SEATTLE – Attorney General Rob McKenna today announced a settlement that addresses concerns surrounding the merger of the nation’s two largest school bus contractors. Eleven states reached an agreement with Laidlaw International, Inc., and FirstGroup plc to help ensure that school districts can still receive competitive bids for student transportation.

Jonathan Mark, an assistant attorney general with the Attorney General’s Antitrust Division, represented Washington in the settlement negotiations.

Olympia – Attorney General Rob McKenna announced today that his office will re-distribute the office’s Missing Persons Toolkit during the Washington Community Safety Summit this week. The summit, being held Sept. 25-27 at the Little Creek Casino Resort in Shelton, focuses on emerging trends in prevention and enforcement strategies.

SEATTLE – Attorney General Rob McKenna applauded decisions by TransUnion and Equifax to offer consumers the ability to freeze access to their credit reports. McKenna said it’s important for consumers to understand how TransUnion’s credit freeze rules differ from Washington laws and to not confuse the credit freeze option – which is free for victims and $10 for everyone else – and a costlier product offered by TransUnion that includes credit monitoring.

 
US Supreme Court to hear arguments on Top-Two Primary on 10/1

OLYMPIA—On Oct. 1, Attorney General Rob McKenna will argue on behalf of Washington's people before the US Supreme Court, defending Initiative 872, the “Top-Two Primary” initiative passed by about 60 percent of voters in 2004.

State of Washington, et al. v. Washington State Republican Party, et al. will be McKenna’s second argument before the US Supreme Court as Attorney General and the first case the US Supreme Court will hear for the fall term.

Olympia – Colonel W. Steven Flaherty, Superintendent of the Virginia State Police, will share his first-hand experiences during  the Virginia Tech shootings as one of the headline speakers at the Washington Community Safety Summit, Sept. 25-27, at the Little Creek Casino Resort in Shelton, WA.

Flaherty will detail the lessons learned from this national tragedy that left 33 people dead on the Blacksburg, Virginia campus and provide insights into the development of multi-jurisdictional crisis response plans.

OLYMPIA…The Washington Coalition for Open Government awarded Attorney General Rob McKenna with the Key Award during its annual awards breakfast today at the Washington Athletic Club.

The Washington Coalition for Open Government promotes and defends Washington’s open government laws and practices. The Key Award recognizes people or organizations that have made a notable difference in the fight for open government each year.

 Secretary of State, AG and Grange hold media availability in Olympia prior to argument

Secretary of State Sam Reed, Attorney General Rob McKenna, and former Washington State Grange Master Terry Hunt will hold a media availability on Monday, Sept. 24, to discuss their defense of Washington’s Top Two Primary before the United States Supreme Court on Monday, Oct. 1.

OLYMPIA – Attorney General Rob McKenna announced the 2006 Employee Recognition Awards during a ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda in Olympia on Monday, September 17.

The Attorney General’s Office Employee Recognition Awards are peer-driven. Employees nominate their colleagues and award recipients are selected by a panel of award recipients from prior years.  Awards are given for innovation, diversity advocate, pro bono, volunteer, safety and security advocate, and outstanding team, leader and employee.

Olympia – Attorney General Rob McKenna is urging law enforcement, court officials, corrections officials, education professionals, community health and safety representatives, tribal leaders and others to participate in the 3rd Annual Washington Community Safety Summit, Sept. 25-27 at the Little Creek Casino Resort in Shelton, Washington.

The summit will focus on emerging trends in prevention, intervention and enforcement strategies. Attendees will learn proven approaches to work with their community as partners in providing safe and secure neighborhoods.

OLYMPIA – Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna announced today that the state's Medicaid program will be reimbursed nearly $2.7 million as part of a settlement with drug manufacturers Purdue Pharma and Purdue Frederick Company. The settlement stems from allegations the company improperly marketed the pain medication OxyContin to health providers.