An Act amending the act of December 17, 1968 (P.L.1224, No.387), known as the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law, further providing for definitions.
Summary
HB967 amends Pennsylvania’s Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law to treat certain excessive ticket-resale fees as an unfair or deceptive practice. The bill applies to the resale of tickets for sporting, musical, theater, and other entertainment events, and it defines key terms such as “resale,” “ticket,” “purchaser,” and “ticket reseller.”
Under the bill, both the fee charged to the purchaser and the fee charged by the ticket reseller may not exceed 5% of the ticket price. The restriction applies to fees charged on or after the bill’s effective date, which is 60 days after enactment. In practical terms, the measure would place a statutory cap on service or transaction fees in the secondary ticket market and make violations enforceable under the state’s consumer protection framework.
Impact
The bill would expand the scope of the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law by adding a specific prohibited practice related to ticket resale fees. It would give the Attorney General and district attorneys a clearer basis to pursue enforcement against ticket resellers that charge fees above the new 5% caps, and it would affect businesses operating in Pennsylvania’s secondary ticket market, including online resale platforms and brokers. Consumers buying resold tickets would be the primary beneficiaries of the new protections.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have generally favorable support in the House, as reflected by its committee approval and final passage. The House Consumer Protection, Technology and Utilities Committee reported the bill favorably, and the full House passed it, though by a relatively close margin, suggesting some division over the policy. The absence of recorded committee testimony limits insight into detailed public arguments, but the vote pattern indicates broad enough support to advance the measure despite some opposition.
Contention
The main point of contention is likely the extent to which the state should regulate ticket resale pricing and fees. Supporters appear to view the bill as a consumer protection measure aimed at limiting excessive charges in the secondary ticket market, while opponents may be concerned that the 5% cap is too restrictive for resellers, could reduce market flexibility, or may interfere with business models used by ticket platforms and brokers. The close House floor vote suggests that, although the bill advanced, there was meaningful disagreement about whether fee caps are the right policy tool.