Money from opioid lawsuit settlements should be used to fight drug epidemic, Beshear says

Attorney General Andy Beshear threw his support Wednesday behind a bill that would require money obtained from opioid lawsuit settlements and fines recovered by his office to go into a permanent fund to support drug prevention educators, police and treatment providers.

“As the opioid epidemic is devastating families and communities by claiming more than 30 lives a week in Kentucky, it is also wrecking our economy,” said Beshear at a news conference in his Capitol office with several lawmakers.

“When the nine opioid companies that I am holding accountable in a Kentucky court room pay for the damage they have done to our state, the funds should go directly to stopping this epidemic.” The fund would be administered by a special committee.

Beshear called the measure, House Bill 44, his “top priority” for the legislative session.

Rep. Dennis Keene of Wilder, is sponsor of the bill.

“The commonwealth could realize significant funding from Attorney General Beshear’s lawsuits,” Keene said. “It’s imperative we establish this fund that would benefit every community across the commonwealth and our fight to help our families.”

Beshear, who is a Democratic candidate in this year’s race for governor, also voiced support for several other legislative measures in this year’s General Assembly:

▪ A bill backed by Rep. Chris Harris of Forest Hills to crack down on “rogue” opioid recovery centers that allow patients to obtain and misuse drugs intended for treatment.

Harris said many parts of the state, particularly in Eastern Kentucky, have seen a rise in the abuse of treatment drugs suboxone and methadone as well as heroin and fentanyl.

“After the pill mills were shut down, it did not take long for rogue treatment clinics to open in nearly the same location,” said Harris. “This bill lets us hold bad actors accountable, and keeps them from harming our communities and families.”

▪ A bill to strengthen protections for utility customers before a state regulatory agency.

The legislation, sponsored by Reps. Harris and Angie Hatton of Whitesburg, would give the state Public Service Commission more authority to hold utilities more accountable when considering potential bill increases by allowing the regulatory agency to consider whether proposed or current rates are affordable for residential customers.

“Our economic survival hinges on making sure these companies understand that over the past 11 years wages in Eastern Kentucky have increased 14 percent compared to a nearly 44 percent increase in utility bills,” said Hatton. “We literally cannot afford another increase.”

▪ A bill to require holders of commercial driver’s licenses to complete human trafficking training. Rep. Ruth Ann Palumbo of Lexington is pushing this measure.

Palumbo said her legislative initiative would increase human trafficking awareness. She noted the story of Nicholasville truck driver Arian Taylor and his rescue of a human trafficking victim last year in California.

Taylor was able to call the National Human Trafficking Hotline displayed on a window sticker on his truck cab to get the young woman help, said Palumbo.

▪ A bill to strengthen Kentucky’s fight in criminal cases by allowing the attorney general’s office to petition the Kentucky Supreme Court for a special grand jury. Rep. Jeff Donohue of Louisville is working on this.

Beshear said the need for such a law in Kentucky has been highlighted recently by the Pennsylvania’s attorney general ‘s use of a statewide grand jury to investigate abuse in a religious institution.

Kentucky law does not currently provide for such a grand jury or allow the state attorney general to seek one.

▪ A bill to allow expanded gambling in the state such as casino, fantasy sports, sports gaming and online poker and earmark its revenue stream to boost the state’s financially ailing public pension systems.

This approach, said Beshear, would free up other state revenue sources to fund education, fight the drug epidemic and provide more health care.

“I ask lawmakers to create a dedicated source of revenue for pensions so we don’t have a pension battle each and every session,” he said.

This story was originally published January 30, 2019 at 11:38 AM.