Hunter
06/08/25
Governor Kim Reynolds signed a compromise bill into law Friday that frees up opioid settlement funds that have been held up due to disagreement among the Iowa Legislature.
Over $56 million in the settlement money received from drug manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies has remained unspent since 2022; Reynolds says the new law will distribute $29 million immediately to providers and appropriate ongoing available funds will be spent to support early intervention, prevention, treatment and recovery.
The Des Moines Register reports the new law largely uses the Senate’s plan for state agencies to lead the charge in awarding future settlement funds but has elements of the House’s proposal for a “bottom up” approach guided by the behavioral health districts closest to opioid addiction services — though not to the extent some lawmakers wanted.
The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services will be responsible for distributing the initial outlay to various organizations for infrastructure; the rest can be used for programming needs.
The $56 million is the tip of the iceberg; the Iowa Attorney General’s Office believes the state will get more than $325 million from opioid settlements through fiscal year 2039.