	10
11	11	540
12	12
13	13	THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
14	14
15	15
16	16
17	17	STATE OF HAWAII
18	18
19	19
20	20
21	21
22	22
23	23
24	24
25	25
26	26
27	27
28	28
29	29
30	30
31	31	A BILL FOR AN ACT
32	32
33	33
34	34
35	35
36	36
37	37	related to safe water.
38	38
39	39
40	40
41	41
42	42
43	43	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
44	44
45	45
46	46
47	47	SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the practice of adding fluoridation chemicals to public drinking water is dangerous for many of the State's residents. The United States Department of Health and Human Services' National Toxicology Program concludes that fluoride is a "presumed" hazard. The National Research Council has identified fluoride an endocrine disruptor, and studies show that it lowers thyroid function, particularly in women. Fluoride is linked to sleep apnea and kidney and liver impairment in adolescents. A large body of government-funded research associates fluoride neurotoxicity with lower IQs in children, as well with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and associated behaviors. The legislature finds that formula-fed infants are exposed to the highest doses of fluoride when fluoridated water is used to mix their formula. A recent study showed that up to fifty-nine per cent of formula-fed infants exceed the tolerable upper intake level set by the National Academy of Medicine. The legislature further finds that fluoridated water is largely rejected as a preventive dental strategy. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds that the primary dental benefits of fluoride are as a topical treatment. The purpose of this Act is to ensure safe water in the State by prohibiting all suppliers of public water from adding fluoridation chemicals. SECTION 2. Section 340E-7, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows: "§340E-7 Prohibited acts. (a) No supplier of water shall violate any rule adopted pursuant to section 340E-2. (b) No supplier of water shall violate any condition or provision of a variance, exemption, permit, or other written authorization issued under this part. (c) No supplier of water shall violate any requirement of an emergency plan promulgated pursuant to section 340E-5. (d) No supplier of water shall violate any rule adopted under section 340E-6 or disseminate any false or misleading information with respect to notices required pursuant to section 340E-6 or with respect to remedial actions undertaken to achieve compliance with state primary drinking water regulations. (e) No person shall violate any order issued by the director pursuant to this part. (f) No person shall cause a public water system to violate the state primary drinking water regulations. (g) No person shall violate underground injection control rules adopted pursuant to this part. (h) No person shall fail or refuse to comply with the director's authority to inspect the premises of a supplier of water pursuant to section 340E-4.6. (i) No person shall install or repair any public water system or any plumbing in a residential or nonresidential facility providing water for human consumption which is connected to a public water system with any pipe, solder, flux, plumbing fittings, or fixtures that are not lead free. "Lead free" with respect to solders and flux means containing not more than 0.2 per cent lead, with respect to pipes and pipe fittings means containing not more than 8.0 per cent lead and with respect to plumbing fittings and fixtures means those in compliance with National Sanitation Foundation Standard 61, section 9. This subsection shall not apply to leaded joints necessary for the repair of cast iron pipes. (j) No person shall violate rules on public water system capacity adopted pursuant to this part. (k) No person or supplier of water shall introduce fluoride to a public water system. Any laws, executive orders, ordinances, regulations, or rules that regulate the use of fluoride in the State's public water systems are preempted and existing laws, executive orders, ordinances, regulations, or rules conflicting with this subsection shall be void." SECTION 3. New statutory material is underscored. SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval. INTRODUCED BY: _____________________________
48	48
49	49	SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the practice of adding fluoridation chemicals to public drinking water is dangerous for many of the State's residents. The United States Department of Health and Human Services' National Toxicology Program concludes that fluoride is a "presumed" hazard. The National Research Council has identified fluoride an endocrine disruptor, and studies show that it lowers thyroid function, particularly in women. Fluoride is linked to sleep apnea and kidney and liver impairment in adolescents. A large body of government-funded research associates fluoride neurotoxicity with lower IQs in children, as well with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and associated behaviors.
50	50
51	51	The legislature finds that formula-fed infants are exposed to the highest doses of fluoride when fluoridated water is used to mix their formula. A recent study showed that up to fifty-nine per cent of formula-fed infants exceed the tolerable upper intake level set by the National Academy of Medicine.
52	52
53	53	The legislature further finds that fluoridated water is largely rejected as a preventive dental strategy. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds that the primary dental benefits of fluoride are as a topical treatment.
54	54
55	55	The purpose of this Act is to ensure safe water in the State by prohibiting all suppliers of public water from adding fluoridation chemicals.
56	56
57	57	SECTION 2. Section 340E-7, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
58	58
59	59	"§340E-7 Prohibited acts. (a) No supplier of water shall violate any rule adopted pursuant to section 340E-2.
60	60
61	61	(b) No supplier of water shall violate any condition or provision of a variance, exemption, permit, or other written authorization issued under this part.
62	62
63	63	(c) No supplier of water shall violate any requirement of an emergency plan promulgated pursuant to section 340E-5.
64	64
65	65	(d) No supplier of water shall violate any rule adopted under section 340E-6 or disseminate any false or misleading information with respect to notices required pursuant to section 340E-6 or with respect to remedial actions undertaken to achieve compliance with state primary drinking water regulations.
66	66
67	67	(e) No person shall violate any order issued by the director pursuant to this part.
68	68
69	69	(f) No person shall cause a public water system to violate the state primary drinking water regulations.
70	70
71	71	(g) No person shall violate underground injection control rules adopted pursuant to this part.
72	72
73	73	(h) No person shall fail or refuse to comply with the director's authority to inspect the premises of a supplier of water pursuant to section 340E-4.6.
74	74
75	75	(i) No person shall install or repair any public water system or any plumbing in a residential or nonresidential facility providing water for human consumption which is connected to a public water system with any pipe, solder, flux, plumbing fittings, or fixtures that are not lead free. "Lead free" with respect to solders and flux means containing not more than 0.2 per cent lead, with respect to pipes and pipe fittings means containing not more than 8.0 per cent lead and with respect to plumbing fittings and fixtures means those in compliance with National Sanitation Foundation Standard 61, section 9. This subsection shall not apply to leaded joints necessary for the repair of cast iron pipes.
76	76
77	77	(j) No person shall violate rules on public water system capacity adopted pursuant to this part.
78	78
79	79	(k) No person or supplier of water shall introduce fluoride to a public water system. Any laws, executive orders, ordinances, regulations, or rules that regulate the use of fluoride in the State's public water systems are preempted and existing laws, executive orders, ordinances, regulations, or rules conflicting with this subsection shall be void."
80	80
81	81	SECTION 3. New statutory material is underscored.
82	82
83	83	SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
84	84
85	85
86	86
87	87	INTRODUCED BY: _____________________________
88	88
89	89	INTRODUCED BY:
90	90
91	91	_____________________________
92	92
93	93
94	94
95	95
96	96
97	97	Report Title: Water; Public Water Systems; Fluoridation; Prohibition; Preemption Description: Prohibits the addition of fluoride to a public water system. Preempts and voids conflicting laws, executive orders, ordinances, regulations, or rules. The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
98	98
99	99
100	100
101	101
102	102
103	103	Report Title:
104	104
105	105	Water; Public Water Systems; Fluoridation; Prohibition; Preemption
106	106
107	107
108	108
109	109	Description:
110	110
111	111	Prohibits the addition of fluoride to a public water system. Preempts and voids conflicting laws, executive orders, ordinances, regulations, or rules.
112	112
113	113
114	114
115	115
116	116
117	117
118	118
119	119	The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.