AB1021: Bill Text

AB1021,7,17 (10) The attorney general may pursue a claim relating to an alleged violation of sub. (2) through an alternate remedy available to the state or any state agency, including an administrative proceeding to assess a civil forfeiture. If the attorney general elects any such alternate remedy, the attorney general shall serve timely notice of his or her election upon the person bringing the action under sub. (5), and that person has the same rights in the alternate venue as the person would have had if the action had continued under sub. (5). Any finding of fact or conclusion of law made by a court or by a state agency in the alternate venue that has become final is conclusive upon all parties named in an action under sub. (5). For purposes of this subsection, a finding or conclusion is final if it has been finally determined on appeal, if all time for filing an appeal or petition for review with respect to the finding or conclusion has expired, or if the finding or conclusion is not subject to judicial review.

AB1021,7,23 (11) (a) Except as provided in pars. (b) and (e), if the state proceeds with an action brought by a person under sub. (5) or the state pursues an alternate remedy relating to the same acts under sub. (10), the person who brings the action shall receive at least 15 percent but not more than 25 percent of the proceeds of the action or settlement of the claim, depending upon the extent to which the person contributed to the prosecution of the action or claim.

AB1021,8,8 (b) Except as provided in par. (e), if an action or claim is one in which the court or other adjudicator finds to be based primarily upon disclosures of specific information not provided by the person who brings an action under sub. (5) relating to allegations or transactions specifically in a criminal, civil, or administrative hearing, or in a legislative or administrative report, hearing, audit, or investigation, or report made by the news media, the court or other adjudicator may award such amount as it considers appropriate, but not more than 10 percent of the proceeds of the action or settlement of the claim, depending upon the significance of the information and the role of the person bringing the action in advancing the prosecution of the action or claim.

AB1021,8,13 (c) Except as provided in par. (e), in addition to any amount received under par. (a) or (b), a person bringing an action under sub. (5) shall be awarded his or her reasonable expenses necessarily incurred in bringing the action together with the person's costs and reasonable actual attorney fees. The court or other adjudicator shall assess any award under this paragraph against the defendant.

AB1021,8,19 (d) Except as provided in par. (e), if the state does not proceed with an action or an alternate proceeding under sub. (10), the person bringing the action shall receive an amount that the court decides is reasonable for collection of the civil penalty and damages. The amount shall be not less than 25 percent and not more than 30 percent of the proceeds of the action and shall be paid from the proceeds. In addition, the person shall be paid his or her expenses, costs, and fees under par. (c).

AB1021,9,6 (e) Whether or not the state proceeds with the action or an alternate proceeding under sub. (10), if the court or other adjudicator finds that an action under sub. (5) was brought by a person who planned or initiated the violation upon which the action or proceeding is based, then the court may, to the extent that the court considers appropriate, reduce the share of the proceeds of the action that the person would otherwise receive under par. (a), (b), or (d), taking into account the role of that person in advancing the prosecution of the action or claim and any other relevant circumstance pertaining to the violation, except that if the person bringing the action is convicted of criminal conduct arising from his or her role in a violation of sub. (2), the court or other adjudicator shall dismiss the person as a party and the person shall not receive any share of the proceeds of the action or claim or any expenses, costs, and fees under par. (c).

AB1021,9,11 (12) Except if the action is brought by the attorney general or the person bringing the action is an original source of the information, the court shall dismiss an action or claim under this section, unless opposed by the state, if substantially the same allegations or transactions as alleged in the action or claim were publicly disclosed in any of the following ways:

AB1021,9,13 (a) In a federal criminal, civil, or administrative hearing in which the state or its agent is a party.

AB1021,9,15 (b) In a congressional, government accountability office, or other federal report, hearing, audit, or investigation.

AB1021,9,16 (c) From the news media.

AB1021,9,18 (13) The state is not liable for any expenses incurred by a private person in bringing an action under sub. (5).

AB1021,9,25 (14) Any employee, contractor, or agent who is discharged, demoted, suspended, threatened, harassed, or in any other manner discriminated against in the terms and conditions of employment because of lawful actions taken by the employee, contractor, agent, or by others in furtherance of an action or claim filed under this section or on behalf of the employee, contractor, or agent, including investigation for, initiation of, testimony for, or assistance in an action or claim filed or to be filed under sub. (5) is entitled to all necessary relief to make the employee, contractor, or agent whole. Such relief shall in each case include reinstatement with the same seniority status that the employee, contractor, or agent would have had but for the discrimination, 2 times the amount of back pay, interest on the back pay at the legal rate, and compensation for any special damages sustained as a result of the discrimination, including costs and reasonable attorney fees. An employee, contractor, or agent may bring an action to obtain the relief to which the employee, contractor, or agent is entitled under this subsection within 3 years after the date the retaliation occurred.

AB1021,10,10 (15) A civil action may be brought based upon acts occurring prior to October 27, 2007, if the action is brought within the period specified in s. 893.9815.

AB1021,10,14 (16) A judgment of guilty entered against a defendant in a criminal action in which the defendant is charged with fraud or making false statements estops the defendant from denying the essential elements of the offense in any action under sub. (5) that involves the same elements as in the criminal action.

AB1021,10,16 (17) The remedies provided for under this section are in addition to any other remedies provided for under any other law or available under the common law.

AB1021,10,19 (18) This section shall be liberally construed and applied to promote the public interest and to effect the congressional intent in enacting 31 USC 3729 to 3733, as reflected in the act and the legislative history of the act.

AB1021,2 Section 2 . 49.485 of the statutes is renumbered 49.485 (2) and amended to read:

AB1021,11,4 49.485 (2) Whoever knowingly presents or causes to be presented to any officer, employee, or agent of this state a false claim for medical assistance Except as provided under s. 20.9315 (3), whoever commits an act in violation of s. 20.9315 (2) shall forfeit not less than $5,000 nor more than $10,000 an amount within the range specified under 31 USC 3729 (a), plus 3 times the amount of the damages that were sustained by the state or would have been sustained by the state, whichever is greater, as a result of the false claim. The attorney general may bring an action on behalf of the state to recover any forfeiture incurred under this section.

AB1021,3 Section 3 . 49.485 (1) of the statutes is created to read:

AB1021,11,6 49.485 (1) In this section, “claim” has the meaning given in s. 20.9315.

AB1021,4 Section 4. 165.08 of the statutes is amended to read:

AB1021,11,15 165.08 Power to compromise. Any civil action prosecuted by the department by direction of any officer, department, board or commission, shall be compromised or discontinued when so directed by such officer, department, board or commission. Any Except as provided in s. 20.9315 (7) (b), any civil action prosecuted by the department on the initiative of the attorney general, or at the request of any individual may be compromised or discontinued with the approval of the governor. In any criminal action prosecuted by the attorney general, the department shall have the same powers with reference to such action as are vested in district attorneys.

AB1021,5 Section 5. 165.25 (11m) of the statutes is created to read:

AB1021,11,19 165.25 (11m) False claims. Diligently investigate possible violations of s. 20.9315, and, if the department determines that a person has committed an act that is punishable under s. 20.9315, may bring a civil action against that person.

AB1021,6 Section 6. 801.02 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB1021,11,25 801.02 (1) A Except as provided in s. 20.9315 (5) (b), a civil action in which a personal judgment is sought is commenced as to any defendant when a summons and a complaint naming the person as defendant are filed with the court, provided service of an authenticated copy of the summons and of the complaint is made upon the defendant under this chapter within 90 days after filing.

AB1021,7 Section 7. 803.09 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB1021,12,7 803.09 (1) Upon Except as provided in s. 20.9315, upon timely motion anyone shall be permitted to intervene in an action when the movant claims an interest relating to the property or transaction which is the subject of the action and the movant is so situated that the disposition of the action may as a practical matter impair or impede the movant's ability to protect that interest, unless the movant's interest is adequately represented by existing parties.

AB1021,8 Section 8. 803.09 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB1021,12,18 803.09 (2) Upon Except as provided in s. 20.9315, upon timely motion anyone may be permitted to intervene in an action when a movant's claim or defense and the main action have a question of law or fact in common. When a party to an action relies for ground of claim or defense upon any statute or executive order or rule administered by a federal or state governmental officer or agency or upon any regulation, order, rule, requirement or agreement issued or made pursuant to the statute or executive order, the officer or agency upon timely motion may be permitted to intervene in the action. In exercising its discretion the court shall consider whether the intervention will unduly delay or prejudice the adjudication of the rights of the original parties.

AB1021,9 Section 9. 804.01 (2) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB1021,12,22 804.01 (2) Scope of discovery. (intro.) Unless Except as provided in s. 20.9315 (9), and unless otherwise limited by order of the court in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, the scope of discovery is as follows:

AB1021,10 Section 10. 805.04 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB1021,13,6 805.04 (1) By plaintiff; by stipulation. An Except as provided in sub. (2p), an action may be dismissed by the plaintiff without order of court by serving and filing a notice of dismissal at any time before service by an adverse party of responsive pleading or motion or by the filing of a stipulation of dismissal signed by all parties who have appeared in the action. Unless otherwise stated in the notice of dismissal or stipulation, the dismissal is not on the merits, except that a notice of dismissal operates as an adjudication on the merits when filed by a plaintiff who has once dismissed in any court an action based on or including the same claim.

AB1021,11 Section 11. 805.04 (2p) of the statutes is created to read:

AB1021,13,11 805.04 (2p) False claims. An action filed under s. 20.9315 may be dismissed only by order of the court. In determining whether to dismiss the action filed under s. 20.9315, the court shall take into account the best interests of the parties and the purposes of s. 20.9315.

AB1021,12 Section 12. 893.9815 of the statutes is created to read:

AB1021,13,15 893.9815 False claims. An action or claim under s. 20.9315 shall be commenced within 10 years after the cause of the action or claim accrues or be barred.

AB1021,13,16 (End)