"We are joining forces to work together in protecting Nebraskans from the harmful impacts of addiction and the ravages it can cause to families and futures," Peterson said at the time. "Nebraskans are not immune from this problem. We all need to work together and do something about it."

Peterson also played a major role on the Nebraska Coalition to Prevent Opioid Abuse, a working group that emphasized public awareness, increased training for health care providers and expanded use of naloxone, a potentially life-saving drug for opioid users who have overdosed.

But he also has tried to deter local governments from taking matters into their own hands. In an April 2018 letter to Nebraska's associations for cities and counties, Peterson said it was unnecessary for local governments to file their own lawsuits because the state would likely distribute settlement money to them if it received a share.

He did not elaborate on how Nebraska would collect the money, and Peterson's spokeswoman declined to comment further. In the letter, Peterson said his office was "actively engaged" in talks over how to hold opioid makers accountable and was still investigating the matter with other states.