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Item 4D - MemoM E M O R A N D U M November 29, 2021 To: Mayor and City Council From: Ashleigh Casey, Assistant Chief of Police Subject: Approve Resolution No. 21-052 authorizing the City Manager to execute global opioid settlement documents, and adopting the Texas Term Sheet. Action Requested: The purpose of this item is to seek City Council approval of Resolution No. 21-052 authorizing the City Manager to execute the global opioid settlement documents, and adopting the Texas Term Sheet. Background Information: Texas, along with a broad coalition of states and subdivisions, has reached final agreements with four companies to resolve legal claims against them for their role in the opioid crisis. One agreement is with opioid manufacturer Johnson & Johnson (J & J) and its subsidiary, Janssen pharmaceuticals. The other is with three major pharmaceutical distributors of opioid medications: Amerisource Bergen, Cardinal Health, and McKesson. Funding will be distributed to states according to the allocation agreement reached among the Attorneys General. Texas’ combined share of the settlement amounts to almost $1.5 billion: $1.17 billion from the distributors and $268 million from J & J. In 2021, Texas passed SB 1827 adopting the term sheet and providing for a plan of distribution for any funds received. To receive funding, Texas subdivisions must sign on to the settlement and execute a release, as well as adopt the Texas Term Sheet and its intrastate allocation schedule. Participating subdivisions will receive direct payments under the settlement and are also eligible to receive funding for opioid abatement programs from the Opioid Council. The deadline for subdivisions to sign on to the settlement is January 2, 2022. Financial Considerations: Southlake is estimated to receive $86,476 in funding from the settlement (approximately $70,314 from distributors and $16,162 from J & J). Under the terms of the agreement, the money shall be directed to uses with a past or future “opioid nexus,” that being some use which was impacted by opioids. Strategic Link: C1 - Achieve the highest standards of safety & security. 4D Items 4D: Approve Resolution No. 21-052 authorizing the City Manager to execute global opioid settlement documents, and adopting the Texas Term Sheet. City Council Meeting Date – December 7, 2021 Page 2 of 2 Citizen Input/ Board Review: N/A Legal Review: The proposed resolution was reviewed by the City Attorney’s Office. Supporting Documents: 1. Resolution No. 21-052, a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute global opioid settlement documents, and adopting the Texas Term Sheet. 2. Texas Opioid Abatement Fund Council and Settlement Allocation Term Sheet (Texas Term Sheet) with Exhibit A. Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends approval of Resolution No. 21-052 as proposed. Page 1 RESOLUTION NO. 21-052 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE GLOBAL OPIOID SETTLEMENT DOCUMENTS, AND ADOPTING THE TEXAS TERM SHEET. WHEREAS, the City of Southlake (“City”) is a home rule City acting under its Charter adopted by the electorate pursuant to Article XI, Section 5 of the Texas Constitution and Chapter 9 of the Local Government Code; and WHEREAS, the City has obtained information indicating that certain drug companies and their corporate affiliates, parents, subsidiaries, and such other defendants as may be added to the litigation (collectively, “Defendants”) have engaged in fraudulent and/or reckless marketing and/or distribution of opioids that have resulted in addictions and overdoses; and WHEREAS, the actions, conduct, and misconduct of these Defendants have resulted in significant financial cost to the City; and WHEREAS, on May 13, 2020, the State of Texas, through the Office of the Attorney General, and a negotiation group for Texas political subdivisions entered into an Agreement entitled Texas Opioid Abatement Fund Council and Settlement Allocation Term Sheet (hereafter, the Texas Term Sheet) approving the allocation of any and all opioid settlement funds within the State of Texas. The Texas Term Sheet is attached hereto as Exhibit A; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL, CITY OF SOUTHLAKE, TEXAS THAT: SECTION 1. The City Council supports the adoption of the Texas Term Sheet, and hereby adopts that document in its entirety. SECTION 2. The City Council finds that there is a substantial need for repayment of opioid-related expenditures and payment to abate opioid-related harms in and about the City. The City Council supports in its entirety and hereby adopts the allocation method for opioid settlement proceeds as set forth in the STATE OF TEXAS AND TEXAS POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS’ OPIOID ABATEMENT FUND COUNCIL AND SETTLEMENT ALLOCATION TERM SHEET, attached hereto as Exhibit A. The City Council understands that the purpose of this Texas Term Sheet is to permit collaboration between the State of Texas and Political Subdivisions to explore and potentially effectuate resolution of the Opioid Litigation against Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Participants as defined therein. The City Council also understand that an additional purpose is to create an effective means of distributing any potential settlement funds obtained under this Texas Term Sheet between the State of Texas and Political Subdivisions in a manner and means that Page 2 would promote an effective and meaningful use of the funds in abating the opioid epidemic in this County and throughout Texas. SECTION 3. The City Council hereby authorizes the City Manager to execute in the City’s behalf the Subdivision Settlement Participation Forms as related to settlements with McKesson Corporation, Cardinal Health, Inc., and Amerisource Bergen Corporation, and with Johnson & Johnson as Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. SECTION 4. Upon execution of the Subdivision Settlement Participation Form, the City Manager is authorized to send executed copies, with this Resolution (including Exhibit A) to the Office of the Attorney General, as required for participation in this settlement. SECTION 5. This resolution shall be in full force and effect after its passage and publication as required by law, and it is so resolved. PASSED AND APPROVED THIS ___ DAY OF __________________________, 2021. _______________________________ MAYOR ATTEST: _______________________________ CITY SECRETARY APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY: _________________________________ CITY ATTORNEY ADOPTED: ________________________ EFFECTIVE: _______________________ 1 TEXAS OPIOID ABATEMENT FUND COUNCIL AND SETTLEMENT ALLOCATION TERM SHEET WHEREAS, the people of the State of Texas and its communities have been harmed through the National and Statewide epidemic caused by licit and illicit opioid use and distribution within the State of Texas; and now, WHEREAS, the State of Texas, though its elected representatives and counsel, including the Honorable Ken Paxton, Attorney General of the State of Texas, and certain Political Subdivisions, through their elected representatives and counsel, are separately engaged in litigation seeking to hold those enti ties in the supply chain accountable for the damage caused; and now, WHEREAS, the State of Texas, through its Attorney General and its Political Subdivisions, share a common desire to abate and alleviate the impacts of the epidemic throughout the State of Texas; and now, THEREFORE, the State of Texas and its Political Subdivisions, subject to completing formal documents effectuating the Parties’ agreements, enter into this State of Texas and Texas Political Subdivisions’ Opioid Abatement Fund Council and Settlement Allocation Term Sheet (Texas Term Sheet) relating to the allocation and use of the proceeds of any Settlements as described. A. Definitions As used in this Texas Term Sheet: 2 1. “The State” shall mean the State of Texas acting through its Attorney General. 2. “Political Subdivision(s)” shall mean any Texas municipality and county. 3. “The Parties” shall mean the State of Texas, the Political Subdivisions, and the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee and Liaison Counsel (PSC) in the Texas Opioid MDL, In Re: Texas Opioid Litigation, MDL No. 2018 -63587, in the 152d District Court of Harris County, Texas. 4. “Litigating Political Subdivision” means a Political Subdivision that filed suit in the state courts of the State of Texas prior to the Execution Date of this Agreement, whether or not such case was transferred to Texas Opioid MDL, or removed to federal court. 5. “National Fund” shall mean any nati onal fund established for the benefit of the Texas Political Subdivisions. In no event shall any National Fund be used to create federal jurisdiction, equitable or otherwise, over the Texas Political Subdivisions or those similarly situated state -court litigants who are included in the state coalition, nor shall the National Fund require participating in a class action or signing a participation agreement as part of the criteria for participating in the National Fund. 6. “Negotiating Committee” shall mean a three-member group comprising four representatives for each of (1) the State; (2) the PSC; and (3) Texas’ 3 Political Subdivisions (collectively, “Members”). The State shall be represented by the Texas Attorney General or his designees. The PSC shall be represented by attorneys Mikal Watts, Jeffrey Simon, Dara Hegar, Dan Downey, or their designees. Texas’ Political Subdivisions shall be represented by Clay Jenkins (Dallas County Judge), Terrence O’Rourke (Special Assistant County Attorney, Harris County), Nelson Wolff (Bexar County Judge), and Nathaniel Moran (Smith County Judge) or their designees. 7.“Settlement” shall mean the negotiated resolution of legal or equitable claims against a Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Participant that includes the State and Political Subdivisions. 8.“Opioid Funds” shall mean monetary amounts obtained through a Settlement as defined in this Texas Term Sheet. 8.“Approved Purpose(s)” shall mean those uses identified in Exhibit A hereto. 9.“Pharmaceutical Supply Chain” shall mean the process and channels through which opioids or opioids products are manufactured, marketed, promoted, distributed, or dispensed. 4 10. “Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Participant” shall m ean any entity that engages in or has engaged in the manufacture, marketing, promotion, distribution, or dispensing of an opioid analgesic. 11. “Texas Opioid Council” shall mean the Council described in Exhibit A hereto, which has the purpose of ensuring the funds recovered by Texas (through the joint actions of the Attorney General and the Texas Political Subdivisions) are allocated fairly and spent to remediate the opioid crisis in Texas, using efficient and cost -effective methods that are directed to the hardest hit regions in Texas while also ensuring that all Texans benefit from prevention and recovery efforts. B. Allocation of Settlement Proceeds 1. All Opioid Funds distributed in Texas shall be divided with 15% going to Political Subdivisions (“Subdivision Share”), 70% to the Texas Opioid Abatement Fund through the Texas Opioid Council (Texas Abatement Fund Share) identified and described on Exhibits A and C hereto, and 15% to the Office of the Texas Attorney General as Counsel for the State of Texas (“State Share”). Out of the Texas Opioid Abatement Fund, reasonable expenses up to 1% shall be paid to the Texas Comptroller for the administration of the Texas Opioid Council pursuant to the Opioid 5 Abatement Fund (Texas Settlement) Opi oid Council Agreement, Exhibit A hereto. 2. The Subdivisions Share shall be allocated in accordance with the division of proceeds on Exhibit B hereto. 3. The Texas Abatement Fund Share shall be allocated to the Opioid Council to be apportioned in accordance with the guidelines of Exhibit A, and Exhibit C hereto. 4. In the event a Subdivision merges, dissolves, or ceases to exist, the allocation percentage for that Subdivision shall be redistributed as directed by the settlement document, and if not specified, equitably based on the composition of the successor Subdivision. If a Subdivision for any reason is excluded from a specific settlement, the allocation percentage for that Subdivision shall be redistributed as directed by the settlement document, and if not specified, equitably among the participating Subdivisions. 5. Funds obtained from parties unrelated to the Litigation, via grant, bequest, gift or the like, separate and distinct from the Litigation, may be directed to the Texas Opioid Council and disbursed as set forth below. 6. The Subdivision share shall be initially deposited and paid in cash directly to the Subdivision under the authority and guidance of the Texas MDL Court, who shall direct any Settlement funds to be held in trust in a 6 segregated account to benefit the Subdivisions and to be promptly distributed as set forth herein and in accordance with Exhibit B. 7. Nothing in this Texas Term Sheet should alter or change any Subdivision’s rights to pursue its own claim. Rather, the intent of this Texas Term Sheet is to join all parties to disburse settlement proceeds from one or more defendants to all parties participating in that settlement within Texas. 8. Opioid Funds from the Texas Abatement Fund Share shall be directed to the Texas Opioid Council and used in accordance with the guidelines as set out on Exhibit A hereto, and the Texas Abatement Fund Share shall be distributed to the Texas Opioid Council under the authority and guidance of the Texas MDL Court, consistent with Exhibits A and C, and the by- laws of the Texas Opioid Council documents and disbursed as set forth therein, including without limitation all abatement funds and the 1% holdback for expenses. 9. The State of Texas and the Political Subdivisions understand and acknowledge that additional steps may need to be undertaken to assist the Texas Opioid Council in its mission, at a predictable level of funding, regardless of external factors. C. Payment of Counsel and Litigation Expenses 7 1.Any Master Settlement Agreement settlement will govern the payment of fees and litigation expenses to the Parties. The Parties agree to direct control of any Texas Political Subdivision fees and expenses to the “Texas Opioid Fee and Expense Fund,” which shall be allocated and distributed by the Texas MDL Court, In re: Texas Opioid Litigation, MDL No. 2018 - 63587, in the 152nd District Court of Harris County, Texas, and with the intent to compensate all counsel for Texas Political Subdivisions who have not chosen to otherwise seek compensation for fees and expenses from any federal MDL common benefit fund. 2.The Parties agree that no portion of the State of Texas 15% allocation share from any settlement shall be administered through the National Fund, the Texas MDL Court, or Texas Opioid Fee and Expense Fund, but shall be directed for payment to the State of Texas by the State of Texas. 3.The State of Texas and the Texas Political Subdivisions, and their respective attorneys, agree that all fees – whether contingent, hourly, fixed or otherwise – owed by the Texas Political Subdivisions shall be paid out of the National Fund or as otherwise provided for herein to the Texas Opioid Fee and Expense Fund to be distributed by the 152nd 8 District Court of Harris County, Texas pursuant to its past and future orders. 4. From any opioid-related settlements with McKesson, Cardinal Health, ABDC, and Johnson & Johnson, and for any future opioid-related settlements negotiated, in whole or in part, by the Negotiating Committee with any other Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Participant, the funds to be deposited in the Texas Opioid Fee and Expense Fund shall be 9.3925% of the combined Texas Political Subdivision and Texas Abatement Fund portions of each payment (annual or otherwise) to the State of Texas for that settlement, plus expenses from the National Fund, and shall be sought by Texas Political Subdivision Counsel initially through the National Fund. The Texas Political Subdivisions’ percentage share of fees and expenses from the National Fund shall be directed to the Texas Opioid Fee and Expense Fund in the Texas MDL, as soon as is practical, for allocation and distribution in accordance with the guidelines herein. 5. If the National Fund share to the Texas Political Subdivisions is insufficient to cover the guaranteed 9.3925%, plus expenses from the National Fund, per subsection 4, immediately supra, or if payment from the National Fund is not received within 12 months after the date the 9 first payment is made by the Defendants pursuant to the settlement , then the Texas Political Subdivisions shall recover up to 12.5% of the Texas Political Subdivision Share to make up any difference. 6.If the National Fund and the Texas Politica l Subdivision share are insufficient to cover the guaranteed 9.3925%, plus expenses from the National Fund, or if payment from the National Fund is not received within 12 months after the date the first payment is made by the Defendants pursuant to the settlement, then the Texas Political Subdivisions shall recover up to 8.75% of the Abatement Fund Share to make up any difference. In no event shall the Texas Political Subdivision share exceed 9.3925% of the combined Texas Political Subdivision and Texas Abatement Fund portions of any settlement , plus expenses from the National Fund. In the event that any payment is received from the National Fund such that the total amount in fees and expenses exceeds 9.3925%, the Texas Political Subdivisions shall return any amounts received greater than 9.3925% of the combined Texas Political Subdivision and Texas Abatement Fund portions to those respective Funds. 10 7.For each settlement utilizing a National Fund, the Texas Political Subdivisions need only make one attempt at seeking fees and expenses there. 8.The total amount of the Texas Opioid Fee and Expense Fund shall be reduced proportionally, according to the agreed upon allocation of the Texas Subdivision Fund, for any Texas litigating Political Subdivision that (1) fails to enter the settlement; and (2) was filed in Texas state court, and was transferred to the Texas MDL (or removed before or during transfer to the Texas MDL) as of the execution date of this Agreement. D. The Texas Opioid Council and Texas Abatement Fund The Texas Opioid Council and Texas Abatement Fund is described in detail at Exhibit A, incorporated herein by reference. E. Settlement Negotiations 1.The State and Negotiating Committee agree to inform each other in advance of any negotiations relating to a Texas -only settlement with a Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Participant that includes both the State and its Political Subdivisions and shall provide each other the opportunity to participate in all such negotiations. Any Texas-only Settlement agreed to with the State and Negotiating Committee shall be subject to the approval 11 of a majority of litigating Political Subdivisions. The Parties further agree to keep each other reasonably informed of all other global settlement negotiations with Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Participants and to include the Negotiating Committee or designees. Neither this provision, nor any other, shall be construed to state or imply that either the State or the Negotiating Committee is unauthorized to engage in settlement negotiations with Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Participants without prior consent or contemporaneous participation of the other , or that either party is entitled to participate as an active or direct participant in settlement negotiations with the other. Rather, while the State’s and Negotiation Committee’s efforts to achieve worthwhile settlements are to be collaborative, incremental stages need not be so. 2. Any Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) shall be subject to the approval and jurisdiction of the Texas MDL Court. 3. As this is a Texas-specific effort, the Committee shall be Chaired by the Attorney General. However, the Attorney General, or his designees, shall endeavor to coordinate any publicity or other efforts to speak publicly with the other Committee Members. 4. The State of Texas, the Texas MDL Plaintiff’s Steering Committee representatives, or the Political Subdivision representatives may withdraw 12 from coordinated Settlement discussions detailed in this Section upon 10 business days’ written notice to the remaining Committee Members and counsel for any affected Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Participant. The withdrawal of any Member releases the remaining Committee Members from the restrictions and obligations in this Section. 5.The obligations in this Section shall not affect any Party’s right to proceed with trial or, within 30 days of the date upon which a trial involving that Party’s claims against a specific Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Participant is scheduled to begin, reach a case specific resolution with that particular Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Participant. F. Amendments The Parties agree to make such amendments as necessary to implement the intent of this agreement. Acknowledgment of Agreement We, the undersigned, have participated in the drafting of the above Texas Term Sheet, including consideration based on comments solicited from Political Subdivisions. This document has been collaboratively drafted to maintain all individual claims while allowing the State and its Political Subdivisions to cooperate in exploring all possible means of resolution. Nothing in this agreement binds any party to any specific outcome. Any resolution under this document will require 13 acceptance by the State of Texas and a majority of the Litigating Political Subdivisions. We, the undersigned, hereby accept the STATE OF TEXAS AND TEXAS POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS’ OPIOID ABATEMENT FUND COUNCIL AND SETTLEMENT ALLOCATION TERM SHEET. We understand that the purpose of this Texas Term Sheet is to permit collaboration between the State of Texas and Political Subdivisions to explore and potentially effectuate earlier resolution of the Opioid Litigation against Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Participants. We also understand that an additional purpose is to create an effective means of distributing any potential settlement funds obtained under this Texas Term Sheet between the State of Texas and Political Subdivisions in a manner and means that would promote an effective and meaningful use of the funds in abating the opioid epidemic throughout Texas. 13 EXHIBIT A  1 Opioid Abatement Fund (Texas) Settlement Opioid Council As part of the settlement agreement and upon its execution, the parties will form the Texas Opioid Council (Council) to establish the framework that ensures the funds recovered by Texas (through the joint actions of the Attorney General and the state’s political subdivisions) are allocated fairly and spent to remediate the opioid crisis in Texas, using efficient and cost -effective methods that are directed to the hardest hit regions in Texas while also ensuring that all Texans benefit from prevention and recovery efforts. I.Structure The Council will be responsible for the processes and procedures governing the spending of the funds held in the Texas Abatement Fund, which will be approximately 70% of all funds obtained through settlement and/or litigation of the claims asserted by the State and its subdivisions in the investigations and litigation related to the manufacturing, marketing, distribution, and sale of opioids and related pharmaceuticals. Money paid into the abatement fund will be held by an independent administrator, who shall be responsible for the ministerial task of releasing funds solely as authorized below by the Council, and accounting for all payments to and from the fund. The Council will be formed when a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order settling the matter, including any order of a bankruptcy court. The Council’s members must be appointed within sixty (60) days of the date the order is entered. A.Membership The Council shall be comprised of the following thirteen (13) members: 1.Statewide Members. Six members appointed by the Governor and Attorney General to represent the State’s interest in opioid abatement. The statewide members are appointed as follows: a.The Governor shall appoint three (3) members who are licensed health professionals with significant experience in opioid interventions; b.The Attorney General shall appoint three (3) members who are licensed professionals with significant experience in opioid incidences; and c.The Governor will appoint the Chair of the Council as a non-voting member. The Chair may only cast a vote in the event there is a tie of the membership. 2.Regional Members. Six (6) members appointed by the State’s political subdivisions to represent their designated Texas Health and Human Services Commission “HHSC” Regional Healthcare 2 Partnership (Regions) to ensure dedicated regional, urban, and rural representation on the Council. The regional appointees must be from either academia or the medical profession with significant experience in opioid interventions. The regional members are appointed as follows: a. One member representing Regions 9 and 10 (Dallas Ft-Worth); b. One member representing Region 3 (Houston); c. One member representing Regions 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 19 (West Texas); d. One member representing Regions 6, 7, 8, 16 (Austin-San Antonio); e. One member representing Regions 1, 2, 17, 18 (East Texas); and f. One member representing Regions 4, 5, 20 (South Texas). B. Terms All members of the Council are appointed to serve staggered two-year terms, with the terms of members expiring February 1 of each year. A member may serve no more than two consecutive terms, for a total of four consecutive years. For the first term, four (4) members (two (2) statewide and two (2) for the subdivisions) will serve a three-year term. A vacancy on the Council shall be filled for the unexpired term in the same manner as the original appointment. The Governor will appoint the Chair of the Council who will not vote on Council business unless there is a tie vote, and the subdivisions will appoint a Vice-Chair voting member from one of the regional members. C. Governance 1. Administration The Council is attached administratively to the Comptroller. The Council is an independent, quasi-governmental agency because it is responsible for the statewide distribution of the abatement settlement funds. The Council is exempt from the following statutes: a. Chapter 316 of the Government Code (Appropriations); b. Chapter 322 of the Government Code (Legislative Budget Board); c. Chapter 325 of the Government Code (Sunset); d. Chapter 783 of the Government Code (Uniform Grants and Contract Management); e. Chapter 2001 of the Government Code (Administrative Procedure); f. Chapter 2052 of the Government Code (State Agency Reports and Publications); g. Chapter 2261 of the Government Code (State Contracting Standards and Oversight); h. Chapter 2262 of the Government Code (Statewide Contract Management); 3 i.Chapter 262 of the Local Government Code (Purchasing and Contracting Authority of Counties); and j.Chapter 271 of the Local Government Code (Purchasing and Contracting Authority of Municipalities, Counties, and Certain Other Local Governments). 2.Transparency The Council will abide by state laws relating to open meetings and public information, including Chapters 551 and 552 of the Texas Government Code. i.The Council shall hold at least four regular meetings each year. The Council may hold additional meetings on the request of the Chair or on the written request of three members of the council. All meetings shall be open to the public, and public notice of meetings shall be given as required by state law. ii.The Council may convene in a closed, non-public meeting : a.If the Commission must discuss: 1.Negotiation of contract awards; and 2.Matters specifically exempted from disclosure by federal and state statutes. b.All minutes and documents of a closed meeting shall remain under seal, subject to release only order of a court of competent jurisdiction. 3.Authority The Council does not have rulemaking authority. The terms of each Judgment, Master Settlement Agreement, or any Bankruptcy Settlement for Texas control the authority of the Council and the Council may not stray outside the bounds of the authority and power vested by such settlements. Should the Council require legal assistance in determining their authority, the Council may direct the executive director to seek legal advice from the Attorney General to clarify the issue. D.Operation and Expenses The independent administrator will set aside up to one (1) percent of the settlement funds for the administration of the Council for reasonable costs and expenses of operating the foregoing duties, including educational activities. 1.Executive Director The Comptroller will employ the executive director of the Council and other personnel as necessary to administer the duties of the Council and carry out the functions of the Council. The executive director must have at least 10 years of experience in government or public administration and is classified as a Director V/B30 under the State Auditor’s State Classification. The Comptroller will pay the salaries of the Council employees from the 4 one (1) percent of the settlement funds set aside for the administration of the Council. The Comptroller will request funds from the Texas Abatement Fund Point of Contact. 2. Travel Reimbursement A person appointed to the Council is entitled to reimbursement for the travel expenses incurred in attending Council duties. A member of the Council may be reimbursed for actual expenses for meals, lodging, transportation, and incidental expenses in accor dance with travel rates set by the federal General Services Administration. II. Duties/Roles It is the duty of the Council to determine and approve the opioid abatement strategies and funding awards. A. Approved Abatement Strategies The Council will develop the approved Texas list of abatement strategies based on but not limited to the existing national list of opioid abatement strategies (see attached Appendix A) for implementing the Texas Abatement Fund. 1. The Council shall only approve strategies which are evidence-informed strategies. 2. The Texas list of abatement strategies must be approved by majority vote. The majo rity vote must include a majority from both sides of the statewide members and regional members in order to be approved, e.g., at least four (4) of six (6) members on each side. B. Texas Abatement Fund Point of Contact The Council will determine a single point of contact called the Abatement Fund Point of Contact (POC) to be established as the sole entity authorized to receive requests for funds and approve expenditures in Texas and order the release of funds from the Texas Abatement Fund by the independent administrator. The POC may be an independent third party selected by the Council with expertise in banking or financial management. The POC will manage the Opioid Council Bank Account (Account). Upon a vote, the Council will direct the POC to contact the independent administrator to release funds to the Account. The Account is outside the State Treasury and not managed by any state or local officials. The POC is responsible for payments to the qualified entities selected by the Council for abatement fund awards. The POC will submit a monthly financial statement on the Account to the Council. C. Auditor An independent auditor appointed by the Council will perform an audit on the Account on an annual basis and report its findings, if any, to the Council. D. Funding Allocation 5 The Council is the sole decision-maker on the funding allocation process of the abatement funds. The Council will develop the application and award process based on the parameters outlined below. An entity seeking funds from the Council must apply for funds; no funds will be awarded without an application. The executive director and personnel may assist the Council in gathering and compiling the applications for consideration; however, the Council members are the sole decision-makers of awards and funding determination. The Council will use the following processes to award funds: 1.Statewide Funds. The Council will consider, adopt and approve the allocation methodology attached as Exhibit C, based upon population he alth data and prevalence of opioid incidences, at the Coun cil’s initial meeting. Adoption of such methodology will allow each Region to customize the approved abatement strategies to fit its communities’ needs. The statewide regional funds will account for seventy-five (75) percent of the total overall funds , less the one (1) percent administrative expense described herein. 2.Targeted Funds. Each Region shall reserve twenty-five (25) percent of the overall funds, for targeted interventions in the specific Region as identified by opioid incidence data. The Council must approve on an annual basis the uses for the targeted abatement strategies and applications available to every Region, including education and outreach programs. Each Region without approved uses for the targeted funds from the Council, based upon a greater percentage of opioid incidents compared to its population, is subject to transfer of all or a portion of the targeted funds for that Region for uses based upon all Regions’ targeted funding needs as approved by the Council on an annual basis. 3.Annual Allocation. Statewide regional funds and targeted funds will be allocated on an annual basis. If a Region lapses its funds, the funds will be reallocated based on all Regions’ funding needs. E.Appeal Process The Council will establish an appeal process to permit the applicants for funding (state or subdivisions) to challenge decisions by the Council-designated point of contact on requests for funds or expenditures. 1.To challenge a decision by the designated point of contact, the State or a subdivision must file an appeal with the Council within thirty (30) days of the decision. The Council then has thirty (30) days to consider and rule on the appeal. 2.If the Council denies the appeal, the party may file an appeal with the state district court of record where the final opioid judgment or Master Settlement Agreement is filed. The Texas Rules of Civil Procedure and Rules of Evidence will govern these proceedings. The Council may request representation from the Attorney General in these proceedings. 6 In making its determination, the state district court shall apply the same clear error standards contained herein that the Council must follow when rendering its decision. 3.The state district court will make the final decision and the decision is not appealable. 4.Challenges will be limited and subject to penalty if abused. 5.Attorneys’ fees and costs are not recoverable in these appeals. F.Education The Council may determine that a percentage of the funds in the Abatement Fund from the targeted funds be used to develop an education and outreach program to provide materials on the consequences of opioid drug use, prevention and interventions. Any material developed will include online resources and toolkits for communities.