By Sen. Ray Aguilar

After seeing the enormous unmet need for dental work at the dental clinics, I'm more convinced than ever that fluoridation is a good idea. The Nebraska Mission of Mercy program of the Nebraska Dental Association provided 4,000 people with $1.5 million in free dental care in North Platte, Grand Island and Norfolk at clinics in 2005, 2006 and 2007. Grand Island was the largest recipient of the program.

Fluoride is nature's cavity fighter. It is already present in all water sources, even the ocean, to some degree. Water fluoridation is the controlled adjustment of the natural fluoride concentration in a public water supply up to the level recommended for preventing tooth decay.

Fluoridation protects against tooth decay throughout life, benefiting both children and adults. Inadequate exposure to fluoride places children and adults in a high- risk category for tooth decay. Fluoridation is the single most effective public health measure to prevent tooth decay and to improve oral health for a lifetime, for both children and adults.

More than 170 million people, or 67.3 percent of the total U.S. population, on public water systems receive fluoridated water. Studies prove water fluoridation continues to be effective in reducing tooth decay by 20 to 40 percent even in an area with widespread availability of fluoride from other sources, such as fluoride toothpaste.

LB245 has a pending Committee amendment to update the deadline for the opt-out provision to be used. Either the city governing board or the citizens, by intiative petition, will have the chance to place the issue on the local ballot before May 1, 2010. If the local citizens feel strongly enough to vote against fluoridation, a city may opt out of the requirement to fluoridate.

On other bills: LB958, the so-called Von Maur gun bill, was amended this week. The amended bill contains only these four components:

1. The Crime Commission study of gun violence and related issues;

2. Eliminating the current handgun permit process and replacing it with the same "instant" background check used for buying other types of guns;

3. A hotline to report stolen guns, and

4. Retention of mental health records of individuals for 10 years instead of the current five years by the Nebraska Department of Health and Humans Services.

For those of you who may be members of the National Rifleman's Association, they have stated their position as neutral on the amended bill.

The Appropriations Committee has completed its hearings and finalized its budget recommendations, so we will be talking about the budget starting today. There is a small projected deficit for this year and a larger one for next year, but Chairman Lavon Heidemann hopes that changes in the state aid to schools formula will reduce or eliminate the deficit.

As always, please contact me with your support, opposition or questions on any legislative bill or issue. Thank you for allowing me the privilege to represent you in the Unicameral.

Senator Ray Aguilar

District 35, P.O. Box 94604

Lincoln, NE 68509

402-471-2617