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The Frame

What this does

If passed, this law would require all ticket sellers to show the final, total price of a ticket before a consumer begins the checkout process, preventing hidden fees from being added at the end of a transaction.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Ticket consumers

Consumers will receive mandatory price disclosures and standardized refund protections for event tickets.

Ticket issuers and secondary market exchanges

These entities must change their pricing displays, refund policies, and marketing practices to comply with new federal standards.

What changed

Last recorded activity February 18, 2025.

What's next

Introduced.

Summary

This bill mandates that ticket sellers disclose the total price of tickets upfront, including all fees, and bans the sale of tickets that the seller does not actually possess. It also establishes new requirements for refunds on canceled or postponed events and prohibits deceptive marketing practices by secondary ticket sellers.

Key Facts

  • Requires ticket sellers to display the total price of a ticket clearly and conspicuously at the start of the purchasing process.
  • Mandates an itemized list of the base price and all individual fees before a purchase is completed.
  • Prohibits the sale or advertisement of tickets that the seller does not currently possess (speculative ticketing).
  • Allows services to help individuals obtain tickets only if they clearly disclose that the service is not a ticket and does not guarantee a ticket.
  • Requires sellers to provide a full refund for canceled events.
  • Requires sellers to provide a replacement ticket or a full refund if an event is postponed for more than 6 months.
  • Prohibits sellers from claiming affiliation or endorsement by a venue, team, or artist without a written agreement.
  • Bans the use of venue names in URLs or domain names without authorization from the venue owner.
  • Requires clear disclosure of refund and guarantee policies before a sale is finalized.
  • Directs the FTC to report to Congress on the enforcement of the 2016 BOTS Act within 6 months of the bill's enactment.
  • Violations of the Act will be treated as unfair or deceptive acts under the Federal Trade Commission Act.
  • Provisions take effect 180 days after the date of enactment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will I see the final price of a ticket before I reach the checkout page?
Yes, the bill requires the total price to be displayed at the time the ticket is first shown to you and throughout the entire purchasing process.
Can a website sell me a ticket they don't actually have yet?
No, the bill bans ',' meaning sellers cannot sell or advertise tickets they do not have in their possession.
What happens if my event is canceled?
The seller must provide a full refund of the total ticket price.

Why It Matters

If passed, this law would require all ticket sellers to show the final, total price of a ticket before a consumer begins the checkout process, preventing hidden fees from being added at the end of a transaction.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Lobbying Activity

A16Z Capital Management LLC (f/k/a AH Capital Management L.L.C., d/b/a Andreessen Horowitz)

on behalf of A16Z Capital Management LLC (f/k/a AH Capital Management L.L.C.)

$880,000

2026

BANKINGCOMMODITIES (BIG TICKET)HEALTH ISSUESFINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS/INVESTMENTS/SEC

Digital assets and anti-money laundering proposals

AARP

$4,110,000

2026

HEALTH ISSUESMEDICARE/MEDICAIDLAW ENFORCEMENT/CRIME/CRIMINAL JUSTICEPHARMACY

P.L. 119-21, One Big Beautiful Bill Act H.R. 8867, Planning for Long-term Aging Needs (PLAN) Act H.R. 5861, Legacy Act of 2025 H.R. 9393, the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act. H.R. 9396, the Prior Authorization Accountability Act. S. 4916, the Aging with Artificial Intelligence Act. H.R. 8100, Safe Staffing Saves Lives Act. S. 3886, Nurses Belong in Nursing Homes Act. H.R. 6766/S. 3492, the Essential Caregivers Act of 2025. H.R. 7966/S. 4118, Hospice Care Accountability, Reform, and Enforcement (Hospice CARE) Act. S. 2120, the Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2025 H.R. 5575, the Firefighters Assisting Seniors to Emergency Response (FASTER) Act of 2025. H.R. 3954/S. 4641, Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act. H.R.5554/S.2831, Stand Strong for Medicare Act. S. 3439/H.R. 6735, Connecting Caregivers to Medicare Act and efforts related to the bill S. 1227/H.R. 2491, Alleviating Barriers for Caregivers Act S. 668/H.R. 3183, Supporting Access to Falls Education and Prevention and Strengthening Training Efforts and Promoting Safety Initiatives (SAFE STEPS) for Veterans Act of 2025 CMS-1851-P, Hospice Proposed rule. CMS-1843-P, Skilled Nursing Facility Proposed rule. CMS-1844-P, Home Health Proposed rule. No bill number. Health care transparency. No bill number. Discussed use of artificial intelligence and health data technology. No bill number. Discussed health-related policies and activities around the fall respiratory virus season. No bill number. Discussed health insurance affordability proposals. No bill number. Discussed Nursing Home staffing standards, safety, and quality. No bill number. Discussed Nursing home transparency and ownership requirements. No bill number. Discussed home health, hospice, and long-term care. No bill number. Discussed falls prevention. No bill number. Discussed social isolation. No bill number. Discussed HUD Assisted Living Requirements No bill number. Discussed family caregiving. No bill number. Discussed AARP paper on Medicare Caregiver Training Services. No bill number. Discussed Medicaid community engagement interim final rule, including the family caregiver exemption. No bill number. Discussed the paid direct care workforce in long-term care. No bill number. Discussed the unaffordability of long-term care. No bill number. Discussed Money Follows the Person Rebalancing Demonstration Program and Medicaid HCBS spousal impoverishment protections. No bill number. Discussed Medicaid fraud and family caregivers, Medicaid self-direction programs. No bill number. Discussed sandwich generation family caregiver hearing and submitted a statement for the record discussing family caregivers and sandwich generation caregivers, programs that support them, AARP caregiving resources, and federal policies to support sandwich generation caregivers and caregivers more broadly. No bill number. Discussed long-term care. No bill number. CMS-2453-NC; Medicaid Program; 2028 Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services Quality Measure Set Submitted comments No bill number. Discussed expanding access to home care. No bill number. Discussed the increasing cost of home care No bill number. Discussed HSA use for telehealth chronic care management services/subscriptions. No bill number. Discussed artificial intelligence and technology

162 STRATEGIES

on behalf of National Organization of Social Security Claimants' Representatives

2026

GOVERNMENT ISSUES

Issues related to Social Security Administration disability claims due process (generally, no specific legislation); Issues related to Social Security Administration customer service (generally, no specific legislation); Issues related to Social Security Administration engagement with appointed representatives on disability claims (generally, no specific legislation); Issues related to Health and Human Services interpretation of standards for digital health information exchange (generally, no specific legislation); SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act (S 1234 and HR 2540); SSI Restoration Act (S 4001 and HR 7828); Ticket to Work Advertisement Act (HR 7253); Phased-in SSDI during waiting period for terminally ill claimants (S 4255); Stop the Wait Act (HR 930); We Can't Wait Act (S 3924); Immediate Access for the Terminally Ill Act (S 3648 and HR 7104); Social Security Enhancement and Protection Act (HR 3517); Social Security Overpayment Relief Act (HR 2142); Social Security Expansion Act (S 770 and HR 1700)

162 STRATEGIES

on behalf of National Organization of Social Security Claimants' Representatives

2026

GOVERNMENT ISSUESGOVERNMENT ISSUES

Issues related to Social Security Administration disability claims due process (generally, no specific legislation); Issues related to Social Security Administration customer service (generally, no specific legislation); Issues related to Social Security Administration engagement with appointed representatives on disability claims (generally, no specific legislation); Issues related to Health and Human Services interpretation of standards for digital health information exchange (generally, no specific legislation); SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act (S 1234 and HR 2540); SSI Restoration Act (S 4001 and HR 7828); Ticket to Work Advertisement Act (HR 7253); Phased-in SSDI during waiting period for terminally ill claimants (S 4255); Stop the Wait Act (HR 930); We Can't Wait Act (S 3924); Immediate Access for the Terminally Ill Act (S 3648 and HR 7104); Social Security Enhancement and Protection Act (HR 3517); Social Security Overpayment Relief Act (HR 2142); Social Security Expansion Act (S 770 and HR 1700)

Voting Record

Sponsors

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Federalization of Ticket Sales

The bill moves ticket sales regulation under the umbrella of the Federal Trade Commission's 'unfair or deceptive' enforcement powers, signaling a shift toward stricter federal oversight of the secondary market.

Connected Entities

organizationHouse Committee on Energy and CommerceThe committee to which the bill was referred.Map →
personGus BilirakisU.S. Representative who introduced the bill.Map →
personJan SchakowskyU.S. Representative who co-sponsored the bill.Map →
organizationFederal Trade CommissionThe agency responsible for enforcing the bill's provisions.Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.congress.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance75
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy40
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment20
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz60
    Current news / social attention level

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