New York Consolidated Laws, State Finance Law - STF § 188. Definitions

2. “False claim” means any claim which is, either in whole or part, false or fraudulent.

4. “Obligation” means an established duty, whether or not fixed, arising from an express or implied contractual, grantor-grantee, or licensor-licensee relationship, from a fee-based or similar relationship, from statute or regulation, or from the retention of any overpayment.

5. “Material” means having a natural tendency to influence, or be capable of influencing the payment or receipt of money or property.

6. “Local government” means any New York county, city, town, village, school district, board of cooperative educational services, local public benefit corporation or other municipal corporation or political subdivision of the state, or of such local government.

7. “Original source” means a person who (a) prior to a public disclosure under paragraph (b) of subdivision nine of section one hundred ninety of this article has voluntarily disclosed to the state or a local government the information on which allegations or transactions in a cause of action are based, or (b) who has knowledge that is independent of and materially adds to the publicly disclosed allegations or transactions, and who has voluntarily provided the information to the state or a local government before or simultaneous with filing an action under this article.

8. “Person” means any natural person, partnership, corporation, association or any other legal entity or individual, other than the state or a local government.

9. “State” means the state of New York and any state department, board, bureau, division, commission, committee, public benefit corporation, public authority, council, office or other governmental entity performing a governmental or proprietary function for the state.