Commercial Law – Fair Pricing and Market Competition Fund – Establishment

HB 144 establishes the Fair Pricing and Market Competition Fund to support Maryland's Antitrust Division within the Attorney General's Office. The fund is funded by civil penalties assessed against businesses violating anti-competitive laws (like price discrimination or monopolistic practices under §11-204), plus state budget appropriations and other designated revenues. It operates as a permanent, supplemental funding source specifically for the Antitrust Division's enforcement activities, not replacing existing budget allocations. The bill also mandates, starting in fiscal year 2028, a dedicated full-time investigator position within the division funded through this mechanism.