California

Prohibition on algorithm use or distribution in a restraint of trade

Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 16729(a)State law

A person must not use or distribute a common pricing algorithm as part of a contract, combination in the form of a trust, or conspiracy to restrain trade or commerce in violation of the chapter.

Answers the question “Can rent-setting software be used on my rent?”

The source

… that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YES Bill Text The people of the State of California do enact as follows: SECTION 1. Section 16729 is added to the Business and Professions Code, to read: 16729. (a) It shall be unlawful for a person to use or distribute a common pricing algorithm as part of a contract, combination in the form of a trust, or conspiracy to restrain trade or commerce in violation of this chapter. (b) It shall be unlawful for a person to use or distribute a common pricing algorithm if the person coerces another person to set or adopt a recommended price or commercial term recommended by the common pricing algorithm for the same or similar products or services in the jurisdiction of this state. (c) Nothing in…

Official law: Open the official source
Document: D022, retrieved Oct 1, 2026
Dates: In force since Jan 1, 2026
Status on Oct 1, 2026: In force

What it depends on

Covers: Conditions not extracted yet.
What you can do next: Read the law at its official source

Audit trail

The model reads the law; code decides who it covers. The line between them stays visible.

Extracted by the model

What the model read from the source text, checked by code (the quote must appear word for word).

Category: Rent-setting software
Requirement: A person must not use or distribute a common pricing algorithm as part of a contract, combination in the form of a trust, or conspiracy to restrain trade or commerce in violation of the chapter.
Key value: none
Effect: protection_or_duty
Quote found in source: yes
Confidence: 90%

reasoning boundary

Decided by code

Deterministic: same rules, facts and date give the same answer.

Jurisdiction: listed only for addresses whose state or legal city is CA.
Dates: in force from 2026-01-01 (California default: January 1 after enactment 2025-10-06 (Cal. Const. art. IV § 8(c))); before that, not yet in force.
Coverage: no building condition the data can test; conditions in words stay with the text.

As of Oct 1, 2026Engine run

Sources retrieved Oct 1, 2026.

Which buildings it reaches

All 250 sample addresses in California on Oct 1, 2026.

250 applies

San Francisco and Berkeley

Los Angeles

San Diego

Every dot is the rule engine’s result for that address. The larger dots are the example addresses listed below. 2 addresses have no coordinates and are counted but not drawn.

Decided by code for the example addresses

On Oct 1, 2026. Rules that don’t apply are left out.

3515 Fillmore St, San Francisco: Applies. Statewide California rule in force since January 1, 2026 (Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 16729(a)); no building condition in it excludes this address.
145 Taylor St, San Francisco: Applies. Statewide California rule in force since January 1, 2026 (Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 16729(a)); no building condition in it excludes this address.
140 Portola Dr, San Francisco: Applies. Statewide California rule in force since January 1, 2026 (Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 16729(a)); no building condition in it excludes this address.
10635 Sherman Grove Ave, Los Angeles: Applies. Statewide California rule in force since January 1, 2026 (Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 16729(a)); no building condition in it excludes this address.
1609 Addison St, Berkeley: Applies. Statewide California rule in force since January 1, 2026 (Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 16729(a)); no building condition in it excludes this address.