'Taylor Swift Bill' Signed Into Minnesota Law To Protect Ticket Buyers
A new bill dubbed the “Taylor Swift bill” has been signed into law in Minnesota to protect customers buying tickets online. The bill, signed in by Governor Tim Walz, aims to make ticket sales more transparent, and will require ticket sellers to disclose all fees involved with the sale of the ticket upfront and prohibits resellers from selling more than one copy of a ticket. The bill is set to take effect from January 1st 2025, and will affect all tickets sold on or after that date for any live events held in the state of Minnesota.
The bill originated from the frustration of the chief bill author and legislator Minnesota State Representative Kelly Moller after she was unable to purchase tickets for Taylor Swift’s concert in Minneapolis last year. She said that she was one of thousands of people who was stuck in the Ticketmaster system when the site crashed in 2022 as a result of high volumes of people and bots trying to purchase tickets for Taylor Swift’s tour on the site. The system crash had led to congressional hearings but no new legislation was introduced.
Moller emphasised the importance of House File 1989 - a reference to Taylor Swift's album and date of birth - and the need for transparency in ticket sales after many customers found themselves paying hundreds of dollars extra in hidden fees. The law, which was signed at popular concert venue First Avenue in downtown Minneapolis, is a significant milestone in consumer protection for the state as it joins other states including Maryland in protecting ticket buyers.
