ENGR. H. B. NO. 1415 Page 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 ENGROSSED HOUSE BILL NO. 1415 By: West (Josh), Hefner and Fugate of the House and Thompson of the Senate An Act relating to trusts and pools; amending 79 O.S. 2021, Sections 205 and 206, which relate to the Oklahoma Antitrust Reform Act; provi ding for accrual of cause of action; providing for enforcement of provisions by Attorney General; authorizing civil penalty; providing for apportionment of revenue to General Revenue Fund; prescribing standards for determination of penalty amount; and prov iding an effective date. BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 79 O.S. 2021, Section 205, is amended to read as follows: Section 205. A. 1. Any person who is injured , either directly or indirectly, in his or her business or property by a violation of this act, may obtain appropriate injunctive or other equitable relief and monetary damages and shall recover threefold the damages sustained, and the cost of suit, including a reasonable att orney fee. The Attorney General may bring an a civil action in the name of the state, any governmental entity, or as parens patriae on behalf of natural persons residing in the state injured, either ENGR. H. B. NO. 1415 Page 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 directly or indirectly , for appropriate injunctive or ot her equitable relief and to secure monetary damages for injury sustained by such natural persons to their business or property by reason of any violation of this act. The court shall exclude from the amount of the monetary damages awarded in such action a ny amount of monetary damages: a. which duplicates amounts which have been awarded for the same injury, or b. which is properly allocable to: (1) natural persons who have excluded their claims, and (2) any other persons. The court shall award the state as parens patriae threefold the total damages sustained and the cost of suit, including a reasonable attorney fee. Whenever the state is hereafter injured in its business or property by anything forbidden in this act, it may obtain appropriate injunctive or other equitable relief a nd monetary damages therefor and shall recover actual damages by it sustained and the cost of suit including a reasonable attorney fee. The court may award under this section, pursuant to a motion by such person or the state, simple interest on actual damages for the period beginning on the date of service of such person's or the state's pleading setting forth a claim under this act and ending on the date of judgment, or for any shorter period therein, if the court finds ENGR. H. B. NO. 1415 Page 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 that the award of such interest for such period is just in the circumstances. The Attorney General may bring an action on behalf of either the state or a political subdivision of the state when either is injured in its business or property by anything forbidden by the provisions of this act. 2. In any civil action brought by the Attorney General as parens patriae, the Attorney General shall, at such times, in such manner, and with such content as the court may direct, cause notice thereof to be given by publication. Any person on whose be half an action is brought may elect to exclude from adjudication the portion of the claim for monetary damages attributable to him or her by filing notice of this election with the court within the time specified in the notice given pursuant to this paragraph. 3. In a civil action brought by the Attorney General as parens patriae, the final judgment shall be res judicata as to any claim under this section by any person on behalf of whom the action was brought and who fails to give n otice within the period specified in the notice given pursuant to paragraph 2 of this subsection. B. Any person or governmental entity who or which obtains a judgment for damages under 15 U.S.C., Section 15 or any other provision of federal law comparable to this section may not recover damages in a suit under this section based on substantially the same conduct that was the subject of the federal suit. ENGR. H. B. NO. 1415 Page 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 C. Any action to recover damages under this section is barred unless commenced within four (4) years af ter the claim accrued or was discovered, whichever is later. For purposes of the Oklahoma Antitrust Reform Act, a cause of action accrues: 1. When the circumstances giving rise to the cause of actio n are discovered or should have been discovered in the ex ercise of reasonable diligence; or 2. On the date that the last in a series of acts or practices in violation of the Oklahoma Antitrust Reform Act occurred, including any acquisitions or series of acquisitions that, in the aggregate, may constitute a viol ation of the Oklahoma An titrust Reform Act. SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 79 O.S. 2021, Section 206, is amended to read as follows: Section 206. A. Any person, other than a municipal corporation, who violates Section 3, 4, or 8 of Enroll ed Senate Bill No. 1357 of the 2nd Session of the 46th Oklahoma Legislature is guilty of a Schedule G felony, if the offense occurs on or after the effective date of Section 20.1 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes. If the offense is committed prior to t he effective date of Sec tion 20.1 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes, the crime shall be punishable by incarceration in the custody of the Department of Corrections for not more than ten (10) years. A violator shall, ENGR. H. B. NO. 1415 Page 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 upon conviction, be subject to a fin e not to exceed Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) per violation. B. The Attorney General or any district attorney may file a criminal information or seek a criminal indictment to enforce the provisions of subsection A of this section. C. The Attorney General may bring a civil action on behalf of the state to seek the imposition of a civil penalty for any violation of the Oklahoma Antitrust Reform Act. The court, upon finding a violation of the Oklahoma Antitrust Reform Act, shall impose a civil penalty to be paid to the General Revenue Fund of the state in an amount not to exceed One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00) for each such violation. In determining the amount of a civil penalty, the court shall consider, among other things: 1. The nature and extent of the violation; 2. The number of consumers affected by the violation; 3. Whether the violation was an isolated incident or a continuous pattern and practice of behavior; 4. Whether the violation was the result of willful conduct; 5. Whether the defendant took affirmative steps to conceal such violations; and 6. Whether, given the size and wealth of the defendant, the civil penalty will be an effective deterrent against future violations. SECTION 3. This act shall become effective November 1, 2025. ENGR. H. B. NO. 1415 Page 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Passed the House of Representatives the 11th day of March, 2025. Presiding Officer of the House of Representatives Passed the Senate the ___ day of __________, 2025. Presiding Officer of the Senate