California lawmakers have introduced the California Fans First Act, a new bill that would make it illegal to resell overly expensive concert tickets in the state.
Introduced last month by state Assemblymember Matt Haney, AB 1720 would put price caps on concert tickets in the resale market, limiting prices to no more than 10% above the ticket’s face value, including fees, according to the LA Times. If passed, the legislation would only apply to events in California and exclude sporting events.
It’s one of two bills introduced in the state government this year to regulate California’s pricey resale ticket market. In January, AB 1349, a bill that aims to ban speculative ticket sales (sales made before resellers actually possess tickets), reached the California Senate. If made law, it would require resellers to have tickets in possession before listing them, and raise the maximum penalty for violations from $2,500 to $10,000.
Elsewhere around the world, the UK government recently unveiled plans to ban ticket resales at prices higher than face value, and a 10% resale cap was successfully passed in Maine last year.
Read AB 1720 here.
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