Michigan House committee approves "Taylor Swift" bills to crack down on ticket bots
(CBS DETROIT) - A Michigan House committee approved a bipartisan plan to crack down on automated ticket bots, like the ones that snagged all the tickets for Taylor Swift's Eras Tour and drove up ticket prices for fans.
House Bills 5661 and 5662, dubbed as the "Taylor Swift" bills would help safeguard Michigan residents from ticket bot operators that buy tickets just to resell them at higher prices.
Rep. Graham Filler, R-Duplain Township, and Rep. Mike McFall, D-Hazel Park, are sponsoring the legislation, according to a release from the Michigan House Republicans.
"We need to put an end to the exploitation and greed that has plagued event ticket sales for far too long," said Filler, R-Duplain Township. "Our plan strikes directly at the heart of these unscrupulous ticket bots that rob fans of the chance to see their favorite artists and drive prices to outrageous levels."
Although federal regulations are in place to combat ticket bots, enforcement has proven to be ineffective.
Under the legislation, the attorney general's office "would be empowered to pursue legal action" against individuals found guilty of using bots to limit ticket purchases, and would include a fine of up to $5,000 for each ticket that is fraudulently purchased.
This issue was addressed in 2020, when Gov. Gretchen Whitmer repealed the ban of ticket resales above face value. However, under that new law, tickets must have been purchased by someone, and not bots, but that hasn't been enforced. This also comes after similar legislation was signed in Arizona.
"Our plan takes a needed step toward fairness and transparency, ensuring that people can access the events they love without being gouged," said Filler. "By making our state more event-friendly, we can also boost tourism and attract more people to our festivals and events, ultimately strengthening our economy.
The approved bills will now advance to the House of Representatives.
