This whistleblower lawyer blog reported earlier that the New Jersey Assembly had passed the New Jersey False Claims Act, which provides incentives to whistleblowers (“relators”) to expose fraud affecting state funds–much like the federal False Claims Act does.

Governor Jon Corzine signed the new bill into law yesterday, which makes New Jersey the 20th state to enact a state False Claims Act with qui tam whistleblower provisions similar to those of the federal False Claims Act. (Click here
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The wave of new state False Claims Acts with qui tam whistleblower provisions has been a frequent topic of this whistleblower lawyer blog. In 2007, New York, Georgia, and Oklahoma joined the 16 other states that have enacted versions of the federal False Claims Act, the government’s primary weapon for fighting fraud against taxpayers.

Today, New Jersey’s Assembly unanimously passed the New Jersey State False Claims Act, which upon signature by the Governor will make New Jersey the 20th state to have a state version of the venerable qui tam whistleblower statute.

We congratulate New Jersey for taking the prudent action of passing a state False Claims Act. As we have written about extensively, Congress through the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 has created financial incentives for states that pass such qui tam whistleblower laws that are at least as effective as the federal False Claims Act.

The New Jersey False Claims Act expands on the federal Act. It also includes criminal provisions as well as civil liability for treble damages and civil penalties. The text of the Act passed today is reprinted below:
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