NYAPRS Note: Thanks to fervid advocacy in the last few weeks and months by a coalition of NYS Behavioral Health advocates and state legislators, the legislature has passed and Governor Cuomo has signed a measure ensuring that tens of millions of dollars accrued from legal settlements related to often fatal practices by drum manufacturers and the like are retained within the service system to advance recovery and save lives!
Governor Cuomo Signs Measure Establishing an Opioid Settlement Fund
Politico June 30, 2021
Governor Cuomo has approved a measure (NY A6395 (21R) / NY S7194 (21R)) that would create an Opioid Settlement Fund to ensure that monies from future settlements with drug manufacturers, distributors and others are used for substance use disorder treatment, prevention and recovery programs, among other things.
The governor said he fully supports the new fund and dedicating settlement monies to it. But Cuomo noted in his approval message that he’s “reached an agreement with the Legislature to make several technical changes to this bill.” The goal, he stated, is “to ensure fund monies are utilized in the prevention, treatment, education and abatement of opioid addiction, and to preserve the ability of the Department of Financial Services to pursue administrative proceedings to protect consumers.”
The bill has drawn widespread support from Attorney General Tish James and county leaders, who urged Cuomo to “do the right thing” and endorse the measure during a Tuesday afternoon conference call.
James on Wednesday said the new law marks “a massive step in our efforts to end the opioid epidemic and provide justice to its victims.”
The governor’s signing came just hours after James’ office and attorneys representing Nassau and Suffolk counties presented their opening arguments during the first day of an unprecedented lawsuit brought against major drug manufacturers and distributors. Days earlier, James announced a $230 million settlement with Johnson & Johnson, the parent company of Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.