Bill > SB5994

This bill, the Antitrust Penalties Improvement Act, amends the existing consumer protection law in Washington state to increase penalties for antitrust violations. The key provisions are: 1) Increasing the maximum civil penalty for antitrust violations (price fixing, etc.) from $900,000 to up to three times the illegal gains or losses avoided as a result of each violation. This is intended to provide stronger deterrence against anticompetitive behavior. 2) Adding an enhanced $5,000 penalty for antitrust violations that target or impact specific demographic groups based on characteristics like race, national origin, or disability. 3) Requiring the state Attorney General's office to evaluate the efficacy of the penalty amounts every five years and provide the legislature with a report on potential adjustments for inflation. The bill aims to strengthen antitrust enforcement in Washington by ensuring the penalties are sufficient to hold violators accountable, deter future violations, and protect consumers and businesses from the harm caused by illegal anticompetitive practices.