Legislators Okay $31 Million For Opioid Treatment
Joint Finance makes $3 million change in how Evers planned to spend opioid suit settlement money.
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Pills by Tom Varco (Own work) (CC BY-SA 3.0), via Wikimedia Commons.
The $31 million proposal cleared the Joint Finance Committee with bipartisan and unanimous support Thursday despite some earlier disagreement.
Republicans pushed back against the initial version of the plan released by Gov. Tony Evers‘ state Department of Health Services, arguing it lacked sufficient input from members of law enforcement and other stakeholders. The version they passed added $3 million in direct grants to local law enforcement agencies for purposes including safe drug disposal programs, training, pre-trial diversion programs and substance abuse treatment for jail inmates.
“We know as legislative Republicans that law enforcement and our public safety folks are the boots on the ground,” said Rep. Mark Born, R-Beaver Dam, who co-chairs the finance committee.
Democrats said the Evers administration’s plan followed robust community input, and accused Republicans of holding up the process.
State Sen. Sen. Jon Erpenbach, D-Middleton, said the issue is personal to him because his daughter suffers from addiction and has needed to be revived with Narcan at least once.
In 2020, the latest full year of data available, there were 1,227 deaths in Wisconsin opioid-related deaths, according to DHS.
Wisconsin got it first $6 million installment in late July from the multi-state lawsuit against opioid maker Janssen Pharmaceuticals and three opioid distributors. The state expects to get $25 million more from the settlement by the end of this year.
Milwaukee Democrat Evan Goyke accused Republicans of playing politics in an election year, though he ultimately voted in favor of their proposal.
“It’s the silly season,” he said. “The plan that was submitted and the plan’s that’s moving forward, what’s the amount of overlap? Eighty-five percent or so. Good enough. Let’s get the money out the door.”
Wisconsin lawmakers earmark $31M from settlement with opioid companies was originally published by Wisconsin Public Radio.
More about the Opioid Crisis
- MKE County: Opioid Settlement Will Fund 7 New, Expanded Abatement Efforts - Graham Kilmer - Jun 28th, 2024
- Legislators Agree on Opioid Plan, Still Withhold PFAS, Hospital Funds - Erik Gunn - May 8th, 2024
- Baldwin Announces Over $17.7 Million to Tackle Fentanyl and Opioid Crisis in Wisconsin - U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin - May 7th, 2024
- Baldwin Backed Legislation to Crack Down on Fentanyl Traffickers Heads to President’s Desk - U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin - Apr 24th, 2024
- Legislature Stalls Opioid Settlement Funds. Again - Erik Gunn - Apr 23rd, 2024
- Milwaukee Bucks Legend Marques Johnson Joins Forces with Serenity Inns to Combat Opioid Epidemic in Milwaukee - Serenity Inns - Apr 23rd, 2024
- Law Enforcement Agencies Awarded Grants from State Opioid Settlement Funds - Wisconsin Department of Health Services - Apr 18th, 2024
- MKE County: County Wins Award for Opioid Settlement Fund Usage - Graham Kilmer - Apr 4th, 2024
- MKE County: County Offering $2.8 Million For Opioid Addiction Programs - Graham Kilmer - Mar 28th, 2024
- Senator Baldwin Calls on House to Pass Bill that Cracks Down on Fentanyl Traffickers - U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin - Feb 15th, 2024
Read more about Opioid Crisis here