OLYMPIA, Wash. — Concert fans in Washington state could soon find the ticket-buying experience much smoother under a bill proposal set to be discussed Wednesday.
The dramatic level of interest around Taylor Swift's "The Eras Tour" led many fans to criticize Ticketmaster and other large concert brands like Live Nation after many waited in long online queues only to not score tickets.
House Bill 1648, also known as the Ticket Sales Warrant Integrity, Fairness and Transparency Act, aims to create a fairer and more simple ticket-buying experience by addressing bots, cracking down on fake sales, hidden fees and requiring sellers to be upfront about ticket prices.
Washington State House Rep. Kristine Reeves initially proposed the "TSWIFT" act in 2023, not long after Swift fans' outrage ramped up over "Eras Tour" tickets.
"Whether you're going to see a popular artist like Taylor Swift or you're experiencing a local Seattle artist, folks are feeling the crunch of not being able to get access to their favorite artists through these ticket seller markets," said Reeves of the bill last year.
The bill made its way through the legislature during the 2023 session but ultimately failed to make it to a full vote of lawmakers. The bill was discussed during a public hearing on Jan. 16 and now is on the agenda for an executive session of the Consumer Protection and Business Committee.
The law would also create penalties for those who try to circumvent ticket-buying platforms, with fines of up to $500 on the table for multi-time violators.
