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SF 554

1st Engrossment - 88th Legislature (2013 - 2014) Posted on 03/22/2013 08:55am

KEY: stricken = removed, old language.
underscored = added, new language.

Current Version - 1st Engrossment

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A bill for an act
relating to commerce; regulating certain practices with respect to event tickets;
establishing minimum standards for consumer protection; proposing coding for
new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 325E.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

new text begin [325E.68] DEFINITIONS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Terms. new text end

new text begin For purposes of sections 325E.68 to 325E.70, the terms
defined in this section have the meanings given.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Event. new text end

new text begin "Event" means a concert or similar scheduled activity taking
place in this state:
new text end

new text begin (1) that is open to the general public;
new text end

new text begin (2) for which an admission fee is charged; and
new text end

new text begin (3) that is held in a venue accommodating more than 5,000 persons.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Event ticket. new text end

new text begin "Event ticket" means the physical, electronic, or other form
of a certificate, document, voucher, token, or other evidence indicating that the bearer,
possessor, or person entitled to possession through purchase or otherwise has:
new text end

new text begin (1) a revocable or irrevocable right, privilege, or license to enter an event venue or
occupy a particular seat or area in an event venue with respect to one or more events; or
new text end

new text begin (2) an entitlement to purchase a right, privilege, or license with respect to one or
more future events.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Resale. new text end

new text begin "Resale" includes a form of transfer or alienation, or offering for
transfer or alienation, or possession or entitlement to possession of an event ticket from
one person to another, with or without consideration, whether in person or by means of
telephone, mail, delivery service, facsimile, Internet, e-mail, or other electronic means.
Resale does not include the initial sale of an event ticket by the ticket issuer.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Ticket issuer. new text end

new text begin "Ticket issuer" means a person that makes event tickets
available, directly or indirectly, to the general public, and may include the operator of a
venue, the sponsor or promoter of an event, a theater company, musical group, or similar
participant in an event, or an agent of any such person. A ticket issuer does not include the
State Agricultural Society, the Minnesota State High School League and its members, the
Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission, or a person involved in or facilitating ticket resale.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Venue. new text end

new text begin "Venue" means the theater, stadium, field, hall, or other facility
where an event takes place.
new text end

Sec. 2.

new text begin [325E.69] PUBLIC NOTICE OBLIGATIONS OF TICKET ISSUERS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Requirement of advance public notice. new text end

new text begin A ticket issuer, or its
authorized agent, shall provide advance public notice of its ticket policies for each event
subject to sections 325E.68 to 325E.70. The notice must include at least the following
information:
new text end

new text begin (1) identification of the specific event, including date, time, and location;
new text end

new text begin (2) the total number of event tickets to be issued for the event, whether by public sale
or otherwise, and the number of tickets for every class, tier, or level of admission offered;
new text end

new text begin (3) the total number of event tickets to the event that will be made available for
purchase by members of the general public as public sale tickets subject to this section and
the number of tickets for every class, tier, or level of admission offered;
new text end

new text begin (4) the established price for each class, tier, or level of admission offered, which will
be designated as public sale tickets, including the amount of any premium, service charge,
or other fee applicable to the sale of the ticket;
new text end

new text begin (5) the "on-sale date and time," which is the date and time on which public sale
tickets will first be made available for sale to the general public; and
new text end

new text begin (6) a complete list of the outlets at which public sale tickets will be made available
for sale to the general public on the date and at the time specified, including a list of all
Web sites at which tickets will be made available.
new text end

new text begin The notice required by this subdivision may be posted on the ticket issuer's Web site
or given in any other commercially reasonable manner.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Marking of public sale tickets. new text end

new text begin The ticket issuer, or its authorized agent,
shall cause an event ticket designated as a public sale ticket, in accordance with this
subdivision, to be marked conspicuously with at least the following information which
must be consistent in all material respects with the information provided in the public
notice applicable to that event:
new text end

new text begin (1) the total number of public sale tickets that have been designated for that class,
tier, or level of admission for the event in question;
new text end

new text begin (2) the sequential number of that individual ticket within the total number specified
in clause (1);
new text end

new text begin (3) the price at which the ticket has been sold by the ticket issuer or its authorized
agent, including any premium, service charge, or fee; and
new text end

new text begin (4) the on-sale date and time of the ticket.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Prohibitions. new text end

new text begin In addition to the failure to comply with any other provision
of this section, it is unlawful for a ticket issuer to knowingly make material false or
misleading statements in connection with a public notice under this section.
new text end

Sec. 3.

new text begin [325E.70] CONSUMER PROTECTION MINIMUM STANDARDS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Prohibition. new text end

new text begin It is unlawful for a person subject to this section to
engage in the primary or secondary market for event ticket sales as a trade or business
without complying with the consumer protection minimum standards specified in this
section.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Persons subject to this section. new text end

new text begin This section applies to all persons
engaged in the trade or business of:
new text end

new text begin (1) acting as a ticket issuer; or
new text end

new text begin (2) providing a physical or electronic marketplace for the sale or resale of event
tickets by other persons.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Consumer protection minimum standards. new text end

new text begin A person subject to this
section shall:
new text end

new text begin (a) maintain a toll-free telephone number for complaints and inquiries regarding its
activities in the sale or resale of event tickets;
new text end

new text begin (b) implement and reasonably publicize a standard refund policy that:
new text end

new text begin (1) provides a consumer who purchases an event ticket a full refund if:
new text end

new text begin (i) the event is canceled before the scheduled occurrence of the event and is not
rescheduled;
new text end

new text begin (ii) the event ticket received by the purchaser from that person is counterfeit;
new text end

new text begin (iii) the event ticket has been canceled by the ticket issuer for nonpayment by the
original purchaser or for any reason other than an act or omission of the consumer;
new text end

new text begin (iv) the event ticket materially and to the detriment of the consumer fails to conform
to the description provided by the seller or reseller; or
new text end

new text begin (v) the event ticket was not delivered to the consumer before the occurrence of the
event unless failure of delivery was due to an act or omission of the consumer;
new text end

new text begin (2) includes a full refund of the full price paid by the consumer for the event ticket
together with any fees charged in connection with that purchase including, but not limited
to, convenience fees, processing fees, at-home printing charges, shipping and handling
charges, or delivery fees; and
new text end

new text begin (3) may condition entitlement to a refund upon timely return of the ticket purchased
and may include reasonable safeguards against abuse of the policy; and
new text end

new text begin (c) make available to consumers who purchase event tickets an independent
third-party dispute resolution procedure for resolving disputes with consumers regarding
the sale or resale of event tickets.
new text end

new text begin A person subject to this section, by engaging in the resale of event tickets, may
satisfy the requirements of this section by engaging in resale in a physical or electronic
marketplace that fully complies with this section.
new text end

Sec. 4. new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE.
new text end

new text begin Sections 1 to 3 are effective January 1, 2014.
new text end