19 June 2008

Floor action, Jun. 19: SB 137, SB 159, SB 342, SB 808

DID YOU KNOW?
SB 137 by Sen. Julie Quinn would make a secondary offense for those who either are text messaging or, if you are a driver with less than a year of licensing, using a cell phone while driving. Handler Rep. Hollis Downs said this would improve safety without having distractions from all drivers and especially new drivers.

Rep. Austin Badon, however, offered an amendment to turn this bill essentially into his HB 852 which banned non-hands-free use of cell phones for all and passed the House. To make matters more interesting, Rep. Walker Hines tried to hook an amendment on to raise his non-smoking stricture in cars if there were 15 year-olds in it (as opposed to the currenbt 13-year-old standard), trying in essence to amend on his bill (to remind him as he could not remember what it was, it was HB 1021) on the subject that failed in the Senate. Its germaneness was challenged by Rep. Mert Smiley but upheld on the basis that it was another driver distraction.

Rep. Jeff Arnold said he could not support the bill especially with Badon’s amendment. He said even operating a GPS device could run afoul of this law. Arnold also chided Hines for his continued tries at passing this bill even after several defeats. With Hines implying his previous bill lost on several occasions because of a lack of members, a lockout and quorum call both were made and the latter was established. The amendment failed 34-56.

Badon then addressed his amendment, saying if it was good enough to be passed on its own, it ought to be good enough for an amendment. Arnold reminded Badon that HB 852 was defeated handily in the Senate, and thought it might be hurting SB 137 to be attached. Rep. Tony Ligi said that the bill might not stem the tendency for multitasking. Badon replied the act isolated was not good regardless of other distractions which may or may not occur as a result of a cell phone’s use.

Badon closed saying this should not be just a “kid’s bill” and that his amendment would make sure it is done right the first time. The amendment failed 33-49. The bill unamended from the floor passed 69-19.

DID YOU KNOW?
Since SB 159 by Sen. Don Cravins wpould prohibit minors from using any wireless telecommunications device while operating a motor vehicle which almost mimicked SB 137, there was no debate and it passed 88-4.

DID YOU KNOW?
SB 342 by Sen. Dale Erdey would prohibit first-year drivers from using cell phones. With it being so similar to SB 137 and SB 159, it passed 88-6.

DID YOU KNOW?
SB 808 by Sen. Rob Marionneaux would redo the way the state deals with its capital outlay budget. Speaker Jim Tucker pointed out it was essentially a duplicate of his HB 582 passed out of the House days earlier. It clarifies the process, he said, and it passed 93-0.

1 comment:

FluorideNews said...

Do you know that SB312 - a fluoridation mandate bill is on the verge of being signed into law. It will be required that fluoride chemicals be added to all of LA drinking water to prevent tooth decay.

However, modern science shows that fluoridation is ineffective, harmful to health and a waste of money.

People should contact the
Governor to Veto the bill, not even on the merits at this point, but in fairness to allow Louisianans a say in this issue.

Most constituents don't even know this is going on, what it is or how it will affect them.

From watching the proceedings on the internet, it seems your legislators didn't have a clue either as no one really raised any doubts.

I did hear them say that no one should ask a question that they don't know the answer to. So I assume even they don't have a clue what fluoridation is all about, where the chemicals come from, and it affects the body, as no meaningful questions were raised.


Kidney Foundation Drops Fluoridation Support
Fluoride may damage bones of kidney patients


New York – June 9 – The National Kidney Foundation withdrew its support of water fluoridation citing the 2006 National Research Council (NRC) report indicating that kidney patients are more susceptible to fluoride’s bone and teeth-damaging effects.

The kidney-impaired retain more fluoride and risk skeletal fluorosis (an arthritic-type bone disease), fractures and severe enamel fluorosis, which may increase the risk of dental decay, reports the NRC.

Fluoride is added to US water supplies ostensibly to reduce tooth decay. Fluoride is also in foods, beverages, drugs and dental products.

The National Kidney Foundation’s (NKF) former fluoridation position statement also carried surprising cautions. The NKF advised monitoring children’s fluoride intake along with patients with chronic kidney impairment, those with excessive fluoride intake, and those with prolonged disease. But NKF now admits, “exposure from food and beverages is difficult to monitor, since FDA food labels do not quantify fluoride content.”

The NKF’s April 15, 2008 statement goes further: “Individuals with CKD [Chronic Kidney Disease] should be notified of the potential risk of fluoride exposure.”

“More than 20 million Americans have CKD, and most don’t even know it. More than 20 million others are at increased risk for developing CKD,” NKF reports.

“There is consistent evidence that impairment of kidney function results in changes to the way in which fluoride is metabolized and eliminated from the body, resulting in an increased burden of fluoride,” concludes Kidney Health Australia. in a paper NKF
recommends reading

NKF’s fluoridation support was dropped when a lawyer, an academic dentist and public health professional, Daniel Stockin, alerted it to NRC’s findings.

“An easy way to reduce the uncontrolled flow of fluoride into our bodies is to stop water fluoridation,” says attorney Paul Beeber, President, New York State Coalition Opposed to Fluoridation. “But it takes political will to reject fluoridation.”

The American and Louisiana Dental Associations erroneously claim the National Kidney Foundation supports fluoridation. However, even the ADA reports that “decreased fluoride removal may occur among persons with severely impaired kidney function who may not be on kidney dialysis.”

Chronic kidney disease is a growing health problem in the United States occurring more often in African-American populations, says the Centers for Disease Control.
More fluoride/kidney information here: http://www.fluoridealert.org/health/kidney/index.html
References: http://tinyurl.com/6yo9ws

SOURCE: NYS Coalition Opposed to Fluoridation, Inc