(a) No court shall have jurisdiction over an action brought under G.S. 1-608(b) against a member of the General Assembly, a member of the judiciary, or a senior executive branch official acting in their official capacity if the action is based on evidence or information known to the State when the action was brought.
(b) In no event may a person bring an action under G.S. 1-608(b) that is based upon allegations or transactions that are the subject of a civil suit or an administrative civil money penalty proceeding in which the State is already a party.
(c) No civil action may be brought under this Article by a person who is or was a public employee or public official if the allegations of such action are based substantially upon either of the following:
(1) Allegations of wrongdoing or misconduct which such person had a duty or obligation to report or investigate within the scope of his or her public employment or office.
(2) Information or records to which the person had access as a result of his or her public employment or office.
(d) No court shall have jurisdiction over an action under G.S. 1-608(b) based upon the public disclosure of allegations or transactions (i) in a criminal, civil, or administrative hearing at the State or federal level, (ii) in a congressional, legislative, administrative, General Accounting Office, or State Auditor's report, hearing, audit, or investigation, or (iii) from the news media, unless the action is brought by the Attorney General, or the person bringing the action is an original source of the information. For purposes of this section, "original source" means an individual who has direct and independent knowledge of the information on which the allegations are based and has voluntarily provided the information to the State before filing an action under G.S. 1-608(b) that is based on the information. (2009-554, s. 1; 2010-96, s. 25(b).)
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Last modified: March 23, 2014