An Act relative to the establishment of and payments into an opioid stewardship fund

This bill creates a new Opioid Stewardship Fund to help Massachusetts residents afford naloxone, a medication used to reverse opioid overdoses. It establishes a program where the Department of Public Health covers insurance co-pays for naloxone and other FDA-approved opioid reversal drugs, making them free or significantly cheaper for those who need them. The fund is financed by annual payments from opioid manufacturers and distributors, which are calculated based on the amount of opioids each company sells or distributes in the state. Companies must report their sales data to the Department of Public Health to determine their specific contribution amount. Money in the fund is kept separate from other state finances and can be used in future years without needing a new appropriation.