State officials will begin distributing millions of dollars to local governments this week as part of a settlement from lawsuits against major drug companies for their roles in the opioid crisis.
Representatives from Attorney General Todd Rokita’s office, the state auditor’s office and the State Budget Agency agreed during a meeting Wednesday that the funds will be distributed before the end of this week, State Budget Director Zachary Jackson said in a statement.
Distribution of opioid settlement funds delayed
The agreement comes after months of delay. IndyStar reported last week that localities still have not received their share of the massive settlement nine months after Rokita announced it.
Rokita’s office, which is in charge of distributing the funds, said in February that payments will start flowing into localities in the second quarter of 2022, or between April and June. The office’s website dedicated to the opioid litigation later said it expects to begin distributing the funds this fall. After the Wednesday meeting, the Indiana Capital Chronicle reported that state officials will start distributing the funds this week.