HB265 Alabama 2017 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Paul W. LeeRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2017

Title

Ticket sales, use of non-transferable ticketing system auth. under limited circumstances, discrimination against holders of resold tickets prohibited, exceptions

Summary

HB265 regulates ticket sales by allowing nontransferable tickets only under certain conditions, requires a transferable option at purchase, and protects resale participants with consumer protections and higher-education exemptions.

What This Bill Does

It allows a ticket issuer to use a nontransferable ticketing system only if buyers are offered, at the initial sale, the option to buy a transferable version. It prohibits penalties or discrimination against people who resell or buy resold tickets. It lets issuers and venues enforce certain policies (like conduct and ticket limits) and not offer transferable tickets in targeted promotions, while requiring nontransferable tickets to be clearly labeled. It imposes resale platform protections, including a toll-free line and a standard refund policy for cancellations, counterfeit tickets, non-delivery, misdescription, or other issues, and it prohibits using software to bypass security or access controls. The act does not apply to events hosted by higher education institutions.

Who It Affects

• Ticket buyers and sellers who are protected from penalties and discrimination when tickets are resold, and who may be offered a transferable option at initial purchase.
• Ticket issuers and venue operators who may enforce policies, set purchase limits, revoke or restrict season tickets, and decide when transferable tickets will not be offered (with clear labeling for targeted promotions).

Key Provisions

• Ticket issuers may use a nontransferable ticketing system only if purchasers are offered an option at initial sale to buy a transferable version that can be resold or given away without penalty.
• Buyers or sellers may not be penalized, discriminated against, or denied event access solely because tickets were resold.
• Issuers/venues can enforce venue policies, set ticket quantity limits, and revoke or restrict season tickets for policy violations or safety concerns.
• Nontransferable tickets can be used in targeted promotions or for groups with specific statuses or affiliations, but must be clearly marked and not offered publicly.
• The act does not apply to events officially associated with higher education institutions.
• Resale platforms must provide a toll-free complaint line and a standard refund policy covering cancellations, counterfeit tickets, non-delivery, misdescription, or failure to provide admission, with refunds including the full price plus fees.
• The act prohibits using software to circumvent security measures or access controls used by ticket platforms or secondary exchanges.
• Effective date is the first day of the third month after passage.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Tickets