Kansas Atty. Gen. Carla Stovall on Monday defended her decision not to join a settlement with software giant Microsoft Corp.

“The settlement is not good for business or competition,” she said. “It’s good for Microsoft.”

Stovall, who also is a Republican candidate for governor, was asked to defend her Microsoft decision during a speech to the Lawrence Rotary Club.

Kansas is one of nine states and the District of Columbia that are pursuing a lawsuit against the software company. Nine other states have agreed to the settlement, which would require Microsoft to disclose some technical information to rivals and would ban exclusive agreements for Microsoft products.

Stovall said Microsoft’s monopoly could even be bad for the state budget. The cost for using Microsoft software on government computers was $15 million more this year than last year. Officials are working to negotiate a lower price, she said.

Stovall also updated club members about two consumer protection laws under consideration this session. The first would let Kansans submit their names to a “no-call” list that would be given to telemarketers.

Stovall said she preferred a version of the law that would allow residents to sign up by telephone. The current proposal allows only mail and Internet sign-ups.

The other legislation would restrict “spam” e-mail messages. Mass e-mails hawking products would be required to be marked “ADV” in the subject line and have simple opt-out instructions. Violators could face a $10,000 fine.

Stovall also discussed the implementation of the “Amber Plan,” a joint program between local media and law enforcement agencies to notify residents when a child is kidnapped.

The plan should be in place statewide in the fall, she said.

“It is a no-cost, no-brainer project to me,” Stovall said. “It’s one of the projects I’ll be proud to leave behind in the state of Kansas when my time as attorney general is up.”