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SB0048 • 2026

Opioids

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 20 and Title 33, relative to opioids.

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Haile, Farmer
Last action
2025-05-13
Official status
Effective date(s) 05/02/2025
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on how the funds will be used, only that they are intended for opioid abatement and remediation efforts.

Opioid Settlement Expansion Act

This bill adds Amneal Pharmaceuticals, Hikma Pharmaceuticals, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Indivior Inc., Viatris Inc., and Purdue Pharma L.P. to a list of companies that can be released from opioid-related claims by the attorney general with approval from the governor and comptroller.

What This Bill Does

  • Adds Amneal Pharmaceuticals, Hikma Pharmaceuticals, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Indivior Inc., Viatris Inc., and Purdue Pharma L.P. to a list of companies that can be released from opioid-related claims by the attorney general with approval from the governor and comptroller.
  • Includes settlement proceeds from these new companies in funds for counties and statewide opioid abatement efforts.
  • Applies the bill's provisions not only to regular settlement agreements but also to bankruptcy plans related to opioid activities.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The attorney general, governor, comptroller of the treasury, Tennessee Opioid Abatement Council, and various pharmaceutical companies involved in opioid distribution.
  • Counties that join statewide opioid settlements and receive funding for abatement efforts.

Terms To Know

Opioids
Pain-relieving drugs that can be highly addictive if not used properly.
Settlement agreement
An agreement where parties involved in a legal dispute agree to settle the case without going to court.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The exact amount of settlement proceeds from these companies cannot be determined.
  • This bill does not specify how the funds will be used beyond stating they are for opioid abatement and remediation efforts.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Amendment 1-0 to HB0491

Plain English: The amendment allows Tennessee's attorney general to release claims against certain opioid companies if approved by the governor and comptroller, and sets rules for distributing settlement proceeds.

  • Gives the attorney general authority to release claims against specific opioid companies with approval from the governor and comptroller.
  • Specifies that 35% of settlement proceeds must be distributed to counties joining the settlement agreement, while the remaining 65% is allocated for statewide opioid abatement efforts.
  • The amendment text does not specify how claims will be released or what specific activities are covered by the release authority.
  • Details on the criteria and process for distributing the remaining 65% of settlement proceeds to statewide, regional, or local opioid abatement efforts are not provided.
Amendment 1-0 to SB0048

Plain English: This amendment allows Tennessee's attorney general to release claims against certain opioid companies if approved by the governor and comptroller, and sets rules for distributing settlement proceeds.

  • The attorney general can now release claims against specific opioid companies with approval from the governor and comptroller of the treasury.
  • Thirty-five percent of settlement proceeds will be distributed to counties that join the settlement agreement, while sixty-five percent will go towards statewide, regional, or local opioid abatement efforts.
  • The amendment text does not specify all details about how claims are released or what specific activities related to opioids these companies might be involved in.
  • It is unclear from the provided text exactly which entities and affiliates beyond those explicitly named would be covered under this amendment.

Bill History

  1. 2025-05-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 05/02/2025

  2. 2025-05-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 302

  3. 2025-05-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 302

  4. 2025-05-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2025-04-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for action.

  6. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  7. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  8. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  9. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 91, Nays 0, PNV 1

  10. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0377)

  11. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  12. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  13. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  14. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/16/2025

  15. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/15/2025

  16. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  17. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for 4/15/2025

  18. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  19. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2025

  20. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee

  21. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  22. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 4/9/2025

  23. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 4/9/2025

  24. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 4/2/2025

  25. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 4/02/2025

  26. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/26/2025

  27. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 3/26/2025

  28. 2025-03-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.

  29. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/19/2025

  30. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 3/19/2025

  31. 2025-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  32. 2025-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 29, Nays 0, PNV 1

  33. 2025-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0041)

  34. 2025-03-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/10/2025

  35. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/12/2025

  36. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Judiciary Committee

  37. 2025-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 9, Nays0 PNV 0

  38. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/4/2025

  39. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Civil Justice Subcommittee for 3/5/2025

  40. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Civil Justice Subcommittee

  41. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee

  42. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  43. 2025-01-29 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  44. 2025-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  45. 2025-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  46. 2025-01-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Present law authorizes the attorney general, upon written approval of the governor and comptroller of the treasury, to release any pending or future claim of governmental entities against McKesson, Cardina
l Health, AmerisourceBergen, Johnson & Johnson, Allergan Finance, CVS, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Walgreens, Walmart, K-VA-T Food Stores, and Kroger in such entities' settlement agreements for activities related to the manufacture, marketing, distribution, dis
p
ensing, or sale of opioids, if the attorney general deems the release necessary to the interest of the state in the resolution of the opioid crisis. This bill adds to the list of entities authorized for release Amneal Pharmaceuticals, Hikma Pharmaceutica
l
s, and Sun Pharmaceutical Industries.

For proceeds received from a statewide opioid settlement agreement with McKesson, Cardinal Health, AmerisourceBergen, Johnson & Johnson, Allergan Finance, CVS, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Walgreens, Walmart, K-VA-T Food St
ores, or Kroger, present law requires the Tennessee opioid abatement council to disburse 35% of these proceeds to counties that join the settlement and 65% for statewide, regional, or local opioid abatement and remediation purposes. This bill adds to suc
h
funds proceeds from a settlement agreement with Amneal Pharmaceuticals, Hikma Pharmaceuticals, or Sun Pharmaceutical Industries.

ON MARCH 10, 2025, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 48, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 makes the following
revisions:



A
dds to the list of entities authorized for release

Indivior Inc.
,
Viatris Inc., and Purdue Pharma L.P.



A
dds to funds proceeds from a settlement agreement with

Indivior Inc.
,
Viatris Inc., and Purdue Pharma L.P.



Applies the bill, in addition to settlement agreements
for activities related to the manufacture, marketing, distribution, dispensing, or sale of opioids
, to a
bankruptcy plan and related agreements
to such activities.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 491
By Farmer

SENATE BILL 48
By Haile

SB0048
001063
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 20
and Title 33, relative to opioids.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 20-13-203, is amended by deleting
the language "and The Kroger Co." wherever it appears and substituting instead the language
"The Kroger Co., Amneal Pharmaceuticals LLC, Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA Inc., and Sun
Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc.".
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 33-11-103(p), is amended by
deleting the language "or The Kroger Co." and substituting instead the language "The Kroger
Co., Amneal Pharmaceuticals LLC, Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA Inc., or Sun Pharmaceutical
Industries, Inc.".
SECTION 3. If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance
is held invalid, then the invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of the act that
can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to that end, the provisions of
this act are severable.
SECTION 4. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.