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Minutes for SB264 - Committee on Ways and Means
Short Title
Enacting the Kansas fights addiction act to establish a grant program for the purpose of preventing, reducing, treating and mitigating the effects of substance abuse and addiction.
Minutes Content for Wed, Mar 24, 2021
Chairperson Billinger opened the hearing on SB 264. Scott Abbott, Office of the Revisor of Statutes, provided an overview of the bill and responded to questions to Committee members. (Attachment 6)
Attorney General Derek Schmidt testified in support of the bill that would enact the Kansas Fights Addiction Act. The state will receive settlement funding from pharmaceutical companies relating to the opioid addiction crisis. This bill would establish a framework for the state to be able to receive that money, keep it segregated from other state funds and establish a committee representing a broad spectrum of interests to grant the funds to eligible organizations. Based on discussion in the House, he included a proposed balloon amendment in his testimony. Attorney General Schmidt responded to questions from Committee members. (Attachment 7)
Allie Divine, Alliance of Boys and Girls Clubs, spoke as a proponent of the bill. The Clubs have been watching the opioid addiction issue and are an eligible applicant for the proceeds of the opioid addiction settlement. (Attachment 8)
Michelle Ponce, Association of Community Mental Health Centers of Kansas, stood in favor of the bill. Community Mental Health Centers are on the front lines of the response to the opioid epidemic and they support this plan for effective use of funding arising from opioid litigation to best meet the needs of our local communities. (Attachment 9)
Written only testimony in support of the bill was submitted by:
Brandon Jones, Kansas County and District Attorneys Association (Attachment 10)
Stuart Little, Behavioral Health Association of Kansas (Attachment 11)
Nick Reinecker, Private Citizen, spoke in opposition to the bill. Kansas does not need more government intervention in this area unless it is specifically and exclusively used for Opioid Use Disorder. A lot of these public health strategies don't focus on more harmful legal substances nor the more harmful illegal substances. (Attachment 12)
Alexandra Blasi, Kansas Board of Pharmacy, testified as a neutral conferee. The Board of Pharmacy is home to K-TRACS, the prescription drug monitoring program which was created to prevent the misuse, abuse and diversion of controlled substances, including opioids. The Board asked that funding be included in this bill to cover the cost of operating the K-TRACS program. (Attachment 13)
Eric Sartorius, Kansas League of Municipalities, spoke as a neutral conferee. It is clear communities share a common goal of wanting this settlement to be used to deal with the opioid issue but it is important that the money be used across the state including rural areas. (Attachment 14)
There being no further conferees, Chairperson Billinger closed the hearing on SB 264.
