UPDATE: On July 9, 2019, the PEC filed an Amended Motion for Class Certification. Read the amended filing.A proposed “Negotiating Class” of municipalities, including cities, counties, towns parishes, villages and boroughs, would help thousands of communities that are struggling with the effects of the opioid crisis function as a cohesive group for the sole purpose of negotiating a settlement with opioid defendants, plaintiffs in the National Prescription Opiate Multidistrict Litigation stated in a filing presented June 14, 2019 to U.S. District Judge Dan Polster.Such a proposed Class has never been created before in this context, but doing so would expedite the litigation process by allowing both plaintiff and non-plaintiff jurisdictions to engage in settlement talks with defendants as one collective voice, thereby clearing the way for opioid defendants to reach a deal that would resolve the bulk of current and potential future cases at one time.Judge Polster, is expected to rule on the proposed Class on a later date.Read more on the proposed Negotiating Class in a blog written by Motley Rice co-founder Joe Rice, who is co-lead of the national MDL and chair of the negotiating committee.Read the Plaintiff’s Executive Committee’s announcement of the proposal.