HB 374 Summary

• Establishes a Missouri False Claims Act allowing civil actions against persons who knowingly present false or fraudulent claims to the state or make false records to obtain state payments, with liability of three times actual damages plus civil penalties of $5,000-$10,000 per violation.

• Creates a qui tam provision enabling private citizens ("relators") to sue on behalf of the state for false claims violations, with the state attorney general having 60 days to decide whether to intervene and take over the case.

• Provides financial incentives for relators: 15-25% of recovered proceeds if the state intervenes, or 25-30% if the state declines to proceed, plus reasonable expenses and attorneys' fees.

• Includes whistleblower protections prohibiting employers from discriminating against employees who report false claims violations, with remedies including reinstatement, double back pay, and attorneys' fees.

• Sets a 10-year statute of limitations for civil actions and requires proof by preponderance of evidence; explicitly excludes claims under the state revenue and taxation code from the act's provisions.