Bill > HB2846

This bill establishes new notification and oversight requirements in Pennsylvania for mergers and acquisitions involving public safety instrumentality manufacturers, which are businesses that create, assemble, or transport emergency vehicles like fire trucks and ambulances. Under the legislation, companies already required to file federal premerger notices with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) under federal antitrust law must provide duplicate copies of those filings to the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. Additionally, companies undergoing a "material change"—defined as significant structural business combinations, such as mergers or acquisitions involving these emergency vehicle manufacturers that meet specific revenue thresholds—must give the Attorney General at least 120 days of advance written notice containing specific details about the transaction, with failure to comply resulting in civil penalties of up to $500 per day. The bill also grants the Attorney General broad civil investigative powers, including the authority to issue subpoenas, administer oaths, and compel evidence if there is reason to suspect a violation of antitrust laws, while penalizing anyone who attempts to obstruct such investigations with fines up to $25,000. Furthermore, the legislation allows private parties injured by anticompetitive conduct to file lawsuits to recover damages, such as triple damages or overcharges without needing to prove individual reliance, and permits the Attorney General to cooperate and share investigative information with federal authorities and other state agencies.