Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Opioid Litigation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Utah House urges attorney general to pursue opioid manufacturers in unanimous resolution
Summary
The House adopted HJR 12 on Feb. 27, 2018, a joint resolution urging state legal action against prescription-opioid manufacturers for deceptive marketing. Sponsors cited public-health and economic harms; the measure passed 72–0 and was transmitted to the Senate.
The Utah House unanimously approved HJR 12 on Feb. 27, 2018, a joint resolution calling on the state attorney general to pursue legal action against prescription-opioid manufacturers for deceptive marketing practices. The measure passed 72–0 and will be transmitted to the Senate.
Sponsors described the opioid epidemic’s toll on Utah families and the state economy, and said evidence of deceptive marketing and phantom front groups justified the state taking legal action. One sponsor urged seeking ‘‘the maximum award of damages from prescription opioid manufacturers for citizens of the state,” arguing that the goal of litigation is primarily to reduce harm rather than to collect proceeds for the state.
Speakers noted coordinated efforts in other states and counties and said the attorney general is already moving forward on litigation, including procurement processes for outside counsel. The resolution does not itself create a lawsuit but urges the state to pursue damages and hold manufacturers accountable for deceptive practices that contributed to increased opioid use and deaths.
HJR 12 passed the House on a unanimous voice or recorded vote and now goes to the Senate.
