PRINTER'S NO. 1210
No. 1026 Session of 1975
INTRODUCED BY COPPERSMITH (BY REQUEST), SEPTEMBER 24, 1975
REFERRED TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT, SEPTEMBER 24, 1975
AN ACT
1 Providing for a referendum to determine the will of the
2 electorate of any political subdivision with respect to the
3 fluoridation of their water supply and prescribing the effect
4 of such election.
5 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
6 hereby enacts as follows:
7 Section 1. In any political subdivision there may be
8 submitted in the manner provided by the election laws of the
9 Commonwealth a question to determine the will of the electorate
10 with respect to the fluoridation of their water supply, whether
11 or not fluoridated water is being supplied to the public
12 therein. When the electors thereof equal to at least two per
13 cent of the highest vote cast for any office in such political
14 subdivision, at the last preceding election file a petition with
15 the county board of electors of the county for a referendum on
16 the question of the fluoridation of water the county board of
17 elections shall cause a question to be placed on the ballot or
18 on the voting machine board and submitted at the next general or
19 municipal election which occurs not less than 44 days
1 thereafter. The proceedings shall be in the manner and subject
2 to the provisions of the election laws which relate to the
3 signing, filing and publication of nomination petitions in so
4 far as the provisions are applicable.
5 The question shall be in the following form:
6 Do you favor the fluoridation of your Yes No
7 water supply?
8 The results of the election shall be tabulated and certified
9 by the proper election officers.
10 Section 2. Political subdivisions, shall supply fluoridated
11 water to the public in any political subdivision, in which a
12 majority of the electors voting on the question set forth in
13 section 1 hereof vote "yes." Fluoridated water shall not be
14 supplied to the public in any political subdivision, in which a
15 majority of the electors voting on said question vote "no," and
16 such decision shall be binding on all State and local
17 governmental agencies and authorities.
18 Section 3. Any officer, agent or employee of a political
19 subdivision, or any other person who shall wilfully violate or
20 aid in the violation of the provisions of this act shall be
21 guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be
22 sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $1,000, or to undergo
23 imprisonment for not more than one year, or both. If fluoridated
24 water is being supplied to the public when this act becomes
25 effective it shall not be considered a violation to continue
26 supplying water from the same source of supply if no further
27 treatment by or addition of the forbidden chemical is made.
28 Section 4. This act shall take effect immediately.
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