Substitute House Bill No. 5044 Summary

• Establishes an Opioid Settlement Fund to receive settlement proceeds from opioid-related litigation finalized on or after July 1, 2021, with funds remaining in the account at year-end rather than reverting to the General Fund.

• Creates an Opioid Settlement Advisory Committee with members from state agencies, legislature, municipalities, and individuals with lived experience of substance use disorders to oversee fund allocation and ensure transparency and accountability.

• Restricts fund expenditures to evidence-based substance use disorder prevention, treatment, recovery, and harm reduction programs, as well as infrastructure, research, data systems, and administrative costs related to opioid abatement.

• Requires fund spending to be supplemental to existing state, local, and federal funding for substance use disorder services, with the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management certifying annually that prior-year funding levels are maintained.

• Mandates annual reporting to the legislature detailing fund balance, recipient awards, performance metrics on mortality reduction and treatment outcomes, and demographic data on individuals served, with all reports published on the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services website.