Bill update: False Claims Act measure makes it into state government finance omnibus

The Minnesota False Claims Act bill we’ve written about previously has made it into the omnibus state government finance bill that’s scheduled to be taken up on the House floor today.

The bill, which would create a class of civil penalties for making false claims to state or local government and allow whistleblowers to receive financial rewards for exposing such claims, was sponsored by Rep. Steve Simon (DFL-St. Louis Park). It had faced opposition from the Minnesota Attorney General’s office, which pushed a fiscal note suggesting that implementing the measure would cost $2 million, and from former AG Mike Hatch. Hatch and the AG’s office had supported prior versions of the bill in past sessions, leading many critics to believe their about-face reflected a personal vendetta against Simon, who has been a critic of the AG’s office.