In other news, the left leaning Kentucky Center for Economic Policy released its report on how cities and counties have spent opioid abatement dollars.

That's money won in settlements with drug companies for their role in addiction and overdoses in the state.

The report says many local governments have yet to spend a single dollar of these funds, or have spent that money on ineffective or inappropriate programs.

Our June Lefler has more.

In fiscal year 2025, counties spent $6.9 million on what the report calls good spending.

That includes funds for harm reduction, such as providing fentanyl test strips and overdose reversal medication to people and active addiction, low barrier treatment such as Suboxone or other medication, assisted treatment for people entering jails and housing and other supports like food or clothing for children who have been absent or deceased parent due to addiction.

But the report highlights a smaller number of dollars at 1.6 million going towards ineffective or inappropriate programs.

One group says they're fighting that kind of spending in Louisville.

Again, this is blood money.

It came from thousands of lives lost across Kentucky.

Many people that I knew.

So this is really important to me.

Jennifer Twyman opposes these dollars for the city run 911 call center.

The 911 call center has been funded for years, so that's not new use of this money.

That raises, important questions about the plantation for Maine.

And these dollars, whether these dollars are expanding Life-Saving services or simply replacing existing budget obligations.

However, Louisville's mayor says funding for the call center is in line with state law.

The terms of the settlement and the public good.

The report says bad spending in the state has looked like funding for police departments basic operating costs, including to fight drug crimes, drug testing for family courts, which can lead to separating parents and children, coercive treatment where a family member forces someone into rehab before they're ready to go, and paying pricey celebrity speakers for anti-drug school assemblies.

But the report says most abatement money hasn't been spent at all.

Counties are sitting on 90% of dollars that were allocated two years ago.

Advocates say now is the time for communities to decide what happens to that money.

I am my call to action for everybody is in whatever locality you're in and really make this a priority.

Ask questions.

Go find out what that money is being used for.

The report did not critique abatement money the state spends.

Unlike most local governments, the state has an advisory council dedicated to allocating those funds, which have totaled $85 million.

For Kentucky edition, I'm Jen Lefler.

The attorney General's office says it is launching a dashboard for the public to track and analyze local opioid abatement spending that will come online July 7th.