CaliforniaCalifornia’s signed law would ban monopolizing markets, with exceptions
The signed law would bar people and businesses from monopolizing markets as buyers or sellers, while exempting qualifying small businesses and certain government-granted and supervised activities.
What it does
The signed law would ban people and businesses from monopolizing markets as buyers or sellers. Qualifying small businesses and certain government-granted and supervised activities would be exempt.
Only the attorney general or a district attorney could sue under this ban, and they must prove substantial market power at trial. Private unfair competition suits could not rest on alleged violations.
Courts would follow California Supreme Court guidance when deciding these monopoly cases. They would also read state competition laws broadly to promote free and fair competition.
Argument forCases against covered employers that monopolize hiring could help workers keep more choices about where to work.
Argument againstPeople harmed by a covered monopoly might have to depend on a public prosecutor, because they cannot bring a case under this ban themselves.
More detail
The signed law would bar people and businesses from monopolizing, trying to monopolize, maintaining a monopoly, or teaming up to monopolize markets as buyers or sellers. The small business exemption covers independently owned and operated businesses with a main office in California and officers who live there. Counting related businesses, an exempt business must have 100 or fewer employees and average yearly gross receipts of $10 million or less. The ban would not cover conduct within certain government-granted and supervised franchises, contracts, licenses, or permits. It also would not cover certain conduct required or allowed by law and granted and supervised by a government agency. The $10 million receipts limit uses the three years before a complaint is filed.
Only California’s attorney general or a district attorney could bring a case under this new ban. These filing and proof rules apply to cases under the new ban. The unfair competition limit concerns alleged violations of that ban. Prosecutors must allege that the accused has substantial power in a market and prove it if the case reaches trial. A private unfair competition lawsuit could not use an alleged violation of this ban as its legal basis. These cases must be filed as complex cases, which carry extra court fees.
Courts would use California Supreme Court guidance for cases under the new ban and read California competition laws broadly. The court guidance applies to cases under the new ban. The broader reading applies to California competition laws generally. For certain claims, that guidance weighs harm to competition against possible benefits.
Where do you stand?
Choose your position
Tell your reps
Take a position to see your representatives and ways to contact them.
Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Sep 30Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 826, Statutes of 2026.Latest
- Sep 30Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Sep 10Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.To Governor
- Aug 31
- Vote recorded AB 1776 Aguiar-Curry Concurrence in Senate Amendments. Result: pass.Lower
- Aug 30Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 60. Noes 16. Page 6900.).Major
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading AB1776 Aguiar-Curry et al. By Ashby. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 30In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
- Aug 30Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 30. Noes 9.).Passed Senate
- Aug 28Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 27Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.Major
- Aug 17Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 13Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.Major
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 13From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 5. Noes 2.) (August 13).Major
- Aug 10In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.Minor
- Vote recorded Placed on suspense file. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 3From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on APPR.Major
- Jul 22In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
- Jul 1From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 2.) (June 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Jun 30
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 22From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on JUD.Major
- Jun 16From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on JUD.Major
- Jun 10Referred to Com. on JUD.Minor
- May 28In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.Minor
- May 27Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 44. Noes 17. Page 5461.)Passed Assembly
- Vote recorded AB 1776 Aguiar-Curry Assembly Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- May 18Read third time and amended. Ordered to third reading. (Page 5141.)Major
- May 18Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- May 14From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 11. Noes 4.) (May 14).Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 29In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.Minor
- Apr 13Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Apr 9Read second time and amended.Major
- Apr 8From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 3.) (April 7).Major
- Apr 7
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 24Re-referred to Com. on JUD.Minor
- Mar 23From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on JUD. Read second time and amended.Major
- Feb 23Referred to Com. on JUD.Minor
- Feb 10From printer. May be heard in committee March 12.
- Feb 9Read first time. To print.Introduced
Economy & JobsConsumer Protection