House bill eyes creating fund, council for opioid settlement funds
The House of Representatives has unanimously passed a bill that seeks to establish a fund from opioid settlement monies and a council to oversee funding for substance abuse abatement programs.
With all 19 House members present at a session on Thursday voting “yes,” House Bill 23-80 passed the House and now goes to the Senate for action.
Vice speaker Rep. Joel C. Camacho (Ind-Saipan) introduced the legislation that same day. Several House members co-sponsored the legislation.
Camacho stated in the bill that the CNMI anticipates receiving substantial payments from settlement of litigation against the manufacturers and distributors of prescription opioid analgesics, pharmacies dispensing prescription opioid analgesics, and related parties for alleged contributions to high rates of drug overdoses and other drug-related harms.
He said this bill establishes a dedicated fund for substance abuse disorder abatement. He said this bill also creates a council to handle the award of monies to agencies that engage in substance abuse disorder abatement.
Under the bill, the Opioid Litigation Proceeds Fund is established in the Commonwealth treasury. The Fund shall operate as a dedicated fund to be administered by the Department of Finance.
Monies in the Fund shall not revert to the general fund of the Commonwealth treasury.
Monies in the Fund shall be spent only for substance abuse disorder abatement purposes, upon the approval of the Opioid Proceeds Council and through the HOPE Recovery Center, the Substance Abuse Treatment and Recovery Clinic under the Community Guidance Center, the Drug Court Division of the CNMI Judiciary, or any non-profit that engages in substance abuse prevention.
The council shall be composed of three voting members. The Council may approve nonvoting members as needed.
The council voting members are the chief executive officer of the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. or designee, attorney general or designee, and the governor or designee.
The council shall employ an executive director and staff to support the meetings and functions of the council and direct day-to-day activities.
Rep. Joel C. Camacho
