WEST virginia legislature

2017 regular session

Introduced

Senate Bill 568

By Senators Maynard and Gaunch

[Introduced March 9, 2017; Referred
to the Committee on the Judiciary]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §61-5-30, relating to making it a crime for doctors and lawyers to knowingly file a fraudulent claim for disability benefits or providing substantive information in support of a fraudulent claim; and establishing the penalties.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended by adding thereto a new section, designated §61-5-30, to read as follows:

ARTICLE 5. CRIMES AGAINST PUBLIC JUSTICE.

§61-5-30. Penalties for fraudulent disability claims.

A doctor or lawyer who is convicted of knowingly filing a fraudulent claim for disability benefits or providing substantive information in support of a fraudulent claim from the State or any of its agencies shall be confined in a state correctional facility for not less than one nor more than ten years and fined not more than $10,000.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to make it a crime for doctors and lawyers to knowingly file a fraudulent claim for disability benefits or providing substantive information in support of a fraudulent claim. The bill establishes the penalties.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.