REQUESTING THE DIRECTOR OF HEALTH TO CONVENE A WATER FLUORIDATION WORKING GROUP.

SCR1

THE SENATE

S.C.R. NO.

1

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

reQUESTING THE DIRECTOR OF HEALTH TO CONVENE A WATER
FLUORIDATION WORKING GROUP
.

����
WHEREAS,
many residents in the
State do not have dental care insurance
; and

����
WHEREAS,
the State also received
a failing grade in three recent oral health report cards published by the Pew
Center on the States, a division of the Pew Charitable Trusts
; and

����
WHEREAS,
increasing the
concentration of fluoride, a naturally occurring mineral, in the public water
supply to an optimal level
benefits all people who
drink
from it, promoting good oral health to prevent or even reverse tooth
decay
; and

����
WHEREAS,
according to the federal
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, water fluoridation is both safe and
the most cost-effective way of preventing tooth decay
; and

����
WHEREAS,
presently, the State's
public water systems, other than those serving military bases have no added
fluoride
; and

����
WHEREAS,
water fluoridation may
address ongoing oral health issues across the State by providing communities
with enough fluoride in local water systems to prevent tooth decay
; now,
therefore,

����
BE IT
RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii,
Regular Session of 2026, the House of Representatives concurring, that the
Director of Health is requested to convene a Water Fluoridation Working Group
to collaborate on determining the best practices for, and addressing obstacles
to, fluoridating the State's drinking water; and

����
BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED that the Water Fluoridation Working Group is requested to consist of
the following members:

����
(1)
�
The Director of Health, or the Director's
designee, who shall serve as Chairperson of the Working Group;

����
(2)
�
A representative from the Board of Water
Supply of the City and County of Honolulu;

����
(3)
�
A representative from the Department of Water
of the County of Kauai;

����
(4)
�
A representative from the Department of Water
Supply of the County of Maui; and

����
(5)
�
A representative from the Department of Water
Supply of the County of Hawaii; and

����
BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED that the Water Fluoridation Working Group is requested to submit a
report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation,
to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the
Regular Session of 2027; and

����
BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED that the Water Fluoridation Working Group is requested to dissolve on
June 30, 2027; and

����
BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the
Director of Health, Manager and Chief Engineer of the Board of Water Supply of
the City and County of Honolulu, Director of the Department of Water Supply of
the County of Maui, Manager-Chief Engineer of the Department of Water Supply of
the County of Hawaii, and Manager and Chief Engineer of the Department of Water
of the County of Kauai.

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

DOH;
Water Fluoridation; Counties; Public Water Supply; Working Group; Report