BILL NUMBER: S8221
SPONSOR: SKOUFIS
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the arts and cultural affairs law, in relation to estab-
lishing an annual professional reseller renewal fee and requiring
professional ticket resellers to provide their New York state ticket
reseller license number (Part A); to amend the arts and cultural affairs
law, in relation to providing criteria for when a purchaser may obtain a
full refund of the amount paid for a ticket (Part B); to amend the arts
and cultural affairs law, in relation to resale requirements for tickets
(Part C); to amend the arts and cultural affairs law, in relation to
unlawful charges in connection with tickets (Part D); to amend the arts
and cultural affairs law, in relation to the availability of tickets for
sale to the general public (Part E); and to amend the arts and cultural
affairs law, in relation to the resale of tickets included in a
subscription or season ticket package (Part F); and to amend chapter 704
of the laws of 1991 amending the arts and cultural affairs law and chap-
ter 912 of the laws of 1920 relating to regulation of boxing and wrestl-
ing matches relating to tickets to places of entertainment, and chapter
151 of the laws of 2010 amending the arts and cultural affairs law
relating to resale of tickets to places of entertainment, in relation to
extending the effectiveness thereof (Part G)
 
PURPOSE:
The purpose of the bill is to extend provisions of the laws that guide
live ticketing as well as update and add language to modernize New York
State's live ticketing laws.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Part A
Section 1 amends section 25.03 of the arts and cultural affairs law by
adding a new subdivision 11 that provides the definition of a profes-
sional reseller. Section 2 amends section 25.13 of the arts and cultural
affairs law by adding a structure for renewal fees for professional
resale license.
Section 3 amends section 25.19 of the arts and cultural affairs law
requiring online resale marketplaces to display and verify the licensing
number of any professional reseller that is using such online resale
marketplace, on the ticket.
Section 4 provides an effective date.
Part B
Section one amends section 25.07 of the arts and cultural affairs law,
relating to requiring refunds in 30 days if an event is cancelled or
postponed and adds a new subdivision 5 requiring any ticket seller to
facilitate communication related to refunding tickets after the cancela-
tion or postponement of an event.
Section 2 provides an effective date.
Part C
Section 1 amends section 25.10 of the arts and cultural affairs law
relating to disallowing ticket sellers to sell or offer sale of tickets
that they do not have possession or do not have a contractual agreement
to obtain the tickets for a certain price.
Section 2 sets an effective date.
Part D
Section 1 amends section 25.03 of the arts and cultural affairs law by
adding two new subdivisions that provide definitions for the terms
primary ticket seller and placed on sale.
Section 2 amends section 25.29 of the arts and cultural affairs laws in
relation to a cap of 25 percent on service fees for tickets to live
entertainment.
Section 3 adds an effective date.
Part E
Section one amends the arts and cultural affairs law by adding a new
section 25.04 the relates to primary ticket sellers disclosing the full
amount of available tickets on sale for an event 7 days prior to the
event.
Section 2 provides an effective date.
Part F
This section Amends section 25.30 of the arts and cultural affairs law
in relation to rights of season ticket holders to transfer their tick-
ets.
Part G
Section 1 amends section 25.29 of the arts and cultural affairs law in
relation to allowing artists to set certain rules about the resale of
tickets to their events.
Section 2 provides an effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Concerts and Live Entertainment are a multi-billion-dollar industry in
New York State. Chapter 358 of the laws of 2022 updated the laws regu-
lating ticket sales for these events to protect consumers. Major changes
were brought to how ticketing software can be used to purchase tickets,
the operations of online ticketing marketplaces, and notably, the intro-
duction of all-in ticket pricing. These changes were made to enhance the
consumer experience and to make the ticketing industry fairer. Changes
to the live ticketing law have broad implications for promoters,
brokers, venues, artists, and live event consumers throughout the state.
This bill will increase consumer experience and create a fairer and more
transparent ticket-buying landscape. Language in this bill addresses
issues such as service fees, speculative ticketing, broker transparency,
and refunds for cancelled and postponed events.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
TBD
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the same date and in the same manner as a
chapter of the laws of 2024 amending the arts and cultural affairs law
in relation to requiring the Council of The Arts to have members from
each of the ten regions of the state, as proposed in legislative bill
number S. 7296A and A. 8978-A of 2024, takes effect.

Statutes affected:
S8221: 25.03 arts and cultural affairs law, 25.13 arts and cultural affairs law, 25.13(1) arts and cultural affairs law, 25.19 arts and cultural affairs law, 25.07 arts and cultural affairs law, 25.07(2) arts and cultural affairs law, 25.10 arts and cultural affairs law, 25.29 arts and cultural affairs law, 25.30 arts and cultural affairs law, 25.30(1) arts and cultural affairs law