Bill Summary for H 928 (2021-2022)

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Summary date: 

May 11 2021

Bill Information:

View NCGA Bill Details2021
House Bill 928 (Public) Filed Tuesday, May 11, 2021
AN ACT ESTABLISHING AN OPIOID ABATEMENT FUND FOR ANY OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDS RECEIVED BY THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA AND APPROPRIATING A PORTION OF THESE FUNDS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DIVISION OF MENTAL HEALTH, DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES, AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES, FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN OPIOID OVERDOSE PREVENTION PILOT PROGRAM.
Intro. by Moffitt, K. Baker, Sasser.

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Bill summary

Establishes the Opioid Abatement Fund (Fund) and directs that all funds received by the State resulting from a final consent judgement in State of North Carolina, ex rel. Joshua H. Stein, Plaintiff v. McKinsey and Company, Inc. in the General Court of Justice, Superior Court Division, Wake County be deposited in the Fund. Provides that monies in the fund are to be used to cover the costs of investigating and pursuing the claims in this case and to remediate the harms caused to the State and its citizens by the opioid epidemic. Provides that funds deposited into the Fund do not constitute an “appropriation made by law,” as used in Article V, Section 7(1) of the North Carolina Constitution (requiring withdrawals from the State Treasury be made pursuant to an appropriations made by law). Directs that all funds in the Fund remain unspent until appropriated by the General Assembly.
Appropriates from the Fund to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse $4 million in non-recurring funds for the 2021-2022 fiscal year. Directs DHHS to use the funds to establish a one-year opioid overdose prevention pilot program to educate the public on opioid use disorder and overdose prevention. Directs DHHS to study and report on the effectiveness of the pilot program to the Joint legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services by March 1, 2023. Provisions of this bill directing DHHS to establish the pilot program and report on its effectiveness are effective July 1, 2021, and the remainder of the bill is effective upon becoming law.