SEATTLE — A bill that would provide millions of dollars to tribes in Washington state to address the opioid crisis won unanimous support in the House of Representatives on Friday, opening the door for state funding to address a scourge that some say is claims a generation.
“This bill invests in Indian Country. It invests in the Indians of Washington State. It invests in the preservation of generations of Native Americans on whose lands we stand today,” said Democratic Rep. Debra Lekanoff, who is Tlingit and Aleut, during the voice.
The proposed measure is expected to raise nearly $8 million each year for Washington’s 29 federally recognized tribes, with the funds coming in part from a roughly half-billion-dollar settlement between the state and major opioid distributors.
This approach comes as Native Americans and Alaska Natives in Washington are dying from opioid overdoses that are five times the state average, according to 2021-2022 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which includes preliminary figures included. Washington’s rate is one of the highest in the U.S. and more than three times the national rate — but many of the state’s indigenous nations lack the funding or medical resources to fully address it.
The Senate previously passed the bill unanimously, but it will have to go to the body for verification before heading to Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee’s desk. Jaime Smith, a spokesperson for the governor’s office, said in an email that Inslee “has been very supportive of these efforts and appreciates the work of lawmakers to strengthen our state’s opioid response on multiple fronts, including support for tribes.”
But some tribes say the proposed funding, while appreciated, would barely scratch the surface in the face of such a deadly crisis.
Opioid overdose deaths among Native Americans and Alaska Natives have increased dramatically in Washington in recent years, with at least 100 in 2022 — 75 more than in 2019, according to the most recent figures available from the Washington State Department of Health.
Republican Senator John Braun, one of the bill’s sponsors, has said this is just a first step.
“This just gets us started and ensures we don’t sit around waiting for the problem to resolve itself,” he said.
The bill would set aside money deposited into an opioid settlement account, including money from the state’s $518 million 2022 settlement with the nation’s three largest opioid distributors, for tribes battling addiction. Tribes are expected to receive annually $7.75 million or 20% of the funds deposited into the account the previous fiscal year – whichever amount is greater.
The money provided through the legislation does not have a specific end date. But starting in 2031, there would no longer be a minimum required dollar amount, according to an amendment approved Friday. The state would provide 20% of the money deposited into an opioid settlement account in the previous fiscal year. And if the average amount deposited into that account falls too low, no funding is needed to go to the tribes.