STATE FALSE CLAIMS ACT: MINNESOTA

15C.01 DEFINITIONS.

Subdivision 1. Scope. For purposes of this chapter, the terms in this section have the meanings given them.

Subd. 2. Claim. "Claim" includes a request or demand, whether under a contract or otherwise, for money or property that is made by a contractor, grantee, or other recipient to the state or a political subdivision if the state or the political subdivision has provided or will provide a portion of the money or property that is requested or demanded, or if the state or the political subdivision has reimbursed or will reimburse the contractor, grantee, or other recipient for a portion of the money or property that is requested or demanded.

Subd. 3. Knowing and knowingly. "Knowing" and "knowingly" mean that a person, with respect to information:

(1) has actual knowledge of the information;
(2) acts in deliberate ignorance of the truth or falsity of the information; or
(3) acts in reckless disregard of the truth or falsity of the information.

No proof of specific intent to defraud is required, but in no case is a person who acts merely negligently, inadvertently, or mistakenly with respect to information deemed to have acted knowingly.

Subd. 4. Original source. "Original source" means a person who has direct and independent knowledge of information that is probative of an essential element of the allegations in an action brought under this chapter that was not obtained from a public source and who either voluntarily provided the information to the state or the political subdivision before bringing an action based on the information or whose information provided the basis for or caused an investigation, hearing, audit, or report that led to the public disclosure of the allegations or transactions upon which an action brought under this chapter is based.

Subd. 5. Person. "Person" means a natural person, partnership, corporation,  association or other legal entity but does not include the state or a political subdivision.

Subd. 6. Political subdivision. "Political subdivision" means a political subdivision of the state and includes a department or agency of a political subdivision.

Subd. 7. Prosecuting attorney. "Prosecuting attorney" means:

(1) the attorney general, if the false or fraudulent claim involves money, property, or services provided by the state; or
(2) the county attorney, city attorney, or other attorney representing a political subdivision, if the false or fraudulent claim involves money, property, or services provided by the political subdivision.

Subd. 8. State. "State" means the state of Minnesota and includes a department or agency of the state.

15C.02 LIABILITY FOR CERTAIN ACTS.
(a) A person who commits any act described in clauses (1) to (7) is liable to the state or the political subdivision for a civil penalty of not less than $5,500 and not more than $11,000 per false or fraudulent claim, plus three times the amount of damages that the state or the political subdivision sustains because of the act of that person, except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b):

(1) knowingly presents, or causes to be presented, to an officer or employee of the state or a political subdivision a false or fraudulent claim for payment or approval;
(2) knowingly makes or uses, or causes to be made or used, a false record or statement to get a false or fraudulent claim paid or approved by the state or a political subdivision;
(3) knowingly conspires to either present a false or fraudulent claim to the state or a political subdivision for payment or approval or makes, uses, or causes to be made or used a false record or statement to obtain payment or approval of a false or fraudulent claim;
(4) has possession, custody, or control of public property or money used, or to be used, by the state or a political subdivision and knowingly delivers or causes to be delivered to the state or a political subdivision less money or property than the amount for which the person receives a receipt;
(5) is authorized to prepare or deliver a receipt for money or property used, or to be used, by the state or a political subdivision and knowingly prepares or delivers a receipt that falsely represents the money or property;
(6) knowingly buys, or receives as a pledge of an obligation or debt, public property from an officer or employee of the state or a political subdivision  who lawfully may not sell or pledge the property; or
(7) knowingly makes or uses, or causes to be made or used, a false record or statement to conceal, avoid, or decrease an obligation to pay or transmit money or property to the state or a political subdivision.

(b) The court may assess not less than two times the amount of damages that the state or The political subdivision sustains because of the act of the person if:

(1) the person committing a violation under paragraph (a) furnished an officer or employee of the state or the political subdivision responsible for investigating the false or fraudulent claim violation with all information known to the person about the violation within 30 days after the date on which the person first obtained the information;
(2) the person fully cooperated with any investigation by the state or the political subdivision of the violation; and
(3) at the time the person furnished the state or the political subdivision with information about the violation, no criminal prosecution, civil action, or administrative action had been commenced under this chapter with respect to the violation and the person did not have actual knowledge of the existence of an investigation into the violation.

(c) A person violating this section is also liable to the state or the political subdivision for the costs of a civil action brought to recover any penalty or damages.
(d) A person is not liable under this section for mere negligence, inadvertence, or mistake with respect to activities involving a false or fraudulent claim.
(e) An employer is not liable for an act committed by a nonmanagerial employee that violates this section, unless the employer had knowledge of the act, ratified the act, or was reckless in the hiring or supervision of the employee.
(f) Except in cases where proof of specific intent to defraud the state or a political subdivision is found, a person is not liable under this section if:

(1)the person has been informed by the original source that single or multiple false or fraudulent claims have been made against the state or a political subdivision; and
(2) the person repays the amount of actual damages to the state or the political subdivision within 45 days after being so informed. If the person has a compliance office, an original source is not considered to have informed the person of a false or fraudulent claim unless the original source reported it to the person's compliance office.

15C.03 EXCLUSION.
This chapter does not apply to claims, records, or statements made under portions of Minnesota Statutes relating to taxation.

15C.04 RESPONSIBILITIES OF PROSECUTING ATTORNEY.

Subdivision 1. General. A prosecuting attorney may investigate violations of section 15C.02. If a prosecuting attorney finds that a person has violated or is violating section 15C.02, the prosecuting attorney may bring a civil action under this chapter against the person to enjoin an act in violation of section 15C.02 and to recover damages and penalties.

Subd. 2. Attorney general investigatory powers. In connection with an investigation under this section, the attorney general has the powers listed in section 8.31, subdivisions 2 and 3.

15C.05PRIVATE REMEDIES; COMPLAINT UNDER SEAL; COPY OF COMPLAINT AND WRITTEN DISCLOSURE OF EVIDENCE TO BE SENT TO PROSECUTING ATTORNEY.

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, a person may maintain an action under this chapter on the person's own account and that of the state if money, property, or services provided by the state are involved; the person's own account and that of a political subdivision if money, property, or services provided by the political subdivision are involved; or on the person's own account and that of both the state and a political subdivision if both are involved. After an action is commenced, it may be voluntarily dismissed only if the court and the prosecuting attorney give written consent to the dismissal and their reasons for consenting.
(b) If an action is brought under this section, no other person may bring another action under this section based on the same facts that are the subject of the pending action.
(c) An action may not be maintained under this section:

(1) against the state, the legislature, the judiciary, the executive branch, or a political subdivision, or their respective officers, members, or employees;
(2) if the action is based upon allegations or transactions that are the subject of a civil action or an administrative proceeding for a monetary penalty to which the state or a political subdivision is already a party; or
(3) unless the action is brought by an original source of the information or the prosecuting attorney initiates or intervenes in the action, if the action is based upon the public disclosure of allegations or transactions:

(i) in a criminal, civil, or administrative hearing;
(ii) in an investigation, report, hearing, or audit conducted by or at the request of the house of representatives or the senate;
(iii) by an auditor or the governing body of a political subdivision; or
(iv) by the news media.

(d) A complaint in an action under this section must be commenced by filing the complaint with the court in chambers and the court must place it under seal for at least 60 days. No service may be made upon the defendant until the complaint is unsealed.
(e) If a complaint is filed under this section, the plaintiff shall serve a copy of the complaint on the prosecuting attorney in accordance with the Minnesota Rules of Civil Procedure and at the same time shall serve a written disclosure of all material evidence and information the plaintiff possesses.