SEATTLE − Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson, along with 13 other attorneys general, sent a letter to the Secretary of Agriculture demanding that the department and the U.S. Forest Service return sequestered funds owed to the states.

This would be a loss of $1,158,186 due to the people of Washington state. The funds would be used to finance wildland fire mitigation, assistance to homeowners, wildfire-related education, roads and rural school programs.

Check arrives before American Indian Day on Sept. 27

Seattle—Attorney General Bob Ferguson presented a $138,721 grant to the Seattle Indian Health Board (SIHB) to develop its new Chronic Pain Management Project patient registry. The registry will help SIHB health care providers identify and create individualized service plans for patients with chronic pain and other diagnoses. 

Attorney General Ferguson made this presentation as part of the week-long celebration of American Indian Day on September 27.

SEATTLE — Washington state has received a $6 million federal grant that will help connect expectant and parenting teens, women, fathers, and their families with health, education, and social services.
 
The grant money will primarily be spent on programs in the state’s four-county region of Yakima, Franklin, Grant and Adams. This region has some of the highest teen pregnancy and birth rates. On-time graduation rates for the area are lower than the state average.

 OLYMPIA—Benton County Superior Court Judge Carrie Runge today set an October 2014 trial to determine whether convicted sex offender Stephen Robinson is a sexually violent predator (SVP).

Robinson, 56, was convicted of sexually violent offenses against young girls in Benton County in 1984 and again in Denver County, Colo. in 1999.  He was scheduled for release from the Walla Walla Penitentiary on July 26, 2013, but was transported to the state’s Special Commitment Center pending today’s hearing.

OLYMPIA—Attorney General Bob Ferguson today informed the members of the Washington State Sunshine Committee he has restored the Open Government Assistant Attorney General to a full-time position. Ferguson will begin recruitment today.

OLYMPIA — Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson and Secretary of State Kim Wyman are teaming up to warn consumers about a troubling practice by some individuals who solicit donations near retail stores on behalf of charities.

The Consumer Protection Division of the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) and the Office of Secretary of State’s (OSOS) Charities Program are aware of potentially illegal actions taken by these solicitors.

SEATTLE– In a 7-2 ruling today, the Washington State Supreme Court today sided with the state Department of Transportation in a dispute over whether or not the state’s Constitution and the department’s statute allowed highway lanes on the Interstate 90 floating bridge to be leased to Sound Transit to expand its light rail system.

1,500 Washington state victims will receive full restitution, between $1k-$20k
 
SEATTLE — Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced today the settlement of a major timeshare consumer protection case involving Jonathan and Christine Gibbs of Olympia.

Ferguson’s office thwarts efforts by tobacco companies to avoid paying millions in tobacco settlement

Veterans, Military Department leaders commend new emphasis

SEATTLE– Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson today announced a new “Military and Veterans Legal Resource Guide” to help veterans, military personnel and their families understand their legal rights and protections.