HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-12-14 - AGENDA REPORTS - NATIONAL OPIOD SETTLEMENTO
Agenda Item: 5
1. CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
AGENDA REPORT
CONSENT CALENDAR
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL: AI1 A11�44_1)
DATE: December 14, 2021
SUBJECT: RESOLUTION TO OPT -IN TO A NATIONAL OPIOID
SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT AND ELECT THAT THE CITY
DIRECTLY RECEIVE LOCAL FUNDING ALLOCATION
DEPARTMENT: City Manager's Office
PRESENTER: Masis Hagobian
RECOMMENDED ACTION
City Council adopt a resolution opting -in to national settlement agreements with distributors of
opioids, AmerisourceBergan, Cardinal Health, and McKesson, and opioid manufacturer Janssen,
and elect to receive a direct funding allocation, as a result of opting -in to the settlements.
BACKGROUND
On July 21, 2021, the National Prescription Opiate Litigation Multi -District Litigation Plaintiffs'
Executive Committee, several State Attorneys General, and four major defendants announced an
agreement on terms of two proposed nationwide settlements to resolve all opioids litigation
brought by various states and local governments against the three largest pharmaceutical
distributors: AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health, and McKesson (Distributors), and
manufacturer Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and its parent company, Johnson & Johnson.
The proposed settlement requires the Distributors to pay up to $21 billion over an 18-year period
and Janssen to pay up to $5 billion over a 7-year period for a total amount of up to $26 billion.
California is estimated to receive approximately $2.26 billion, of which approximately 70
percent or $1.58 billion will be allocated to cities and counties.
The final funding allocation to each city will be established following the settlement deadline, as
the participation of cities will ultimately determine Final funding amounts. However, if all cities
in the state were to opt -in, the City of Santa Clarita (City) is estimated to receive approximately
$342,853, of which approximately $274,282 will be distributed over an 18-year period and the
remaining $68,571 will be distributed over a 7-year period.
Local governments must opt -in to the settlement by January 2, 2022, to receive funds from the
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settlement. Following opting -in to the settlement, cities have the option to elect to receive the
funds directly to use for local purposes or to have the funds directed to their respective county.
Counties are not required to spend the funds exclusively within a city, if a city chooses to
redirect their allocation to the county, rather, the city share is absorbed into a countywide
account and the use of the funds is under county discretion.
Eligible use of the funds includes providing education to school based and youth -focused
programs that discourage or prevent the use of opioids, media campaigns to prevent opioid
misuse, and support for mobile intervention for persons with an opioid use disorder. The City has
the ability to use the funds received through this settlement to support existing drug prevention
and intervention programming, including Drug Free Youth in Santa Clarita Valley (DFY-SCV)
and the Juvenile Intervention Team (J-Team).
ALTERNATIVE ACTION
Other direction, as provided by the City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT
No additional resources beyond those contained within the adopted Fiscal Year 2021-22 budget
are required for implementation of the recommended action.
ATTACHMENTS
Resolution for Opting -in to National Opioid Settlement
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5.a
RESOLUTION NO. 21-
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA,
CALIFORNIA, DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER OR DESIGNEE TO TAKE ALL
NECESSARY ACTIONS TO JOIN IN THE SETTLEMENT OF THE NATIONAL OPIOID
LITIGATION (IN RE: NATIONAL PRESCRIPTION OPIATE LITIGATION (U.S.D.C. CASE
NO. 1:17-CV-2804)) AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER OR DESIGNEE TO
EXECUTE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTS RELATING TO LITIGATION
WHEREAS, on July 21, 2021 the National Prescription Opiate Litigation Multi -
District Litigation (MDL) Plaintiffs' Executive Committee, several State Attorneys General, and
four major defendants announced agreement on terms of a proposed nationwide settlements to
resolve all Opioids litigation brought by various states and local political subdivisions against the
three largest pharmaceutical distributors: McKesson, Cardinal Health and AmerisourceBergen
("Distributors"), and manufacturer Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and its parent company
Johnson & Johnson (collectively, "J&J"). The lawsuit is referred to as In re: National
Prescription Opiate Litigation (U.S.D.C. Case No. 1:17-CV-2804); and
WHEREAS, the settlement requires the Distributors to pay up to $21 billion and
Janssen to pay up to $5 billion, and that roughly $2.6 billion of this settlement is to be directed to
the State of California and its subdivisions, subject to the State Attorney General and political
subdivisions reaching an allocation agreement to determine how to apportion and distribute the
settlement funds directed to California; and
WHEREAS, In October 2021, an allocation agreement was reached, whereby 85
percent of the total settlement funds sent to California will be allocated to local governments of
the State who elect to participate in the settlement and, consequently, release their own potential
claims against the defendants; and
WHEREAS, in order for the City of Santa Clarita to participate the City must elect to
participate by January 2, 2022, by completing a participation agreement; and
WHEREAS, in participating, if the entity elects to participate and wants to receive
direct payments, it must notify the Settlement Distributor Administrator, otherwise, the funds
will be directed to the County.
NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Santa Clarita, California, does
hereby resolve as follows:
SECTION 1. The Santa Clarita City Council finds the foregoing recitals are true and
correct, and they are hereby incorporated by reference into this resolution.
SECTION 2. Authorize the City Manager or Designee to take all necessary actions to
join in the settlements in the National Opioid Litigation (In Re: National Opiate Litigation
(U.S.D.C. Case No. 1:17-CV-2804 and to release any potential claims against the identified
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5.a
defendants, Distributors, and J&J and accept payment based on the terms and conditions set forth
in the Settlement Agreements, which are available in the City Clerk's Office.
SECTION 3. Authorize the City Manager or designee to execute the Settlement
Agreements and any other necessary documents, in a form approved by the City Attorney,
required to join the Settlement Agreements.
SECTION 4. Authorize the City Manager or designee to keep the settlement monies
for City use, consistent with the eligible activities issued as part of the terms included in the
settlement agreement.
SECTION 5. If any term, provision, or portion of these findings or the application of
these findings to a particular situation is held by a court to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the
remaining provisions of these findings, or their application to other actions related to the Project,
shall continue in full force and effect unless amended or modified by the City.
SECTION 6. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this resolution.
PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED this th day of 2021.
MAYOR
ATTEST:
CITY CLERK
DATE:
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) ss.
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA )
I, Mary Cusick, City Clerk of the City of Santa Clarita, do hereby certify that the
foregoing Resolution No. 21- was duly adopted by the City Council of the City of Santa Clarita
at a regular meeting thereof, held on the th day of 2021, by the following vote:
AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS:
NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS:
ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS:
CITY CLERK
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