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AG Wants More Time to Get Communities to Join Opioid Settlement Plan
By: Karen Kasler | Statehouse News Bureau
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Friday is the deadline for Ohio communities suing drug makers and distributors to decide to continue with their lawsuits or join the state’s effort to reach what’s likely to be a massive settlement over the opioid crisis.
Attorney General Dave Yost said there are several communities that haven’t yet had a chance to meet and discuss the One Ohio proposal, which he said would find its strength in numbers.
“Critical mass is going to be determined by the defendants – do they want to come to the table to talk to Ohio. I would say today we don’t have enough to get them to the table for an Ohio discussion.”
Yost said he wants to move that deadline to give more communities a chance to sign on, and he said he’ll talk to Gov. Mike DeWine about that. The two developed the One Ohio plan to present a united front during negotiations with drug manufacturers and distributors.
Everyday, more cities and counties sign on to OneOhio — a unified approach to the opioid lawsuits that provides more money and more control to local governments.
Elyria Council approves joining One Ohio plan to divide potential opioid settlements https://t.co/5SiwniizkV
— Dave Yost (@Yost4Ohio) March 3, 2020
Any settlement could be over a billion dollars.
The One Ohio deal would give Yost’s office 15 percent of any settlement, and 30 percent would go to communities. A nonprofit foundation would manage the remaining 55 percent.