Source: http://www.jameshoyer.com/whistleblower-attorneys/state-false-claims-laws/oklahoma/
Timestamp: 2019-04-24 20:07:59+00:00

Document:
This act shall be known and may be cited as the “Oklahoma Medicaid False Claims Act”.
§63-5053.1. Definitions – Civil penalty for false or fraudulent claims.
2. “Claim” includes any request or demand, whether under a contract or otherwise, for money or property which is made to a contractor, grantee, or other recipient if this state provides any portion of the money or property which is requested or demanded, or if the state will reimburse the contractor, grantee, or other recipient for any portion of the money or property which is requested or demanded.
is liable to the State of Oklahoma for a civil penalty of not less than Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) and not more than Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00), unless a penalty is imposed for the act of that person in violation of this subsection under the federal False Claims Act for the same or a prior action, plus three times the amount of damages which the state sustains because of the act of that person.
the court may assess not less than two times the amount of damages which the state sustains because of the act of the person. A person violating subsection B of this section shall also be liable to this state for the costs of a civil action brought to recover any such penalty or damages.
D. Any information furnished pursuant to subsections A through C of this section shall be exempt from disclosure under the Oklahoma Open Records Act.
E. This section does not apply to claims, records or statements under the Oklahoma Tax Code.
§63-5053.2. Civil actions by Attorney General or individual persons authorized – Complaint procedure.
5. When a person brings an action under this section, under the federal False Claims Act, or under any similar provision of the law of any other state, no person other than the state may intervene or bring a related action based on the facts underlying the pending action.
§63-5053.3. Actions brought by individuals – Participation by state – Procedure.
A. If the state proceeds with the action pursuant to Section 3 of the Oklahoma Medicaid False Claims Act, it shall have the primary responsibility for prosecuting the action, and shall not be bound by an act of the person bringing the action. Such person shall have the right to continue as a party to the action, subject to the limitations set forth in paragraph 1 of subsection B of Section 3 of this act.
D. Notwithstanding subsection B of Section 3 of this act, the state may elect to pursue its claim through any alternate remedy available to the state, including any administrative proceeding to determine a civil money penalty. If any alternate remedy is pursued in another proceeding, the person initiating the action shall have the same rights in the proceeding as the person would have had if the action had continued under this section. Any finding of fact or conclusion of law made in the other proceeding that has become final shall be conclusive on all parties to an action under this section. For purposes of this subsection, a finding or conclusion is final if it has been finally determined on appeal to the appropriate court of the State of Oklahoma, if all time for filing the appeal with respect to the finding or conclusion has expired, or if the finding or conclusion is not subject to judicial review.
§63-5053.4. Actions brought by individuals – Share of proceeds of actions or settlement – Award of expenses, fees, and costs.
2. Where the action is one which the court finds to be based primarily on disclosures of specific information other than information provided by the person bringing the action relating to allegations or transactions in a criminal, civil, or administrative hearing, in a Congressional, legislative, administrative, or State Auditor and Inspector report, hearing, audit, or investigation, or from the news media, the court may award such sums as it considers appropriate, but in no case more than ten percent (10%) of the proceeds, taking into account the significance of the information and the role of the person bringing the action in advancing the case to litigation.
B. If the state does not proceed with an action under this section, the person bringing the action or settling the claim shall receive an amount which the court decides is reasonable for collecting the civil penalty and damages. The amount shall be not less than twenty-five percent (25%) and not more than thirty percent (30%) of the proceeds of the action or settlement and shall be paid out of the proceeds. The person shall also receive an amount for reasonable expenses which the court finds to have been necessarily incurred, plus reasonable attorney fees and costs. All such expenses, fees, and costs shall be awarded against the defendant.
C. Whether or not the state proceeds with the action, if the court finds that the action was brought by a person who planned, initiated, or participated in the violation of the Oklahoma Medicaid False Claims Act upon which the action was brought, then the court may, to the extent the court considers appropriate, reduce the share of the proceeds of the action which the person would otherwise receive under subsection A or B of this section, taking into account the role of that person in advancing the case to litigation and any relevant circumstances pertaining to the violation. If the person bringing the action is convicted of criminal conduct arising from his or her role in the violation of the Oklahoma Medicaid False Claims Act, that person shall be dismissed from the civil action and shall not receive any share of the proceeds of the action. The dismissal shall not prejudice the right of this state to continue the action, represented by the Office of the Attorney General or its assigns.
§63-5053.5. Prohibition of certain individual actions – Limitation of court jurisdiction – Liability for expenses or fees – Relief following adverse acts.
B. No court shall have jurisdiction over an action under this section based upon the public disclosure of allegations or transactions in a criminal, civil, or administrative hearing, in a Congressional, legislative, administrative, or State Auditor and Inspector report, hearing, audit, or investigation, or from the news media, unless the action is brought by the Attorney General or the person bringing the action is an original source of the information. For purposes of this subsection, “original source” means an individual who has direct and independent knowledge of the information on which the allegations are based and has voluntarily provided the information to the state before filing an action under this section which is based on the information.
E. Any employee who is discharged, demoted, suspended, threatened, harassed, or in any other manner discriminated against in the terms and conditions of employment by his or her employer because of lawful acts done by the employee on behalf of the employee or others in furtherance of an action under this act, including investigation for, initiation of, testimony for, or assistance in an action filed or to be filed, shall be entitled to all relief necessary to make the employee whole. Such relief shall include reinstatement with the same seniority status such employee would have had but for the discrimination, two times the amount of back pay, interest on the back pay, and compensation for any special damages sustained as a result of the discrimination, including litigation costs and reasonable attorney fees. An employee may bring an action in the appropriate district court of the State of Oklahoma for the relief provided in this subsection.
§63-5053.6. Service of subpoena – Limitation of actions – Burden of proof – Res judicata.
A. A subpoena requiring the attendance of a witness at a trial or hearing conducted under subsection B of Section 3 of the Oklahoma Medicaid False Claims Act may be served at any place in Oklahoma.
C. In any action brought under subsection B of Section 3 of this act, this state shall be required to prove all essential elements of the cause of action, including damages, by a preponderance of the evidence.
D. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a final judgment rendered in favor of this state in any criminal proceeding charging fraud or false statements, whether upon a verdict after trial or upon a plea of guilty or nolo contendere, shall estop the defendant from denying the essential elements of the offense in any action which involves the same transaction as in the criminal proceeding and which is brought under this act.
A. Any action under subsection B of Section 3 of the Oklahoma Medicaid False Claims Act may be brought in any judicial district in which the defendant or, in the case of multiple defendants, any one defendant can be found, resides, transacts business, or in which any act proscribed by the Oklahoma Medicaid False Claims Act occurred. A summons as required by Section 2004 of Title 12 of the Oklahoma Statutes shall be issued by the appropriate district court and served at any place within or outside the State of Oklahoma.
B. The district courts shall have jurisdiction over any action brought under the laws of the state for the recovery of funds paid by a state or local government if the action arises from the same transaction or occurrence as an action brought under subsection B of Section 3 of this act.

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