Bethany Bump reports in the Times Union that Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a bill June 29 creating a dedicated fund for future opioid settlement money. New York has ongoing litigation against companies accused of fueling the opioid epidemic, and recently agreed to a $230 million settlement with Johnson & Johnson. Previously, New York put at least $21 million from an initial settlement with McKinsey & Company into the state’s general fund rather than using it for addiction services. “Ensuring funds recovered from opioid settlements and litigation go where they’re needed — to fund prevention, education, and treatment programs — is a massive step in our efforts to end the opioid epidemic and provide justice to its victims,” state Attorney General Letitia James said June 30. Cuomo made several changes to bill to increase his influence in the fund. “I agree with my colleagues in the legislature on the importance of holding those who contributed to the opioid epidemic accountable and obtaining long overdue justice for New Yorkers,” Cuomo wrote in his approval memo. Read more about this story in the Times Union.