A bill that requires third-party ticket resellers to disclose the total cost of a ticket is headed toward Governor Bill Lee’s desk.
HB1231 passed the Tennessee House of Representatives unanimously on Thursday, April 20.
The bill was presented by Rep. Caleb Hemmer (D-Nashville,) and according to the Tennessee General Assembly, it requires “a third-party ticket reseller to disclose specific information related to the cost of a ticket; prohibits such a reseller from preserving more than 45 percent of the tickets that the reseller has as a holdback.”
Those who fail to disclose this information are in violation of the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act of 1977.
Hemmer said that they worked with artists, venues, and ticket industry experts to “ensure that the bill was updated with the best legal language and policies to protect artists, fans, and consumers in the ticket-buying processes.”
“Live music and entertainment are vital to the culture and economy of Tennessee,” said Hemmer. “Consumers feel some practices in the ticket industry are unfair. This legislation addresses two big issues that impact ticket buyers.”
Hemmer explained that the legislation simplifies the online ticket purchasing process for the consumer through transparent pricing. The first price that ticket buyers see should be the final price that they pay, he said including ancillary and service fees.
He also said that the bill addresses “bad actors, who routinely use websites and URLs featuring language or images of an artist, venue, team or entertainment event to deceive consumers and give the false appearance of an official or legitimate ticket selling channel.
“This bill will ban the practices of deceptive websites and URLs by making it so no person can use a website to display a trademark or copyrighted URL or other mark or symbol without the written consent of the rights holder.”
The bill will apply to any sales that occur on or after July 1, 2023.
