The Mississippi Opioid Settlement Fund Advisory Council; create.

Mississippi sets opioid settlement spending rules

Effective upon passage, the law creates Mississippi's Opioid Settlement Fund and an advisory council for prevention, treatment, and recovery grants. The Attorney General must deposit covered state opioid settlement money after paying attorney fees and expenses. Covered settlements include drug manufacturers, distributors, and pharmacy chains, including Purdue Pharma, Walmart, and Kroger. Unspent money carries over each year, and interest stays in the fund. The Legislature must approve spending, and the Attorney General oversees compliance with settlement terms. Money designated for opioid abatement must fund programs, goods, or services that address opioid harm. No more than 30% of settlement money can fund other purposes; those payments do not need council recommendations. The council sets annual grant priorities and application criteria, reviews requests, and recommends recipients and amounts. It cannot leave qualified applicants off its list. The Legislature can accept or reject recommendations but cannot change the recommended recipients or amounts. Recommendations are due at least 30 days before the regular legislative session begins. The council includes state officials and community representatives and is housed in the Attorney General's office. Members are unpaid but can receive expense reimbursement from the fund. Annual reports are due December 1 to the Legislature and Governor, with a public version on the Attorney General's website. The council ends after all settlement money arrives and is spent, unless the Attorney General certifies more is expected within one year. The law specifies no total funding amount or direct household payment.