CHAPTER 126-A DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Opioid Abatement Trust Fund
Section 126-A:84
126-A:84 Opioid Abatement Trust Fund; Management and Distribution of Funds. –
I. The commissioner of the department of health and human services, in consultation with the opioid abatement advisory commission established in RSA 126-A:85, shall administer the opioid abatement trust fund established in RSA 126-A:83. The commissioner shall draw from the opioid abatement trust fund for qualifying opioid abatement projects under RSA 126-A:86, I(b).
II. Funds shall be distributed between the state, counties, cities and towns as follows:
(a) Fifteen percent of the funds each year shall be distributed to the counties and political subdivisions as identified in RSA 126-A:83, II.
(b) All remaining funds shall be deposited into the opioid abatement trust fund as established by RSA 126-A:83, I to be distributed by the commissioner of the department of health and human services, with approval of the opioid abatement advisory commission. Funds may be awarded to a qualifying governmental entity or program for an approved use under RSA 126-A:86, I(b). The department shall solicit applications for qualifying projects at least once in any calendar year that the balance in the trust fund exceeds $5,000,000. The commission shall collaborate with the department as to how many times the department shall solicit applications in any calendar year in which the fund balance is at least $5,000,000, along with what amount above $5,000,000 for which to solicit applications.
III. The commissioner of the department of health and human services shall continue to make distributions from the trust fund under this section for as long as defendants in the opioid litigation make payments to the state or until such time that the funds in the opioid abatement trust fund are exhausted.
IV. On or before September 1, 2020, each county, city, town or program that receives funds under paragraph II shall annually provide to the department of health and human services and the opioid abatement advisory commission a detailed account of all monies spent on approved uses, including, but limited to, an analysis and evaluation of the projects and programs it has funded.
V. The department of health and human services shall adopt rules under RSA 541-A necessary to implement this subdivision. Such rules shall include funding qualifications, application procedures, time-lines for receiving, reviewing and acting upon application requests, and reporting requirements.
VI. On or before November 1, 2020, the commissioner of the department of health and human services shall submit an annual report to the governor and fiscal committee of the general court detailing the activities of the advisory commission, the administration of the opioid abatement trust fund, the amount distributed in the past year, including available measures of success and corresponding data of programs funded, the amount remaining in the trust fund, a summary of how funds were used in the past year, and any recommendations for future legislation.
Source. 2020, 39:55, eff. July 1, 2020. 2022, 155:6, eff. Aug. 6, 2022. 2023, 155:1, eff. July 28, 2023.