SENATE BILL NO. 484
September 04, 2019, Introduced by Senators
IRWIN, ANANICH, WOJNO, BULLOCK, BRINKS, BAYER, ALEXANDER, POLEHANKI, GEISS,
MCCANN and HOLLIER and referred to the Committee on Government Operations.
the people of the state of michigan enact:
Sec. 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "false claims act".
(a) "Claim" means, subject to subdivision (b), a request or demand, whether under a contract or otherwise, for money or property that is either of the following:
(i) Presented to an officer, employee, or agent of this state or a local government.
(ii) Made to a contractor, grantee, or other recipient, if the money or property is to be spent or used on behalf of this state or a local government or to advance a state or local government program or interest, and if either of the following applies:
(A) This state or a local government has provided or will provide any portion of the money or property that is requested or demanded.
(B) This state or a local government will reimburse the contractor, grantee, or other recipient for any portion of the money or property that is requested or demanded.
(b) "Claim" does not include a request or demand for money or property that this state or a local government has already paid to an individual as compensation for government employment or as an income subsidy with no restrictions on that individual's use of the money or property.
(c) "False claim" means any claim that is, either in whole or part, false or fraudulent.
(d) "Knowing" and "knowingly" mean, subject to subdivision (e), that 1 of the following applies to a person with respect to information:
(i) The person has actual knowledge of the information.
(ii) The person acts in deliberate ignorance of the truth or falsity of the information.
(iii) The person acts in reckless disregard of the truth or falsity of the information.
(e) "Knowing" and "knowingly" do not require proof of specific intent to defraud.
(f) "Local government" means county, city, township, village, school district, board of education, public benefit corporation, or other municipal corporation or political subdivision of this state or of a local government.
(g) "Material" means having a natural tendency to influence, or to be capable of influencing, the payment or receipt of money or property.
(h) "Obligation" means an established duty, whether or not fixed, arising from an express or implied contractual, grantor-grantee, or licensor-licensee relationship, from a fee-based or similar relationship, from statute or regulation, or from the retention of any overpayment.
(i) "Original source" means a person to whom either of the following applies:
(i) Before a public disclosure described in section 4(9)(b), the person has voluntarily disclosed to this state or a local government the information on which allegations or transactions in a cause of action are based.
(ii) The person has knowledge that is independent of and materially adds to the publicly disclosed allegations or transactions and has voluntarily provided the information to this state or a local government before or simultaneously with filing an action under this act.
(j) "Person" means a natural person, partnership, corporation, association, or other legal entity, other than this state or a local government.
(k) "Qui tam plaintiff" means a person other than this state, the attorney general on behalf of this state, or a local government that brings or intervenes in an action brought under section 4(2).
(l) "This state" includes any state department, board, bureau, division, commission, committee, public benefit corporation, public authority, council, office, or other governmental entity that performs a governmental or proprietary function for this state.
Sec. 3. (1) Subject to subsection (2), a person that commits any of the following acts is liable to this state or a local government, as applicable, for a civil penalty of not less than $6,000.00 and not more than $12,000.00, plus 3 times the amount of all damages, including consequential damages, that this state or the local government sustains because of the acts of the person:
(a) Knowingly presents or causes to be presented a false or fraudulent claim for payment or approval.
(b) Knowingly makes, uses, or causes to be made or used a false record or statement material to a false or fraudulent claim.
(c) Conspires to commit a violation of subdivision (a), (b), (d), (e), (f), or (g).
(d) Has possession, custody, or control of property or money used, or to be used, by this state or a local government and knowingly delivers or causes to be delivered less than all of the money or property.
(e) Is authorized to make or deliver a document certifying receipt of property used or to be used by this state or a local government and, intending to defraud this state or the local government, makes or delivers the receipt without completely knowing that the information on the receipt is true.
(f) Knowingly buys, or receives as a pledge of an obligation or debt, public property from an officer or employee of this state or a local government knowing that the officer or employee is violating the law by selling or pledging the property.
(g) Knowingly makes, uses, or causes to be made or used a false record or statement material to an obligation to pay or transmit money or property to this state or a local government, or knowingly conceals or knowingly and improperly avoids or decreases an obligation to pay or transmit money or property to this state or a local government.
(2) A court may assess not more than 2 times the amount of damages sustained because of an act of a person described in subsection (1), if the court finds that all of the following apply:
(a) The person furnished all information known to the person about the violation to the officials responsible for investigating false claims on behalf of this state or a local government that sustained damages within 30 days after the date on which the person first obtained the information.
(b) The person fully cooperated with any government investigation of the act.
(c) At the time the person furnished information about the act, a criminal prosecution, civil action, or administrative action had not been commenced with respect to the act, and the person did not have actual knowledge of the existence of an investigation into the act.
(3) A person that commits an act described in subsection (1) is also liable for the costs, including attorney fees, of a civil action brought to recover a penalty or damages under this section.
(4) This section applies to claims, records, or statements made under a tax law only if both of the following apply:
(a) The net income or sales of the person the action is brought against is equal or exceed $1,000,000.00 for a taxable year subject to an action brought under this section.
(b) The damages pleaded in the action exceed $350,000.00.
(5) The attorney general shall consult with the state treasurer before filing or intervening in an action under this act that is based on the filing of false claims, records, or statements made under a tax law. If the attorney general declines to participate or to authorize participation by a local government in the action under section 4(2), the qui tam plaintiff shall obtain approval from the attorney general before making a motion to compel the department of treasury to disclose tax records.
Sec. 4. (1) The attorney general may investigate acts described in section 3(1). If the attorney general believes that a person has committed any of those acts, the attorney general may bring a civil action on behalf of the people of this state or on behalf of a local government against the person. A local government may also investigate acts described in section 3(1) that may have resulted in damages to the local government and may bring a civil action on its own behalf or on behalf of a subdivision of the local government to recover damages sustained by the local government as a result of the acts. An action may not be filed under this subsection against the federal government, this state, or a local government or an officer or employee of the federal government, this state, or a local government acting in his or her official capacity. The attorney general shall consult with the Office of Inspector General of the United States Department of Health and Human Services before filing an action related to the Medicaid program.
(2) A person may bring a qui tam civil action for an act described in section 3(1) on behalf of the person and the people of this state or a local government. All of the following apply to an action under this subsection:
(a) A person shall not file an action under this subsection against the federal government, this state, or a local government or an officer or employee of the federal government, this state, or a local government acting in his or her official capacity.
(b) A copy of the complaint and written disclosure of substantially all material evidence and information the qui tam plaintiff possesses must be served on the attorney general. A complaint filed in a court of this state must be filed in the circuit court of any county in which the qui tam plaintiff or any defendant resides or has done or does any business, in camera and under seal, must remain under seal for at least 60 days, and must not be served on the defendant until the court so orders. The seal does not preclude the attorney general, a local government, or the qui tam plaintiff from serving the complaint, other pleadings, or the written disclosure of substantially all material evidence and information possessed by the qui tam plaintiff on relevant state or local government agencies, or on law enforcement authorities of this state, a local government, or other jurisdictions or the federal government, so that the acts may be investigated or prosecuted, except that the seal applies to the agencies or authorities served to the same extent as the seal applies to other parties in the action. If the complaint alleges an act described in section 3(1) that involves damages to a local government, the attorney general may at any time provide a copy of the complaint and written disclosure to the attorney for the local government. However, if the allegations in the complaint involve damages only to a city with a population of 500,000 or more, or only to this state and a city with a population of 500,000 or more, the attorney general shall provide the complaint and written disclosure to the corporation counsel of the city within 30 days. The attorney general may elect to supersede or intervene and proceed with the action, or to authorize a local government that may have sustained damages to supersede or intervene, within 60 days after it receives both the complaint and the material evidence and information. However, if the allegations in the complaint involve damages only to a city with a population of 500,000 or more, the attorney general shall not supersede or intervene in the action without the consent of the corporation counsel of the city. The attorney general shall consult with the health care fraud division of the department of attorney general before superseding or intervening in an action related to the Medicaid program. The attorney general may, for good cause shown, move the court for extensions of the time during which the complaint remains under seal under this subsection. The motion may be supported by affidavits or other submissions in camera.
(c) Before the expiration of the 60-day period or any extensions obtained under subdivision (b), the attorney general shall notify the court, and shall provide the local government with a copy of the notification at the same time the court is notified, that he or she intends to do 1 of the following:
(i) File a complaint against the defendant on behalf of the people of this state or a local government and by doing so be substituted as the plaintiff in the action and convert the action in all respects from an action under this subsection brought by a private person into a civil enforcement action by the attorney general under subsection (1).
(ii) Intervene in the action, as of right, so as to aid and assist the qui tam plaintiff in the action.
(iii) If the action involves damages sustained by a local government, grant the local government permission to do either of the following:
(A) File and serve a complaint against the defendant, and by doing so be substituted as the plaintiff in the action and convert the action in all respects from an action under this subsection brought by a private person into a civil enforcement action by the local government under subsection (1).
(B) Intervene in the action as of right, so as to aid and assist the qui tam plaintiff in the action.
(d) If the attorney general notifies the court that the attorney general intends to file a complaint against the defendant and by doing so be substituted as the plaintiff in the action, or to permit a local government to do so, the complaint must be filed within 30 days after the notification to the court. For purposes of applying a statute of limitations, a complaint filed by the attorney general or a local government under this subdivision relates back to the filing date of the complaint of the qui tam plaintiff, to the extent that the cause of action of this state or the local government arises out of the conduct, transactions, or occurrences alleged or attempted to be alleged in the complaint of the qui tam plaintiff.
(e) If the attorney general notifies the court that the attorney general intends to intervene in the action, or to permit a local government to intervene, a motion for intervention must be filed within 30 days after the notification to the court.
(f) If the attorney general declines to participate in the action or to authorize participation by a local government, the action may proceed subject to judicial review under this section, law and court rules relating to civil procedure, and other applicable law. The qui tam plaintiff shall provide this state or a local government, if applicable, with a copy of any document filed with the court on or about the date it is filed and any order issued by the court on or about the date it is issued. A qui tam plaintiff shall notify this state or a local government, if applicable, within 5 business days of any decision, order, or verdict that results in a judgment in favor of this state or the local government.
(3) If the attorney general decides to participate in an action under this section or to authorize the participation of a local government, the court shall order that the complaint be unsealed and served at the time the complaint or motion by this state or local government is filed. After the complaint is unsealed, or if a complaint is filed by this state or a local government under subsection (1), the defendant must be served with the complaint and summons under chapter 19 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.1901 to 600.1974. A copy of a complaint that alleges that damages were sustained by a local government must also be served on the local government. The defendant shall respond to the summons and complaint within the time required under the applicable court rules.
(4) After an action is filed under this section, a person other than the attorney general or an attorney for a local government acting under subsection (1) or (2)(b) shall not intervene in the action or bring a related civil action based on the facts underlying the action, unless the other person has first obtained the permission of the attorney general to intervene or to bring a related action. However, this subsection does not prohibit a person, with leave of court, from filing an amicus curiae brief.
(5) All of the following apply to an action under this section:
(a) If the attorney general elects to convert the action into an attorney general enforcement action, this state has the primary responsibility for prosecuting the action. If the attorney general elects to intervene in the action, this state and the qui tam plaintiff, and any local government that sustained damages and intervenes in the action, share primary responsibility for prosecuting the action. If the attorney general elects to permit a local government to convert the action into a civil enforcement action, the local government has primary responsibility for investigating and prosecuting the action. If the action involves damages to a local government but not this state and the local government intervenes in the action, the local government and the qui tam plaintiff share primary responsibility for prosecuting the action. This state or a local government is not bound by an act of the qui tam plaintiff. The qui tam plaintiff has the right to continue as a party to the action, subject to the limitations in subdivision (b). This state is not bound by the act of a local government that intervenes in an action involving damages to this state. If neither the attorney general nor a local government intervenes in the action, the qui tam plaintiff has the right to prosecute the action, subject to the attorney general's right to intervene at a later date on a showing of good cause.
(b) All of the following are applicable:
(i) This state may move to dismiss the action notwithstanding the objections of the qui tam plaintiff if the qui tam plaintiff has been served with the motion to dismiss and the court has provided the qui tam plaintiff with an opportunity to be heard on the motion. If the action involves damages to both this state and a local government, this state shall consult with the local government before moving to dismiss the action. If the action involves damages sustained by a local government but not this state, the local government may move to dismiss the action notwithstanding the objections of the qui tam plaintiff if the qui tam plaintiff has been served with the motion to dismiss and the court has provided the qui tam plaintiff with an opportunity to be heard on the motion.
(ii) This state or a local government may settle the action with the defendant notwithstanding the objections of the qui tam plaintiff if the court determines, after giving the qui tam plaintiff an opportunity to be heard, that the proposed settlement is fair, adequate, and reasonable with respect to all parties under the circumstances. On a showing of good cause, the opportunity to be heard may be provided in camera.
(iii) On a showing by the attorney general or a local government that the qui tam plaintiff's unrestricted participation in the litigation would interfere with or unduly delay the case or be repetitious or irrelevant, or on a showing by the defendant that the qui tam plaintiff's unrestricted participation in the litigation would be for purposes of harassment or cause the defendant undue burden, the court may, in its discretion, impose limitations on the qui tam plaintiff's participation in the case, including any of the following:
(A) Limiting the number of witnesses the qui tam plaintiff may call.
(B) Limiting the length of the testimony of the witnesses.
(C) Limiting the qui tam plaintiff's cross-examination of witnesses.
(D) Otherwise limiting the participation by the qui tam plaintiff in the litigation.
(c) Regardless of whether the attorney general or a local government elects to supersede or intervene in the action, the attorney general or the local government may pursue any remedy available with respect to the criminal or civil prosecution of the presentation of false claims, including any administrative proceeding to determine a civil money penalty or to refer the matter to the Office of Inspector General of the United States Department of Health and Human Services for Medicaid-related matters. If an alternate remedy is pursued in another action or proceeding, the qui tam plaintiff has the same rights in the other action or proceeding as the qui tam plaintiff would have had if the action bought under this section had continued.
(d) Regardless of whether the attorney general elects to supersede or intervene in the action or to permit a local government to supersede or intervene in the action, on a showing by this state or a local government that certain discovery by the qui tam plaintiff would interfere with this state's or the local government's investigation or prosecution of a criminal or civil matter arising out of the same facts, the court may stay the discovery for not more than 60 days. The showing must be made in camera. The court may extend the stay on a further showing in camera that this state or the local government has pursued the criminal or civil investigation or proceedings with reasonable diligence and allowing the discovery in the action will interfere with the ongoing criminal or civil investigation or proceedings.
(6) All of the following apply to awards to the qui tam plaintiff in an action brought under this section:
(a) If the attorney general elects to convert the action into an attorney general enforcement action or to permit a local government to convert the action into a civil enforcement action by the local government, or if the attorney general or a local government elects to intervene in the action, the qui tam plaintiff is entitled to receive from 15% to 20% of the proceeds recovered in the action or in settlement of the action. The court shall determine the percentage of the proceeds to which a qui tam plaintiff is entitled by considering the extent to which the qui tam plaintiff substantially contributed to the prosecution of the action. If the court finds that the action was based primarily on disclosures of specific information, other than information provided by the qui tam plaintiff, that related to allegations or transactions in a criminal, civil, or administrative hearing, in a state legislative or administrative report, hearing, audit or investigation, or from the news media, the court may award an amount that it considers appropriate, but not more than 10% of the proceeds, taking into account the significance of the information and the role of the qui tam plaintiff in advancing the case to litigation.
(b) If the attorney general or a local government does not elect to intervene or convert the action and the action is successful, a qui tam plaintiff that recovers proceeds is entitled to receive from 25% to 30% of the proceeds recovered in the action or settlement of the action. The court shall determine the percentage of the proceeds to which the qui tam plaintiff is entitled by considering the extent to which the qui tam plaintiff substantially contributed to the prosecution of the action.
(c) With the exception of a court award of costs, expenses, or attorney fees, any payment to a qui tam plaintiff under this subsection must be made from the proceeds recovered in the action or in settlement of the action.
(7) In an action brought under this section, the court may award the attorney general, on behalf of the people of this state, a local government that participates as a party in the action, or a qui tam plaintiff an amount for reasonable expenses that the court finds to have been necessarily incurred, reasonable attorney fees, and costs. The expenses, fees, and costs must be awarded directly against the defendant, must not be charged from the proceeds, and may only be awarded if this state, a local government, or the qui tam plaintiff prevails in the action.
(8) If the court finds that an action under this section was brought by a person that planned or initiated the act described in section 3(1) on which the action was brought, the court may, to the extent the court considers appropriate, reduce the share of the proceeds of the action that the person would otherwise be entitled to receive under subsection (6), taking into account the role of the person in advancing the action to litigation and any relevant circumstances pertaining to the act. If a qui tam plaintiff is convicted of criminal conduct arising from his or her role in the act described in section 3(1), the qui tam plaintiff must be dismissed from the action and is not entitled to receive any share of the proceeds of the action. A dismissal under this subsection does not prejudice the right of the attorney general to intervene in the action and to prosecute the action on behalf of this state or a local government.
(9) All of the following apply to an action bought under this section:
(a) The court shall dismiss the action if any of the following apply:
(i) The action is based on allegations or transactions that are the subject of a pending civil action or an administrative action in which this state or a local government is already a party.
(ii) This state or a local government has reached a binding settlement or other agreement with the person that committed the act described in section 3(1) resolving the matter and the agreement has been approved in writing by the attorney general or an attorney for the local government, if applicable.
(iii) The action is against a member of the legislature, a member of the judiciary, or a senior executive branch official and is based on evidence or information known to this state at the time the action was brought.
(b) The court shall dismiss the action, unless dismissal is opposed by this state or, if applicable, a local government or unless the qui tam plaintiff is an original source of the information, if substantially the same allegations or transactions as alleged in the action were publicly disclosed in 1 of the following ways:
(i) In a state or local government criminal, civil, or administrative hearing in which this state or a local government or its agent is a party.
(ii) In a report, hearing, audit, or investigation of the United States, this state, or a local government that is made on the public record or disseminated broadly to the general public. However, for purposes of this subparagraph, information is not publicly disclosed in a report or investigation if it was disclosed or provided under the freedom of information act, 1976 PA 442, MCL 15.231 to 15.246, or any other federal, state, or local law, rule, or program enabling the public to request, receive, or view documents or information in the possession of a public official or public agency.
(iii) In the news media. However, for purposes of this subparagraph, allegations or transactions are not publicly disclosed in the news media merely because information containing the allegations or transactions has been posted on the Internet or on a computer network.
(10) This state or a local government is not liable for any expenses that a qui tam plaintiff incurs in bringing an action under this section.
Sec. 5. (1) A current or former employee, contractor, or agent of a private or public employer that is discharged, demoted, suspended, threatened, harassed, or in any other manner discriminated against in the terms and conditions of employment or otherwise harmed or penalized by the employer or a prospective employer because of lawful acts done by the employee, contractor, or agent, or others associated with the employee, contractor, or agent in furtherance of an action brought under this section or other efforts to stop 1 or more acts described in section 3(1) is entitled to all relief necessary to make the employee, contractor, or agent whole. Relief available under this subsection includes, but is not limited to, all of the following:
(a) An injunction to restrain continued discrimination.
(b) Hiring, contracting, or reinstatement to the position the person would have had but for the discrimination or to an equivalent position.
(c) Reinstatement of full fringe benefits and seniority rights.
(d) Payment of 2 times back pay and interest.
(e) Compensation for any special damages sustained as a result of the discrimination, including litigation costs and reasonable attorney fees.
(2) For purposes of this section, lawful acts include, but are not limited to, obtaining or transmitting to this state, a local government, a qui tam plaintiff, or private counsel solely employed to investigate a cause of action or potentially file or file an action under this act documents, data, correspondence, electronic mail, or any other information, even though the act may violate a contract, employment term, or duty owed to the employer or contractor, if the possession and transmission of the documents are for the sole purpose of furthering efforts to stop 1 or more acts described in section 3(1). This subsection does not prevent a law enforcement authority from bringing a civil or criminal action against a person for violating a law.
(3) An employee, contractor, or agent described in subsection (1) may bring an action in the appropriate court for the relief provided in this section.
Sec. 6. (1) An action under this act must be commenced within 10 years after the date on which the act described in section 3(1) is committed. For purposes of this act, an action under this act is commenced by the filing of a complaint.
(2) For purposes of applying any requirements of a court rule relating to pleading allegations of fraud, in pleading an action brought under this act, the qui tam plaintiff is not required to identify specific claims that result from an alleged course of misconduct, or any specific records or statements used, if the facts alleged in the complaint, if ultimately proven true, would provide a reasonable indication that 1 or more acts described in section 3(1) are likely to have occurred, and if the allegations in the complaint provide adequate notice of the specific nature of the alleged misconduct to permit this state or a local government effectively to investigate and defendants fairly to defend against the allegations made.
(3) In an action brought under this act, this state, a local government that participates as a party in the action, or a qui tam plaintiff has the burden of proving the essential elements of the cause of action, including damages, by a preponderance of the evidence.
Sec. 7. This act does not do any of the following:
(a) Preempt the authority, or relieve the duty, of a law enforcement agency to investigate and prosecute a suspected violation of law.
(b) Prevent or prohibit a person from voluntarily disclosing any information concerning an act described in section 3(1) to a law enforcement agency.
(c) Limit the power of the attorney general, a state agency, or a local government to investigate an act described in section 3(1) and take appropriate action against any wrongdoer.
Sec. 8. The attorney general may promulgate rules as necessary to implement this act under the administrative procedures act of 1969, 1969 PA 306, MCL 24.201 to 24.328.