SB91 Alabama 2020 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Bobby D. SingletonSenator

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2020

Title

Entertainment events, limiting the circumstances in which a ticket vendor or entertainment venue can place restrictions on the resale or transfer of tickets

Summary

SB 91 would require entertainment tickets to be offered in a transferable form and would bar penalties for holding resold tickets, while allowing issuers and venues to enforce certain rules and refunds.

What This Bill Does

If passed, the bill would require that tickets sold with resale or transfer restrictions also offer a transferable option at the time of initial sale. It would prohibit penalizing a buyer or seller simply for holding a resold ticket or using a resale platform. It would allow ticket issuers and venue operators to enforce policies on conduct, limits on purchases, and revocation of season tickets, and it would permit certain nontransferable tickets in targeted promotions with clear labeling. It also establishes consumer protections such as a toll-free complaint line and refund or replacement options for canceled, counterfeit, misdescribed, or non-delivered tickets, and requires refunds to include all fees.

Who It Affects

• Ticket buyers and sellers: protected from penalties for holding resold tickets and given the option to buy transferable tickets.
• Ticket issuers, venue operators, sponsors, promoters, participants, and their agents: allowed to enforce venue and event policies, set purchase limits, and revoke season tickets under specific conditions, and may issue nontransferable tickets in certain promotions.
• Ticket platforms: must provide a toll-free complaint line and implement refund/replacement policies for various issues.
• Individuals or groups targeted by promotions (e.g., disability, religious or civic groups, economic hardship): may receive nontransferable tickets under promotional exemptions with clear labeling.
• Higher education events: exempt from the bill's provisions.

Key Provisions

• Nontransferable ticketing systems may be used only if buyers are offered a transferable option at the time of initial sale, allowing resale or transfer without logging into the issuer's platform and without penalties.
• No penalty, discrimination, or denial of event access may occur solely because a ticket is resold or resold via a particular platform.
• Ticket issuers and venue operators may enforce policies on conduct, age restrictions, purchase limits, and may revoke or restrict season tickets for specified reasons such as multiple people attempting to enter with copies of the same ticket, safety concerns, or fraud.
• Nontransferable tickets may be used for targeted promotions to specific individuals or groups, but those tickets must be clearly marked and not offered to the general public; exemptions apply to promotional strategies tied to disability, religious/civic status, or economic hardship.
• Prominent definitions for terms like nontransferable ticketing system, ticket issuer, and ticket platform are provided.
• The bill does not apply to events officially associated with higher education institutions.
• Ticket platforms must maintain a toll-free number for complaints and inquiries about resale tickets.
• Refunds or replacements are required in cases of event cancellation, counterfeit tickets, nonpayment by the original purchaser, misdescription, late delivery, or tickets not admitting the holder to the event, with full refund of the ticket price plus fees.
• Platforms may take reasonable steps to remediate fraud and may implement consumer protection measures beyond the minimum standards.
• The act becomes effective on the first day of the third month after it is passed and approved.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 23, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Entertainment