Ticket transparency bill clears Tennessee House, Senate
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Tennessee lawmakers from both sides of the aisle came together to approve a bill fighting surprise fees that are tacked onto concert and sports tickets at checkout.
- The legislation has cleared both chambers, and Gov. Bill Lee's spokesperson tells Axios he intends to sign it into law.
Details: The bill requires ticket vendors to show the base price of a ticket and the total price with fees and taxes included before it's time to pay up. It also bans sellers from using misleading websites to convince customers they are an official or approved source for tickets.
What they're saying: "Every Tennessean deserves pricing transparency when they shop for concert tickets, but especially in Music City," state Sen. Heidi Campbell, one of the sponsors, said in a statement.
- "We have a reputation as a live music destination and this legislation will improve every fan's concert going experience."
Driving the news: State Rep. Caleb Hemmer was inspired to introduce the bill following the chaotic presale for Taylor Swift's tour.
- That fallout is ongoing: The Tennessee attorney general pledged to investigate, federal lawmakers grilled Ticketmaster and the White House spoke out against "massive service fees" that are added to tickets at checkout.
"We worked on this bill alongside 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 process," said Hemmer.
Between the lines: A provision of the bill that would have required sellers to avoid selling too many tickets during presales by holding back a set portion for the general on-sale was removed.