H.R. 5245: Better Oversight of Secondary Sales and Accountability in Concert Ticketing Act of 2016

114th Congress · introduced 2016-05-16 · Commerce · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2016-05-16 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Pascrell, Bill, Jr. [D-NJ-9] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Better Oversight of Secondary Sales and Accountability in Concert Ticketing Act of 2016

Plain summary

Better Oversight of Secondary Sales and Accountability in Concert Ticketing Act of 2016 This bill directs the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to promulgate rules for the primary or secondary sale, distribution, or pricing of tickets for sporting events, theater, musical performances, or places of public amusement. For primary sales, sellers must: (1) disclose at least seven days prior to sale, the total number of tickets the seller is offering and the total number and distribution method of tickets not available to the general public; (2) print on each ticket the distribution method, date, and time of the primary sale; (3) disclose service fees, convenience charges, and parking fees and provide refunds for such charges; and (4) provide full refunds for nontransferable tickets if requested by the consumer by one week prior to the event. Primary sellers are prohibited from requiring that consumers only be permitted to resell tickets in a manner determined by the primary seller. For secondary sales, the secondary ticket sales marketplace must: (1) disclose if it does not possess the ticket at the time of sale, and (2) explain refund procedures if the ticket received does not match the description by the secondary marketplace. The secondary sales rules must prohibit the use of software to circumvent a security system or access control measure on a primary ticket seller's website that is used to ensure equitable consumer access to tickets. The secondary marketplace must disclose: (1) the distribution method and face value of each ticket; (2) the location of the seats or space; and (3) if the marketplace purchased the ticket during a public sale, the date and time of the purchase by the secondary marketplace. Online marketplace resellers are: (1) prohibited from representing an affiliation or endorsement with venues, teams, or artists without their consent, except when it constitutes fair use; and (2) required to post notice on their websites indicating that they are conducting secondary sales and requiring users to confirm having read such notice before starting a transaction. Individual employees of venues, primary ticket sellers, teams, artists, online resale marketplaces, or box offices are prohibited from reselling tickets: (1) for higher than face value, or (2) to third parties for resale for higher than face value. Online marketplace resellers must disclose when the secondary marketplace of a ticket is the primary ticket seller, venue, team, or artist associated with the event. The FTC and states are provided authority to enforce against violations. Persons may bring private civil actions to recover damages for injuries from violations.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Better Oversight of Secondary Sales and Accountability in Concert Ticketing Act of 2016

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Pascrell, Bill, Jr. [D-NJ-9] · 3 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Hakeem S. Jeffries (D-NY)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (3)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-114hr5245.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/114/hr>

Record fed-us-cong114-hr5245 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114