HB 6202

Abstract

Amends the Illinois False Claims Act. Provides that no court has jurisdiction over a civil action relating to or involving a false claim regarding a tax Act administered by the Department unless the action is brought by the Attorney General at the request of the Department. Provides that: the Department has the sole authority to initiate an administrative or judicial action resulting from information provided by a person alleging a false claim, statement, or record pertaining to a tax Act administered by the Department; the Department shall establish a procedure for the reporting of those allegations; the Department shall diligently investigate allegations of a false claim, statement, or record and may bring an action for all applicable taxes, penalties, and interest due under the tax Act; if the Department proceeds with an administrative or judicial action based on information brought to its attention by a private person, that person shall receive an award, subject to specified limits, from the action or from a settlement in response to that action, taking into account the significance of the person's information and the role of the person and a legal representative of the person in contributing to the action; an award may not be issued if the information resulting in the initiation of the action was originally provided by the person alleging the false claim; if the Department determines that the claim for award is brought by a person who planned and initiated the actions that led to the false claim and a resulting underpayment of tax for the purpose of bringing an action, the Department may appropriately reduce the award; and a determination of the Department regarding an award may be appealed to the Court of Claims within 30 days of the determination.