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Across the state, hardworking families are struggling to afford everything from eggs to gas to housing. At the same time, we’re seeing greedy corporations collude to fix prices, restrain trade, and limit production — illegal steps that benefit their company bottom line at the expense of consumers, workers, and other businesses that follow the law.
Make no mistake: greedy corporations know when they’re breaking antitrust laws; they simply build the cost of the penalties into their budget.
Breaking the law cannot be part of a company’s business plan. This week I signed on as a sponsor of Senator Melissa Hurtado’s (D-Bakersfield) Senate Bill 763, legislation that would increase the penalties of violating California’s antitrust laws so businesses will think twice before they do. As the fifth largest economy in the world, it’s critical that we fight for a fair and competitive marketplace to ensure that all companies have room to grow and succeed based on innovation and the quality of their goods and services, not backdoor deals. California’s antitrust laws are good for competition, good for business, and good for hardworking families—I’ll always be proud to enforce and strengthen them.
In solidarity,
Rob
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Sharpening California's Antitrust Law
 Since taking office, I have made robust antitrust enforcement a top priority, working to expand the size of California DOJ’s Antitrust Section and leading the charge within the state and across the country. As part of this effort, I was proud to unveil new legislation this week alongside Senator Hurtado seeking to more effectively deter corporations from restraining trade, fixing prices, and reducing competition. Senate Bill 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. 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.
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Securing Court Decision Allowing Huntington Beach Voter ID Challenge to be Heard
 The Orange County Superior Court ruled this week that my lawsuit with Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber, PhD challenging Huntington Beach's Measure A is ripe and can be heard on the merits, vacating its prior decisions. Measure A amended the city’s charter to purportedly allow the city to impose additional voting restrictions prohibited by state law for all municipal elections starting in 2026. All along, Secretary of State Weber and I have asserted that it is not too early to bring our lawsuit. Earlier this month, the California Fourth District Court of Appeal suggested that it agreed with us and asked the Orange County Superior Court to decide whether it would reverse course. The Orange County Superior Court has now done that, and a hearing on the merits will take place in April.
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Continuing to Support the Development of Affordable Housing
 Also this week, the Santa Barbara County Superior Court issued a decision requiring the City of Goleta to accept and process a preliminary application for a proposed affordable housing project by the Shelby Family Partnership. The court's order, which sides with the positions outlined in the amicus brief I filed last year, is unambiguous: Goleta must allow the application to move forward. I urge the city to do so without any further delay, as required by our state housing laws. My office will continue to monitor the situation closely. Desperately needed affordable housing is at stake here.
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Keeping You Safe
 Gun violence remains a growing threat to public safety throughout the nation. On average, there are over 120 gun deaths each day and nearly 45,000 each year in the U.S. Guns are the leading cause of death among children and adolescents, with U.S. children being more likely to die from gun violence than in any other comparable country. Gun violence is not only a public safety crisis, but a public health crisis. Despite this, the Trump Administration chose to shutter the White House's Office of Gun Violence Prevention shortly after taking office. In California, however, our own first-of-its-kind Office of Gun Violence Prevention is continuing to advance the state’s efforts to adopt a more holistic approach to reducing gun violence. You can learn more about this work at oag.ca.gov/ogvp.
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Making Your Life Affordable
 From groceries to gas, costs seem to be rising and rising ... and rising. California DOJ has your back and is committed to protecting California families grappling with the high cost of living and the struggle to keep costs down. In this segment, find some of the ways California DOJ is protecting Californians — and their wallets.
Hot Tip: Did you know, you can freeze your child's credit?
What We Did: California DOJ has easy to follow instructions on freezing your child's credit here.
What This Means to You: Children make attractive targets for identity thieves — their "clean" social security numbers are particularly appealing. These crimes are often not discovered until children become adults, giving thieves years to use stolen identities and damage the credit histories of unsuspecting children. By freezing their credit, you can give your children a fraud-free start!
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Make a Difference at California DOJ
 Apply today to help California DOJ protect the health, well-being, and public safety of Californians. Check out our featured jobs below and visit oag.ca.gov/careers for a full listing of available positions:
Deputy Attorney General III, Employment Law Section
Deputy Attorney General Supervisor, Antitrust Law Section
Deputy Attorney General IV, Health Education & Welfare
Deputy Attorney General IV, Environmental Justice and Protection
Deputy Attorney General IV, Public Records Act Unit
Senior Assistant Attorney General, Natural Resources Law Section
Senior Assistant Attorney General, Native American and Tribal Affairs Section
Carry Concealed Weapons Program Manager, Bureau of Firearms
Enterprise Architect, Application Development Bureau
Crime Analyst, DMFEA Investigations Section
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Post of the Week
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FLASH BRIEFING
Attorney General Bonta Issues Statement on District Court’s Ruling to Remand ExxonMobil Plastics Lawsuit to State Court
Attorney General Bonta Files Amicus Brief Supporting Nevada Voting Rights Law
Attorney General Bonta Files Amicus Brief to Continue Supporting the Affordable Care Act’s Preventive Care Mandate
Attorney General Bonta Files Second Motion to Enforce Against Trump Administration Amid Ongoing Disruptions to Certain FEMA Funding
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Photo of the Week
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 Discussing the importance of partnership, progress, and fighting for justice for ALL Californians with NAACP Pomona Valley Branch.
In this time of discord and division, there is too much is on the line to not stand together.
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Resource Corner
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