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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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CONTACT: Mike
Storm |
State Rep. Michael
Gerber |
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Gerber announces plan to protect Pa. taxpayers from fraud
HARRISBURG, June 8 – State Rep. Michael Gerber, D-Montgomery, has unveiled anti-fraud legislation that would protect Pennsylvania taxpayers.
“With my legislation, we could seriously cut the amount of money lost to fraud and create a new source of revenue by encouraging good citizens to blow the whistle on those who are ripping off taxpayer dollars,” Gerber said.
Gerber’s bill would allow whistleblowers who discover theft of state money to sue wrongdoers in order to recover stolen funds on behalf of the Commonwealth. The legislation also would provide the state government with an added source of revenue, reward and protect whistleblowers for doing the right thing, and punish wrongdoers with significant damages and civil penalties.
A similar federal false-claims law is already in effect. The federal government enacted a financial incentive program designed to encourage states to enact their own versions, primarily to reduce Medicaid fraud at the state level.
Under Gerber’s legislation, Pennsylvania would join more than 15 states that now have a false-claims act and become eligible for the federal financial incentive program.
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