Local governments in Florida and across the country recently have debated — and, in some cases, stopped — the longstanding practice of adding fluoride to water supplies. Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo has urged more communities to take that step, appearing personally at a hearing in Tavares late last year as the city halted the practice.

Moves to remove fluoride from public water supplies will also soon be on tap in Clearwater and Manatee County.

Harmful or helpful? Both the benefits and the risks of fluoride injected into public drinking water systems was part of a legislative discussion.

With the backing of Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, a Senate Republican on Thursday filed a wide-ranging bill that would bar public water systems from adding fluoride to water supplies. Sen.

The proposal would bar public water systems from adding fluoride to the water supply, but naturally occurring fluoride is already in JEA’s drinking water.