State Rep. Ann Bollin today voiced her strong opposition to the governor’s plan to eliminate Michigan’s Opioid Advisory Commission, a critical body dedicated to overseeing the distribution of opioid settlement funds and providing expert recommendations on tackling the state’s ongoing opioid crisis.

The commission, established in 2022, plays a key role in advising legislators on how best to use $1.6 billion in opioid settlement funds for addiction treatment, recovery support, and overdose prevention efforts. Members have raised concerns about the state’s management of funds, which are set to be paid out over 18 years.

Recent communications from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services suggest the Whitmer administration is now considering scrapping the commission, replacing it with the governor’s own Michigan Opioids Task Force.

“This commission has been an essential partner in our fight against opioid addiction and overdose deaths,” said Bollin, R-Brighton Township. “It brings together experts who live and breathe this issue every day – people who are not motivated by politics but by saving lives. Eliminating this commission to consolidate power under the administration is a dangerous step backward.”

Bollin emphasized the importance of maintaining independent, non-partisan oversight, especially as opioid overdoses continue to devastate communities across the state. Michigan remains among the states hardest hit by the opioid epidemic, with nearly 3,000 people dying from drug overdoses in 2023, according to the CDC.

“The people who serve on the Opioid Advisory Commission have dedicated their careers to fighting addiction – their work holds the state accountable and ensures funds are being used effectively, so our communities have the support they need to address this crisis head-on,” Bollin continued. “Dismantling this commission would send the wrong message to everyone who is struggling with addiction or has lost a loved one.”

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