Sec. 403.503.  TEXAS OPIOID ABATEMENT FUND COUNCIL.  (a)  The Texas opioid abatement fund council is established to ensure that money recovered by this state through a statewide opioid settlement agreement is allocated fairly and spent to remediate the opioid crisis in this state by using efficient and cost-effective methods that are directed to regions of this state experiencing opioid-related harms.
(b)  The council is composed of the following 14 members:
(1)  six regional members, appointed by the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission, who are from academia or the medical profession with significant experience in opioid interventions and who each are appointed to represent one of the following groups of regional health care partnership regions:
(A)  regions 9 and 10;
(B)  region 3;
(C)  regions 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 19;
(D)  regions 6, 7, 8, and 16; 
(E)  regions 1, 2, 17, and 18; and
(F)  regions 4, 5, and 20;
(2)  four members who are current or retired health care professionals holding or formerly holding a license under Title 3, Occupations Code, with significant experience in treating opioid-related harms and who are appointed as follows:
(A)  one member appointed by the governor;
(B)  one member appointed by the lieutenant governor;
(C)  one member appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; and
(D)  one member appointed by the attorney general;
(3)  one member who is employed by a hospital district and is appointed by the governor;
(4)  one member who is employed by a hospital district and is appointed by the attorney general;
(5)  one member appointed by the governor and who is a member of a law enforcement agency and has experience with opioid-related harms; and
(6)  one nonvoting member who serves as the presiding officer of the council and is the comptroller or the comptroller's designee.
(c)  In making appointments under Subsection (b)(1), the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission shall appoint members from a list of two qualified candidates provided by the governing bodies of counties and municipalities that:
(1)  brought a civil action for an opioid-related harm against a released entity;
(2)  released an opioid-related harm claim in a statewide opioid settlement agreement; and
(3)  are located within the regions for which the member is being appointed.
(d)  In making appointments under Subsection (b), the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of representatives, and attorney general shall coordinate to ensure that the membership of the council reflects, to the extent possible, the ethnic and geographic diversity of this state.
(e)  The council is administratively attached to the comptroller.  The comptroller shall provide the staff and facilities necessary to assist the council in performing its duties.
Added by Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 781 (S.B. 1827), Sec. 1, eff. June 16, 2021.