Bill > SB785

This bill establishes a comprehensive antitrust law for Pennsylvania called the "Pennsylvania Open Markets" chapter, aimed at promoting free enterprise and preventing anti-competitive practices. The legislation creates robust enforcement mechanisms for the Attorney General to investigate and prosecute antitrust violations, with a particular focus on health care markets. Key provisions include prohibiting contracts, combinations, or conspiracies that restrain trade, making it unlawful to monopolize or monopsonize markets, and requiring premerger notifications for certain health care transactions. The bill allows both the Attorney General and private parties to bring civil actions for antitrust violations, with potential remedies including treble damages, injunctions, and civil penalties. For health care transactions, parties must provide detailed notifications to the Attorney General at least 120 days before material changes, even for transactions not covered by federal Hart-Scott-Rodino Act thresholds. Criminal penalties are established for knowingly violating the act, including potential felony charges and fines up to $1,000,000. The law is designed to be broadly applied, covering various economic activities and complementing federal antitrust statutes, with specific protections and exceptions for certain types of organizations like cooperative associations and labor unions.

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https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/bill_history.cfm?syear=2025&sind=0&body=S&type=B&bn=785