Republican Attorney General Adam Laxalt announced that he will dedicate $600,000 in funds that Nevada won in a multistate settlement with a pharmaceutical company to pay overtime costs for Las Vegas police following a mass shooting on the Strip.

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department expects that the final overtime bill in the wake of the shooting that left 58 dead and more than 500 injured will be about $3 million, according to the state Department of Public Safety. Laxalt, who is expected to formally launch a bid for governor next month, announced the payout in a joint statement with Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval.

“Together with the Governor Sandoval, I am committed to assisting the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department offset costs for heroic first responders in the wake of this horrific tragedy,” said Attorney General Laxalt. “At the crime scene, in the hospitals and at the command center, I witnessed courage, commitment and tireless dedication to the public good. I proudly stand shoulder-to-shoulder with my law enforcement partners and offer assistance wherever possible.”

Sandoval’s office will expedite the processing of the money so it will be available within 15 days, according to the statement.

“The State will continue to provide any additional resources necessary to assist the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department with its investigation and help ensure the tireless efforts of its officers are compensated. These funds are an important step in those efforts,” the termed-out Sandoval said in his statement, which also thanked local agencies and people worldwide for an “outpouring of compassion” that “proves that love will always conquer hate.”   

Multiple states had sued Cephalon Phamaceuticals, maker of the sleep apnea and narcolepsy drug Provigil, for allegedly delaying generic versions of the drug from coming to market in a timely fashion and then reaping higher profits from its brand-name product. Cephalon allegedly sued competitors for patent infringement, then settled those cases in 2005 and 2006, delaying the release of generics until at least 2012.

Cephalon settled with 49 states and the District of Columbia for $125 million, including $90 million to the states and $35 million to consumers who say they were harmed by the company’s conduct.

According to the settlement agreement, attorneys general have sole discretion on deciding how the settlement funding should be disbursed. The funds are supposed to go to consumer protection activities or “such other purpose as the Attorneys General deem appropriate, consistent with the various states' laws.”

Of the $1.1 million the state has received this fiscal year, it’s disbursed about $200,000 combined to mental health services agencies in Northern and Southern Nevada, $173,000 to the Division of Health Care Financing and Policy, about $25,000 to the Aging and Disability Services Division, $22,000 to the UNR School of Medicine and $5,000 to the Board of Regents.

At $600,000, the payout to the police department is the largest.

The spending comes shortly after President Trump announced that the Department of Justice would pay $1 million for overtime costs. Jim Wright, director of the Department of Public Safety, said Trump’s tweet making the announcement came before the agency had submitted a formal request for the money — that’s expected to be sent off on Wednesday.

Several members of the Nevada congressional delegation have asked the federal government to kick in more money to cover overtime. Wright said his agency plans to address the initial $1 million award first, then gather up information to more precisely tabulate overtime costs — beyond Metro, fire departments, police agencies in Reno and Mesquite and other first responders likely chalked up hours.

At that point, Wright plans to gauge the federal government’s interest in putting additional money to the cause. He said the state is also looking for any other available funds in emergency management and homeland security grants.

“We’re really shaking the grant bushes here to see what we can drop out to help the cause,” he said.

Beyond the federal grant, Nevada has also received help from out-of-state government agencies. Personnel from coroners’ offices in New York and nearby San Bernardino, Calif. were summoned to help Las Vegas officials respond to the high number of casualties from the shooting, and victim advocates who helped families after the Orlando nightclub shooting have assisted, Wright said.