SACRAMENTO, CA – For far too long, billion-dollar corporations have rigged the system, manipulated prices, and crushed small businesses—all while treating penalties as nothing more than a cost of doing business. But California is fighting back.

Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Bakersfield) and Attorney General Rob Bonta have introduced Senate Bill 763, a bold new measure that slams the door on unchecked corporate greed by significantly increasing criminal and civil penalties under the state’s antitrust laws. The bill aligns California’s Cartwright Act with the federal Sherman Antitrust Act, ensuring that those who rig markets and stifle competition finally face real consequences.

“This is about power—the power of corporations, market manipulators, and bad actors who rig prices, suppress wages, and tilt the playing field in their favor,” said Senator Melissa Hurtado. “For too long, Californians have shouldered the burden of an economy where those who break the rules profit while honest businesses and working families struggle. That ends now. SB 763 ensures that violating antitrust laws comes with real consequences, not just a slap on the wrist.”

Biggest Crackdown on Corporate Abuse in California History

Right now, California’s antitrust penalties are laughably outdated, allowing corporate executives to exploit the system without fear of real punishment. SB 763 ends that era of impunity by:

• Raising criminal fines for corporate violators from a meager $1 million to a serious $100 million per violation.
• Increasing penalties on individual executives from $250,000 to $1 million per violation—because CEOs shouldn’t walk away unscathed while workers and consumers suffer.
• Extending prison sentences for antitrust felonies from a maximum of three years to five—because white-collar crime is still crime.
• Adding civil penalties of up to $1 million per violation to ensure that even non-criminal violations face real repercussions.

The message is clear: if you break the law to rig markets, California will make you pay.

Attorney General Bonta: Corporations Must Stop Treating the Law as a Joke

Attorney General Bonta, who has been at the forefront of antitrust enforcement, praised the legislation as a crucial step toward restoring fairness:

“Too many wealthy corporations see penalties for breaking the law as simply the cost of doing business. SB 763 would sharpen the teeth of a century-old law by increasing penalties for those looking to illegally profit at the cost of workers, consumers, and honest businesses” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “As the fifth largest economy in the world, and home to some of the wealthiest corporations, California has a responsibility to fight for a fair and competitive marketplace, especially amid the unprecedented wave of corporate mergers and market consolidation that we are seeing today. I thank Senator Hurtado for introducing this bill to help ensure we have the appropriate tools to protect a vibrant and just 21st century economy.”

The Billion-Dollar Conspiracy Against California Families

The impact of unchecked monopolies is felt in every household—from the skyrocketing cost of groceries, gas, and rent to the disappearance of small businesses that once anchored communities.

This is not an abstract issue. It is happening right now.

• December 2024: Attorney General Bonta blocked the Kroger-Albertsons merger, stopping what would have been a devastating blow to food prices and consumer choice.
• August 2024: His office sued RealPage, exposing how rent-fixing algorithms were pushing families into financial distress.
• July 2024: Bonta secured a $50 million settlement against gas trading firms that conspired to keep fuel prices artificially high.
• September 2022: His office took on Amazon, challenging the company’s aggressive tactics that drive up prices and squeeze out competition.

These aren’t accidents. These are deliberate, calculated moves by corporate giants to siphon more money from hardworking Californians.

Enough Talk. It’s Time to Act.

While CEOs collect record-breaking bonuses, everyday Californians struggle under soaring prices and declining wages.SB 763 is about restoring balance—putting power back in the hands of consumers and workers instead of monopolies.

California will no longer tolerate those who cheat the system and walk away richer. If you rig prices, suppress wages, or kill competition, be warned:

🔹 We will hold you accountable.

🔹 We will protect consumers and small businesses.

🔹 We will enforce the law—because nobody is above it.

Senator Melissa Hurtado is Chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and currently represents the 16th Senate District in the California Legislature, which includes portions of Fresno, Tulare, Kings and Kern Counties.  

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