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Rep. Whiteford plan prevents state’s opioid settlement dollars from being misused
RELEASE|April 13, 2022

Plan ensures dollars will be spent on opioid-related health costs

State Rep. Mary Whiteford delivered testimony before the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday in support of her plan that ensures money the state will be awarded from opioid-related lawsuit settlements is spent appropriately on opioid addiction and overdose treatment and prevention efforts.

Whiteford’s bipartisan plan requires the Legislature to establish a specific fund for the settlement dollars to be deposited and create a framework for future Legislatures to use the funds. Money in this fund, called the Michigan Opioid Healing and Recovery Fund, must remain there at the end of the fiscal year and may not lapse to the general fund, ensuring the money will not be spent on projects unrelated to bettering the outlook of Michigan’s opioid crisis.

Whiteford, a registered nurse, has been passionate about combatting the opioid epidemic since she was first elected state representative.

“We are ensuring history doesn’t repeat itself after dollars from the state’s tobacco settlement were used for non-health related purposes in the past,” said Whiteford (R-Casco Township). “Opioid abuse and overdose affect families in all of our communities across Michigan and these settlement dollars stand to make lasting, positive change in the fight to combat the epidemic – and even save lives – if we ensure the money is used wisely and protect it from being used for other purposes.”

The plan will also establish the Opioid Advisory Committee, which will issue a report to the Legislature annually recommending how the settlement money should be appropriated in the coming fiscal year. The committee will be comprised of 12 voting members who have experience in substance abuse prevention, health care, mental health, law enforcement, local government, first-responder work and similar fields. The bill establishes a fair and balanced method of appointing members to the committee with input from the House, Senate, governor, and attorney general.

House Bills 5968-5970 were approved by the committee with bipartisan support and move to be considered by the full House.

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