Advisory Bodies

Has the state established an advisory body for settlement funds?

Yes. North Dakota state law establishes the Opioid Settlement Advisory Committee.[1] The Advisory Committee is responsible for providing recommendations to the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services on uses of legislatively appropriated monies from the state’s Opioid Settlement Fund.[2] The Advisory Committee is required to meet at least four times annually.[3]

Is the state advisory body required to include member(s) with lived and/or living experience?

No. The Advisory Committee is not required to include member(s) with lived and/or living experience.

What is the overall membership of the state advisory body?

The composition of North Dakota’s seven-member (7) Opioid Settlement Advisory Committee is defined by state law to include six voting members and one non-voting member:[4]

• A member of the North Dakota Association of Counties, appointed by the chairman of the Legislative Management

• A member of the North Dakota League of Cities, appointed by the chairman of the Legislative Management

• A member of the North Dakota State Association of City and County Health Officials, appointed by the chairman of the Legislative Management

• A member who represents highway patrol, appointed by the state highway patrol superintendent

• The executive director of the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services’ Division of Behavioral Health

• The managing director of the Office of Recovery Reinvented

• A member appointed by the governor, who serves as the nonvoting presiding officer of the committee[5]

You can view a list of current Advisory Committee members here (select “Opioid Settlement Advisory Committee”). All members serve two-year terms except for the executive director of the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services’ Division of Behavioral Health and managing director of the Office of Recovery Reinvented, who serve for as long as they hold their respective positions.[6]

Are local governments required to establish a settlement advisory body? If so, are local advisory bodies required to include member(s) with lived and/or living experience?

No (up to each locality). Local governments in North Dakota are not required to establish opioid settlement advisory bodies. However, localities may choose to establish advisory councils that include members with lived and/or living experience to help ensure that settlement spending reflects community priorities.

What else should I know?

Not applicable.

Citations

1. N.D. Cent. Code Sec. 50-36-03(1). ↑

2. N.D. Cent. Code Sec. 50-36-03(2). ↑

3. Select “Opioid Settlement Advisory Committee” on the Official Portal for North Dakota State Government’s Boards website. Accessed September 1, 2024. ↑
4. N.D. Cent. Code Secs. 50-36-03(1)(a)-(g). ↑

5. N.D. Cent. Code Sec. 50-36-03(1)(g). ↑

6. N.D. Cent. Code Secs. 50-36-03(1)(a)-(g). ↑