Indiana § 4-2-7-6 - Misconduct involving state business; report to attorney general; inspector general's authority to bring civil action

§ 4-2-7-6. Misconduct involving state business; report to attorney general; inspector general's authority to bring civil action

Sec. 6. (a) This section applies if the inspector general finds evidence of misfeasance, malfeasance, nonfeasance, misappropriation, fraud, or other misconduct that has resulted in a financial loss to the state or in an unlawful benefit to an individual in the conduct of state business.

(b) If the inspector general finds evidence described in subsection (a), the inspector general shall certify a report of the matter to the attorney general and provide the attorney general with any relevant documents, transcripts, or written statements. Not later than one hundred eighty (180) days after receipt of the report from the inspector general, the attorney general shall do one (1) of the following:

(1) File a civil action (including an action upon a state officer's official bond) to secure for the state the recovery of funds misappropriated, diverted, missing, or unlawfully gained. Upon request of the attorney general, the inspector general shall assist the attorney general in the investigation, preparation, and prosecution of the civil action.

(2) Inform the inspector general that the attorney general does not intend to file a civil action for the recovery of funds misappropriated, diverted, missing, or unlawfully gained. If the attorney general elects not to file a civil action, the attorney general shall return to the inspector general all documents and files initially provided by the inspector general.

(3) Inform the inspector general that the attorney general is diligently investigating the matter and after further investigation may file a civil action for the recovery of funds misappropriated, diverted, missing, or unlawfully gained. However, if more than three hundred sixty-five (365) days have passed since the inspector general certified the report to the attorney general, the attorney general loses the authority to file a civil action for the recovery of funds misappropriated, diverted, missing, or unlawfully gained and shall return to the inspector general all documents and files initially provided by the inspector general.

(c) If the inspector general has found evidence described in subsection (a) and reported to the attorney general under subsection (b) and:

(1) the attorney general has elected under subsection (b)(2) not to file a civil action for the recovery of funds misappropriated, diverted, missing, or unlawfully gained; or

(2) under subsection (b)(3) more than three hundred sixty-five (365) days have passed since the inspector general certified the report to the attorney general under subsection (b) and the attorney general has not filed a civil action;

the inspector general may file a civil action for the recovery of funds misappropriated, diverted, missing, or unlawfully gained.

(d) If the inspector general has found evidence described in subsection (a), the inspector general may institute forfeiture proceedings under IC 34-24-2 in a court having jurisdiction in a county where property derived from or realized through the misappropriation, diversion, disappearance, or unlawful gain of state funds may be located, unless a prosecuting attorney has already instituted forfeiture proceedings against that property.

(e) The inspector general may directly institute civil proceedings against a person who has failed to pay civil penalties imposed by the ethics commission under IC 4-2-6-12.

As added by P.L.222-2005, SEC.14. Amended by P.L.126-2012, SEC.5; P.L.136-2012, SEC.1.