California officials oppose AB 1776 antitrust rewrite

California’s Department of Finance and the California Chamber of Commerce have formally expressed opposition to Assembly Bill 1776, known as the COMPETE Act. The bill seeks to rewrite the Cartwright Act, California’s primary antitrust law dating back to 1907.

If passed, AB 1776 would expand antitrust enforcement to include single-firm conduct, allowing the state and private plaintiffs to pursue companies for monopolizing or monopsonizing. The legislation also introduces a private right of action and instructs judges to interpret the law liberally in favor of competition. While supporters argue the bill modernizes outdated laws to check dominant firms, opponents warn that the vague standards and expanded scope will worsen the state’s deficit and depart from federal law.