The US Congress passes law to amend title 28 of the code to prevent the transfer of actions arising under the antitrust laws in which a State is a complainant

Prior to the State Antitrust Enforcement Venue Act—which was signed into US law on December 29, 2022 as part of the omnibus spending bill—the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) had the power to transfer and consolidate all antitrust cases—including suits brought by State AGs—except for criminal and injunctive relief cases brought by the United States (i.e., the Antitrust Division of the DOJ). [1] The new law changes that by making all State AG antitrust actions now ineligible for consolidation in multidistrict litigation (MDL). As a result of the new law, it is now easier for State AGs to keep their cases in the venue of their choosing, which could put their case in a different court and on a different track from similar cases brought by private class action