Senate Republicans Support Strong Safeguards to Ensure Opioid Settlement Funds Go to Save Lives

HARTFORD – Senate Republican Leader Kevin Kelly (R-Stratford), Senate Republican Leader Pro Tempore Paul Formica (R-East Lyme),Senator Tony Hwang (R-Fairfield) and Senator Heather Somers (R-Groton), ranking members of the Public Health Committee, released the following statement regarding Attorney General William Tong’s letter to legislative leaders, responding to a letter sent by the Senate Republicans last month:

“We must work together to ensure settlement funds are used to fight the opioid epidemic. We wrote to Governor Lamont and Attorney General Tong last month to start conversations on safeguarding these funds. We fully support holding hearings and working with stakeholders to ensure the funds are used to combat the opioid epidemic, prevent addiction, and help people on the long road to recovery. The opioid epidemic has touched the lives of countless families across our state. We have all watched people struggle. We have all experienced loss, pain, and suffering. We have seen people rise up, fall back, and strive to achieve recovery. We have worked together for years to combat this epidemic striving to break the stigma, provide needed support and programs, and save lives. We must not repeat the infamous misuse of the state’s tobacco settlement funds We must ensure that these dollars are used to continue this fight.”