This bill aims to enhance consumer protection by introducing new provisions related to Medicaid fraud and expanding the enforcement authority of the attorney general. It amends existing statutes to allow authorized assistant attorneys general to subpoena various entities, such as telephone and cellular companies, financial institutions, and insurance records, to assist in Medicaid fraud investigations. The bill establishes criminal penalties for medical assistance fraud, detailing specific actions that constitute fraud and the corresponding penalties based on the severity of the offense. Notably, it proposes the repeal of the previous statute on Medicaid fraud and introduces a new section that defines medical assistance fraud and outlines penalties, which can range from fines and imprisonment for lesser offenses to severe consequences for larger-scale fraud.

Additionally, the bill includes amendments to laws regarding telecommunications and criminal acts, clarifying permissible actions like electronic video rerecording for fair use and addressing unauthorized telecommunications connections and wage theft. It introduces a new section, 609.467, which replaces the repealed section 609.466, specifying that individuals who present false claims related to medical assistance funds with intent to defraud are guilty of theft of public funds. The bill allocates $1,230,000 to the attorney general for combating medical assistance fraud and $85,000 to the commissioner of human services for compliance with documentation requests. The effective date for these provisions is set for August 1, 2026, applying to crimes committed on or after that date, and it also revises the statute of limitations for various offenses to allow for prosecution of serious crimes without time constraints.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 609.466, 8.16, 256B.12, 628.26
1st Engrossment: 609.466, 8.16, 256B.12, 609.52, 628.26
2nd Engrossment: 609.466, 8.16, 256B.12, 609.52, 628.26
3rd Engrossment: 609.466, 8.16, 609.52
4th Engrossment: 8.16, 13.65, 609.52, 609.466
5th Engrossment: 609.466, 8.16, 609.52