Tennessee Senate Bill SB1141

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/6/25
• Failed: 3/19/25

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 68, Chapter 221, Part 7, relative to fluoridation of drinking water.

Summary

SB1141 would change Tennessee’s laws governing fluoridation of public drinking water systems. The bill requires a public water system to begin monthly fluoride testing and customer notification if a quarterly sample shows fluoride above 0.4 milligrams per liter. If monthly testing then shows fluoride below that threshold for three consecutive months, the system may return to quarterly testing. The bill also clarifies that naturally occurring fluoride is not prohibited so long as it stays within federal limits. The bill’s most significant policy change is that it would end the addition of fluoride or fluoride compounds to public water supplies that are fluoridating as of May 1, 2025. Those systems would have to stop fluoridation by July 31, 2025, and provide written notice to customers at least 30 days before stopping. The measure also adds the addition of fluoride to the list of regulated activities under the relevant part of Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 68, Chapter 221, Part 7.

Impact

SB1141 would amend Tennessee Code Annotated §§ 68-221-708, 68-221-709, and 68-221-711 to impose new testing and notice requirements for elevated fluoride readings and to prohibit ongoing fluoridation by public water systems after the specified date. It would affect municipal and regional water utilities, their operators, and customers served by fluoridated systems, while preserving the legality of naturally occurring fluoride within federal standards.

Sentiment

The available voting history suggests the bill faced opposition in committee and did not advance, failing 3-6 in the Senate Energy, Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee. With no transcript available, the recorded vote is the best indicator of sentiment, and it points to significant resistance rather than broad support.

Contention

The central point of contention is whether public water systems should be allowed to continue adding fluoride to drinking water. Supporters of the bill appear to favor ending artificial fluoridation and increasing notice and monitoring, while opponents likely object to eliminating a long-standing public health practice and to the operational burden on water systems. The committee vote indicates that the anti-fluoridation provisions were the most controversial aspect of the measure.