On Tuesday, the Florida House passed a sweeping bill that would prevent local governments from adding fluoride to public water systems and tighten restrictions on how plant-based food products can be labeled.

With an 88-27 vote, the Republican-majority House approved the measure (SB 700), which touches on multiple areas overseen by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. SB 700, also known as the Florida Farm Bill, doesn’t mention the word “fluoride,” but would effectively ban the chemical compound by preventing “the use of certain additives in a water system.”  Since the Senate had already passed the bill on April 16, it now heads to Governor Ron DeSantis for his signature.

Governor DeSantis and Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo have both expressed support for removing fluoride from water systems. If DeSantis signs the bill, Florida will become the second state to ban fluoride from water supplies. Utah’s Gov. Spencer Cox signed a bill in late March that prohibits any person or government entity from adding the cavity-fighting mineral from the state’s water systems, making it the first state to do so (going into effect on May 7).

The legislation was introduced against a backdrop of growing discussions in several Florida communities about whether to end the long-standing practice of fluoridating drinking water, a public health effort aimed at improving dental health. Rep. Danny Alvarez, a Republican from Hillsborough County and one of the bill’s sponsors, argued that the issue goes beyond dental care: “This isn’t just about fluoride — it’s about personal freedom. People should have the right to decide what substances enter their bodies, and that includes chemicals added to drinking water.”

However, critics countered that fluoridation is a scientifically backed public health measure that helps prevent tooth decay, particularly in children. Rep. Daryl Campbell, a Democrat from Fort Lauderdale, dismissed the bill as pandering to misinformation, saying “this bill is a gift to conspiracy theorists.”  In addition, Rep. Anna Eskamani, a Democrat from Orlando, emphasized fluoride’s positive impact, calling it a “game-changer” for dental health.

One provision in the bill would set the stage for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to develop rules restricting the use of terms like “milk,” “meat,” “poultry,” and “eggs” on plant-based products. However, these rules would only take effect if at least 11 out of 14 specific states — including Florida — enact similar laws. The other states named are Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia.

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