71-5-2506 - Fraud and abuse cases. - Tennessee Statutes

71-5-2506. Fraud and abuse cases.

(a)  The office of inspector general shall have the authority to provide legal assistance to the attorney general and the state district attorneys for the purpose of initiating and handling proceedings in appropriate TennCare fraud and abuse cases. Such assistance may include but not be limited to, the authority to fund assistant attorney general or assistant district attorney positions in those respective offices, subject to the appropriations made to the office of inspector general and the agreement of the offices concerned. The office of inspector general shall also have the authority to fund public defender positions, subject to the appropriations made to the office of inspector general and the agreement of the officers concerned. The office of inspector general may, with reasonable notice, terminate the funding of any attorney positions which the inspector general has funded in either of these offices.

(b)  Venue for civil actions involving fraud and abuse shall be in the county where the offense was committed or in Davidson County. Venue for criminal actions involving fraud and abuse shall be to the full extent permitted by the constitution of the state.

[Acts 2004, ch. 673, § 20; 2005, ch. 474, § 8.]