Grove Backs Anti-Fraud Bill Pilfered by House Democrats

July 9, 2025

HARRISBURG – Rep. Seth Grove (R-Dover) backed legislation he formerly introduced to give state officials the tools to go after waste, fraud and abuse to recover taxpayer money lost in fraud schemes.

“Legislation approved by the House today is the right step toward combatting fraud across Pennsylvania,” Grove said. “Every misspent or fraudulently used dollar is another dollar hard-working taxpayers have to make up for.”

House Bill 1697 would give state officials additional tools to reduce expenditures by rooting out fraud across state government and provide additional revenue to the Commonwealth through receiving a larger share of federal false claims settlements.

Grove introduced the legislation in previous years. This session, he offered the legislation again, but House Democrats copy/pasted the bill into their own, which became House Bill 1697.

Grove’s concept mirrors the Federal False Claims Act. Pennsylvania is the largest state in the Union without its own False Claims Act.

The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration.

Editors’ Note:
A video clip of Rep. Seth Grove supporting the bill in the House is available for viewing and distribution. To download the clip, follow the link, click the three dots in the lower right corner of the screen and select download: pagopvideo.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/455585048.mp4.

Representative Seth Grove
196th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Greg Gross
717.260.6374
ggross@pahousegop.com
RepGrove.com / Facebook.com/RepSethGrove