As an opioids scourge devastates tribes in Washington, lawmakers advance a bill to provide relief

By HALLIE GOLDEN
Associated Press

SEATTLE (AP) — A bill that would bring millions of dollars to tribes in Washington state to address the opioid crisis has received unanimous support in the House. The vote on Friday opens the doors for state funding to address a scourge that some say is claiming a generation. The proposed measure is expected to provide nearly $8 million total each year for the 29 federally recognized tribes in Washington. The funds will be drawn in part from a roughly half-billion-dollar settlement between the state and major opioid distributors. The approach comes as Native Americans and Alaska Natives in Washington die of opioid overdoses at five times the state average.