STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2729

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 2000

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 2115
                                        S.D. 1




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B.
No. 2115, S.D. 1, entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FALSE CLAIMS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to establish a "False Claims
Act" that allows the government or a private plaintiff to bring a
civil action to recover damages from a person who brings a false
claim against the government.

     Your Committee finds that the federal False Claims Act has
successfully led to the uncovering and prosecution of false
claims against the government, often brought by a private
plaintiff for the government in the name of the government.
Private citizens are provided an incentive to bring false claim
actions because they may recover a share of the proceeds or
settlement. 

     This measure does not authorize or allow so-called Strategic
Litigation Against Public Participation (SLAPP) suits, but rather
applies to fraudulent claims for money, property, and services as
set forth in the bill.

     Because this measure allows the government or a private
citizen to bring an action to recover damages for false claims,

 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2729
                                   Page 2


your Committee believes it will be an effective deterrent to
false claims against the government.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your
Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No.
2115, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

                                 Respectfully submitted on behalf
                                 of the members of the Committee
                                 on Ways and Means,



                                 ________________________________
                                 CAROL FUKUNAGA, Co-Chair



                                 ________________________________
                                 ANDREW LEVIN, Co-Chair

 
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