Scott County staff flags three national opioid settlement actions for court consideration
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Summary
County staff reported three recommended actions tied to national opioid litigation: whether to approve participation in the Purdue Pharma/Sackler bankruptcy settlement, authorize execution of settlement documents related to Sackler funds, and decide on joining a separate $1.2 billion settlement with additional defendants. Staff will seek guidance
Cam briefed the court on three decision points related to national opioid litigation that require local action by participating jurisdictions.
Cam said attorneys coordinating the litigation are asking each participating locality to take three steps: (1) vote to approve the Purdue Pharma bankruptcy/Sackler settlement (a national settlement referenced at roughly $8 billion), (2) authorize signing documents to accept and manage Sackler-settlement funds via DocuSign, and (3) decide whether to participate in an additional multi-defendant settlement referenced at about $1.2 billion. "They're recommending everybody vote to approve it," Cam said, but he and Judge Covington said the county should consult the state Attorney General's office and the state's opioid coordinator before taking final action.
Court members asked whether county share estimates were available; staff replied that the coordinating attorneys had not provided anticipated local payment amounts and that the county could not yet quantify expected distributions. Cam said he had forwarded memoranda summarizing the settlements and would seek guidance from Attorney General Coleman and the state's opioid coordinator before bringing the items to a vote.
No formal vote was taken at the work session. Staff will request input from the state Attorney General's office and provide the court with additional information and recommended motions for a future meeting.