BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Louisiana will seek to expand its specialized drug courts using the proceeds from opioid-related lawsuits under a measure that received final passage from lawmakers.
The bill from Republican Sen. Rick Ward won unanimous support in the House and the Senate to head to the governor’s desk.
The legislation creates a drug and specialty court fund in the state treasury to deposit money recovered from litigation against or settlements involving the opioid industry.
Those dollars will be used to expand drug courts across Louisiana that offer people substance abuse treatment options and heavy supervision as an alternative to jail time.
The measure was backed by Attorney General Jeff Landry.
------------------------------------------------------------
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.
To reach the newsroom or report a typo/correction, click HERE.
Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox. Select from these options: Breaking News, Evening News Headlines, Latest COVID-19 Headlines, Morning News Headlines, Special Offers
