OLYMPIA — In a unanimous, bipartisan vote, the Joint Legislative Audit Review Committee (JLARC) today approved the final version of an independent audit report encouraging the Legislature to renew the state’s Medicaid Fraud False Claims Act (FCA).

SEATTLE — Attorney General Bob Ferguson and the U.S. Department of Energy have filed what is expected to be the final round of materials in Washington’s lawsuit regarding the cleanup of nuclear waste at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation.

After a U.S. District Court judge agreed with several key arguments from the Attorney General’s Office in August, both parties submitted updated proposals in November to comply with the judge’s ruling. Yesterday’s filings represent the parties' responses to those proposals.

SEATTLE — In the latest action in a crackdown on illegal assistance to immigrants, Attorney General Bob Ferguson today announced a lawsuit against an Everett man accused of advertising immigration law services, when he is not an attorney or accredited to provide such services.

Michael Bendzar published at least 73 advertisements in Russian-language publications since December 2013 advertising “immigration services” through his business, Michael’s Office.

OLYMPIA — Attorney General Bob Ferguson today announced the filing of an amicus, or “friend of the court,” brief in the United States Supreme Court, supporting President Barack Obama’s 2014 executive actions to reform our country’s immigration system.

The Washington State Attorney’s General Office authored the brief, which was joined by the Attorneys General of California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and the District of Columbia.

Company pushed unneeded drug and genetic testing

SEATTLE — Attorney General Bob Ferguson today announced that Millennium Health laboratories will pay back $256 million to the states and federal government for illegal revenue gained through a kickback scheme designed to increase the number of laboratory tests it got paid to process. For Washington, this agreement will provide the state $426,000 in Medicaid reimbursement, which will be shared with the federal government.

OLYMPIA — Secretary of State Kim Wyman and Attorney General Bob Ferguson are reminding Washingtonians to make smart choices when giving money to charity and avoid unscrupulous solicitors during the upcoming holidays and afterward.

The two statewide officials who deal most closely with charities are also sharing tips on how to “Give Smart.”

Company pressured pharmacies to downplay risk to patients

SEATTLE — Attorney General Bob Ferguson today announced Washington has reached an agreement in principle Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation’s kickback scheme to promote its drug, Exjade. The final agreement is pending execution by the company, and would provide Washington with $1.2 million in Medicaid reimbursement, which will be shared with the federal government.

“My job as Attorney General is to uphold the will of the voters.  That is why, throughout this process, I have defended the charter school initiative approved by the voters of Washington state.

“The Supreme Court’s opinion of September 4, 2015 in League of Women Voters of Wash. v. State was overbroad.

“Regardless of one’s opinion about charter schools, the original opinion endangered important programs such as Running Start, tribal compact schools, and vocational education. 

SEATTLE — Attorney General Bob Ferguson, joined by eight fellow attorneys general from around the country, today urged the nation's largest credit card issuers to speed up implementation of secure chip and PIN technology. Chip and PIN is widely considered a more secure means of processing credit card transactions than traditional magnetic-stripe payment cards and thus an important safeguard against fraud and identity theft.