Urging The Department Of Commerce And Consumer Affairs, In Collaboration With The Department Of The Attorney General, To Investigate And Regulate The Sale Of Tickets To Live Entertainment Events Under Its Authority To Protect Consumers Against Unfair Or Deceptive Acts Or Practices In The Conduct Of Any Commerce.
By addressing these concerns, HR100 seeks to ensure that more tickets are made available to the general public rather than being reserved for industry insiders or pre-sale purchasers. Specifically, there are instances cited where a significant percentage of tickets for major concerts were withheld from public sale, leading to consumer dissatisfaction. This resolution paves the way for potential regulations that can create a more equitable ticket purchasing environment.
House Resolution 100 urges the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, in collaboration with the Department of the Attorney General, to investigate and regulate the sale of tickets to live entertainment events. The goal of this resolution is to enhance consumer protection against unfair or deceptive acts that may occur within the ticket purchasing process. The issue highlighted is the prevalent frustration experienced by consumers in Hawaii when attempting to purchase tickets for popular events, which is often exacerbated by various sales channels and scalping practices.
There is a growing concern over secondary market scalping, where resources have made it easier for profiteers to secure tickets through automated means, diminishing the chances for everyday consumers to acquire them at face value. The resolution points to existing federal regulations, such as the BOTS Act of 2016, which categorizes scalping tactics as unfair practices. However, implementing stringent state-level regulations poses challenges, particularly in balancing the interests of consumers with industry stakeholder rights.