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Councilmember Evans pushes for transparency, moves to defer opioid-settlement steering committee ordinance
Summary
Councilmember Evans introduced an ordinance to establish the opioid settlement steering committee's role and sought a one-meeting deferral to consult the health department; she framed the measure as restoring transparency to decisions about settlement funds.
Councilmember Evans spoke at length about BL2026-1452, an ordinance to clarify the opioid settlement steering committee's role in guiding use of the Metropolitan Government's opioid settlement funds. Evans said the aim is procedural transparency and public notice, not to pre-determine spending outcomes.
"When we started receiving opioid settlement funds ... there was a roomful of stakeholders in Davidson County who were experts in their field," Evans said, describing the earlier process and saying that the ordinance aims to restore a similarly open, data-driven approach. She told the committee she would meet with the health department and moved to defer the bill for one meeting so staff can provide feedback.
Evans noted she included, but did not move, an amendment that would make finance steward of the funds with health department as a key stakeholder. The committee voted to defer the ordinance one meeting (8–0). Evans said the council office will provide an audit report on settlement funding to members.
