STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2180

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2019

RE: S.B. No. 1176

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 1176, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to amend Hawaii's False Claims Act to meet the requirements of Section 1909 of the federal Social Security Act, which provides a financial incentive for states that enact false claims laws in conformity with federal law. Specifically, this measure:

(1) Increases the penalty amounts for false claims to the State to a minimum of $11,463 and a maximum of $22,927; and

(2) Requires the state penalty amounts for the year 2020 and thereafter to be the same as, and for the same effective dates as, the federal penalty amounts adjusted and adopted by the United States Department of Justice.

The Department of the Attorney General supported this measure.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1176, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair