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Does this legislation violate antitrust laws? No. In order for a practice or conduct to be considered in violation of antitrust laws, it must be shown that its effects are anticompetitive, monopolistic, or an illegal restraint of trade. Rather than being anticompetitive or monopolistic, this legislation will benefit the public by clarifying the scope of practice of the profession. The current law is unclear as to what services are reserved for the licensed professional. The proposed legislation will now specify the profession's scope of practice to include only attest engagements, that is, those services that provide assurances to the public and, thus, should be subject to government oversight and regulation. The legislation does not deny the public the full range of choices or restrain competition in the marketplace. |