For Immediate Release: March 27, 2025
Press Contact: Jimmy Wyderko, [email protected]

Fight Corporate Monopolies Launches Freedom From Monopolies NY to Support Flurry of Antimonopoly Legislation in New York

Albany, NY—Amid growing awareness of how monopolies and unchecked corporate power are harming New York consumers, workers, and honest businesses, Fight Corporate Monopolies officially announced the launch of its Freedom From Monopolies NY campaign to support a flurry of new efforts from the New York legislature to address these abuses in markets ranging from housing to healthcare and beyond.

“Everywhere you look, monopolies and unchecked corporate power are making life more precarious and less dignified for New York’s consumers, workers, and honest businesses,” said Zephyr Teachout, Sr. Advisor at the American Economic Liberties Project. “UnitedHealth is monopolizing healthcare services in the Hudson Valley, while Wall Street buys up housing across the state. Rigged markets are putting New York farms and pharmacies out of business. Con Edison has captured the regulatory system to secure outrageous profits for private investors. These problems, and many others that put pressure on our monthly budgets, reflect the reality that dominant corporations and their financial backers have been allowed to amass economic and political power at the expense of everyday New Yorkers.”

“Our campaign will empower state lawmakers to fight back right now,” said Pat Garofalo, Director of State and Local Policy at Fight Corporate Monopolies. “In the current legislative session, lawmakers have already introduced a flurry important bills—from a comprehensive update to new York’s century-old antitrust statute to a bill to reform utility rates of return. Freedom From Monopolies New York will provide advocacy support to help get these bills done, as well as additional policy proposals to capitalize on the momentum and address blind spots."

Freedom From Monopolies NY supports an agenda of 15 proposals that would help free New Yorkers from the power of corporate monopolies (bill numbers included where legislation has already been introduced.):

1. The 21st Century Antitrust Act: Reform and update New York's century-old antitrust law to better protect workers and local businesses. (S 335/A 2015) (passed the Senate in 2022, 2024.)
2. The New York Junk Fee Prevention Act: Ban corporations from using mandatory, undisclosed junk fees. (S 363/A 1821)
3. The Fair Business Practices Act: Ensure New York's consumer protection laws are updated and modernized.
4. The End Hedge Fund Control of New York Homes Act: Prevent hedge funds and private equity firms from consolidating single-family housing markets. (S 1572/A 1818)
5. Ban Algorithmic Price-Fixing in Rental Housing: Prevent corporate landlords from using third-party algorithms to fix rent prices. (S 1573/S 2697/A 1417/Executive Budget)
6. Ban Non-Compete Agreements: Give workers the freedom to accept new jobs in their chosen fields. (S 4641) (passed the full legislature in 2023)
7. Prohibit Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) from Owning Pharmacies: End conflicts of interest in drug distribution and protect independent pharmacies. (A 6546)
8. Reform Monopoly Utilities' Rate of Return: Block corrupt regulators from granting excess returns to monopoly utilities. (Senate One House Budget)
9. Ban Monopoly Utilities From Raising Rates to Pay for Politics: Prevent monopoly utilities from using ratepayer money to engage in political activity.
10. Ban Surveillance Pricing and Wage-Setting: Ensure corporations can not use personal data (such as facial recognition) or online surveillance to set individual prices or wages.
11. End Ad Tech Monopolies: Prevent dominant corporations from controlling online advertising markets.
12. End Price Discrimination Against Small Businesses: Ensure local businesses can fairly compete with Big Box Stores.
13. Create a Right to Repair Farm Equipment: Prevent corporations from holding repair monopolies over farm equipment.
14. Fix New York's Consumer Right to Repair Law: Fix loopholes in the law giving New Yorkers the right to repair their own consumer goods.
15. Create Click-to-Cancel Subscription Rules: Ensure that it's as easy to cancel a subscription as it is to sign up for one. (Senate One House Budget)

Learn more about the Freedom From Monopolies campaign here.

Learn more about Fight Corporate Monopolies here.

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Fight Corporate Monopolies is a registered 501(c)(4) nonprofit that is building a movement to address today’s crisis of concentrated economic power. We do not accept any funding from corporations. For more information on Fight Corporate Monopolies, visit:fightcorporatemonopolies.org.