Opioid Master Settlement Agreement.

Existing law, the California Uniform Controlled Substances Act, classifies opioids as Schedule II controlled substances and imposes various restrictions on the prescription of those drugs. Existing law requires the State Department of Public Health, subject to an appropriation in the Budget Act of 2016, to award grant funding for naloxone, or another approved opioid antagonist, to local health departments, local government agencies, or other specified entities, in order to reduce the rate of fatal overdose from opioid drugs, including heroin and prescription opioids. This bill would establish the California Opioid Settlement Fund in the State Treasury and would require the total amount of the state's share of funds received pursuant to the Master Settlement Agreement, defined to mean the National Opioid Settlement agreement announced on February 25, 2022, by the Attorney General of the State of California between California and other states and the leading United States opioid product manufacturers, to be deposited in the fund. The bill would require distribution of funds from the fund to be made by annual appropriation of the Legislature consistent with the requirements of this bill, to the extent permissible under the terms of the Master Settlement Agreement, including a requirement that at least 60% of the funds appropriated be used to provide addiction-related services for people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless and priority shall be given to certain activities, including, among others, creating new, or expanding existing, substance use disorder treatment facilities.