72nd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2003 Regular Session
 
NOTE:  Matter within  { +  braces and plus signs + } in an
amended section is new. Matter within  { -  braces and minus
signs - } is existing law to be omitted. New sections are within
 { +  braces and plus signs + } .
 
LC 2755
 
                         Senate Bill 695
 
Sponsored by Senator GEORGE (at the request of Don Fell)
 
 
                             SUMMARY
 
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the
measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject to
consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor's
brief statement of the essential features of the measure as
introduced.
 
  Directs Department of Human Services to conduct study of
mercury amalgam fillings in human teeth and environmental sources
of mercury ingestion. Directs Oregon Health and Science
University to assist department in conducting study.
 
                        A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to mercury amalgam fillings; and appropriating money.
  Whereas the residents of Oregon pride ourselves on the beauty
of Oregon and our efforts to protect the environment; and
  Whereas there is now widespread concern that certain chemical
wastes are affecting the health of Oregon residents; and
  Whereas Oregon was recently listed as having the highest rate
per capita among the 50 states for incidence of Parkinson's
disease and the third highest rate per capita for incidence of
Alzheimer's disease; and
  Whereas many toxicologists and immunologists point to mercury
as the primary cause of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease; and
  Whereas mercury is also the cause of many other diseases; and
  Whereas mercury is classified as a biotoxin that accumulates in
the brain, central nervous system and kidneys with no known
method or treatment for removal; and
  Whereas mercury has unique properties that have led to its use
in the production of alloys with a low melting point for dental
components and fillings; and
  Whereas there have been many studies of mercury in the human
body, but no study has looked directly at the relationship
between mercury concentrations in the body and mercury lost from
amalgam fillings in teeth; and
  Whereas there is currently disagreement between medical
researchers who conclude that mercury in teeth is hazardous to
human health and dental associations that conclude that mercury
amalgams are inert and stable; and
  Whereas because there are low concentrations of mercury in the
environment, it is necessary to determine whether mercury in
dental fillings is an added source of mercury concentration in
the human body; and
  Whereas it is necessary to conduct a materials research project
that directly examines and determines the concentration of
mercury and any mercury-concentration loss in human teeth
fillings over time; now, therefore,
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
  SECTION 1.  { + The Department of Human Services shall conduct
a research study of the use of mercury amalgams in fillings in
human teeth. The study shall seek to determine:
  (a) Whether mercury amalgam fillings in human teeth are
chemically stable;
  (b) The amount of background environmental mercury that is
ingested by and concentrated in the human body; and
  (c) The relationship between background environmental sources
of mercury and mercury amalgam fillings in contributing to
concentrations of mercury in the human body.
  (2) The Oregon Health and Science University shall assist the
department in conducting the research study. The university shall
make such staff and facilities available as necessary to complete
the study. The study shall survey literature from other states on
the subject of mercury amalgam content-loss.
  (3) The department shall make a report of its findings, which
shall be submitted to the Seventy-third Legislative Assembly in
the manner provided in ORS 192.245 no later than January 31,
2005. + }
  SECTION 2.  { + (1) If Senate Bill ___ (LC 2723) becomes law,
from moneys available in the General Fund from the sale of timber
pursuant to Senate Bill ___ (LC 2723), there is appropriated to
the Department of Human Services, for the biennium beginning July
1, 2003, out of the General Fund, the amount of $135,000 for the
purpose of conducting the research study described in section 1
of this 2003 Act.
  (2) The Department of Human Services shall seek federal
matching funds to support the research study described in section
1 of this 2003 Act. Moneys appropriated to the department under
subsection (1) of this section may not be allocated to the
department until federal funds become available for the study in
amounts equal to at least $2 for every dollar appropriated under
subsection (1) of this section. + }
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