The US House of Representatives has passed the TICKET Act, which would enact a series of polices increasing transparency in the ticket industry.
The legislation passed on Wednesday with a bipartisan vote of 338-24. The bill must now be voted on by the US Senate and signed by President Joe Biden before going into law.
The proposed legislation would require all ticket retailers — both primary and secondary sellers — to show the “all-in” price of a ticket (including an itemized list of all fees) prior to checkout.
The legislation would also deter speculative ticketing by barring resellers from selling tickets unless they actually have them in hand; prohibit deceptive marketing tactics; require that the ticket retailer provide a full refund or replacement ticket with buyers’ approval; and require the Federal Trade Commission to issue a report on the BOTS Act Enforcement, which passed in 2016.
The Fix the Tix Coalition and the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA), which championed the TICKET Act, are also calling on Congress to pass the Fans First Act, which would strengthen the aforementioned BOTS Act and impose civil penalties on resellers who engage in illegal sale practices, among other policies.
“We commend House passage of H.R. 3950, the TICKET Act, which will help to improve the ticket buying experience for fans, to protect the livelihoods of artists, and to preserve independent venues across the nation,” Stephen Parker, executive director of NIVA, said in a statement. “Not only has the U.S. House of Representatives moved to protect consumers from predatory and deceptive ticketing practices, but states across the country, including Arizona, Maryland, Minnesota and Nevada, have recently banned, without exception, speculative tickets on a bipartisan basis. We call on Congress to do the same, to build on the TICKET Act and adopt strong, enforceable, comprehensive ticketing reform legislation like the Fans First Act.”