Unfair competition.

Existing law defines unfair competition and makes unlawful specified business practices intended to injure competitors or destroy competition, and specifies criminal penalties and civil remedies for violations, including injunctive relief and damages. This bill would make it unlawful for any person to develop, produce, or manufacture any article or product, as defined, using stolen or misappropriated property, including, but not limited to, unlicensed computer software, when the article or product is in competition with an article or product that is lawfully developed, produced, and manufactured. The bill would make violations of its provisions subject to existing criminal penalties and civil remedies. By expanding the scope of an existing crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.