By: Madla S.B. No. 463 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT 1-1 relating to the regulation of certain persons who resell tickets; 1-2 providing a penalty. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: 1-5 (1) "Commission" means the Texas Commission of 1-6 Licensing and Regulation. 1-7 (2) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of licensing 1-8 and regulation. 1-9 (3) "Department" means the Texas Department of 1-10 Licensing and Regulation. 1-11 (4) "Event" means an event of public entertainment or 1-12 amusement, including athletic contests. 1-13 (5) "Event sponsor" means an owner, lessee, operator, 1-14 promoter, or manager of an event or the site of an event. 1-15 (6) "Person" means an individual, corporation, or 1-16 association. 1-17 (7) "Resell" means to sell a ticket to an event after 1-18 it has been purchased from the event sponsor or from a person 1-19 authorized by the event sponsor to sell the ticket. 1-20 (8) "Ticket reseller" means a person who resells or 1-21 offers to resell a ticket for admission to an event to be held in 1-22 this state for a dollar value that exceeds the retail price 1-23 displayed on the ticket. 2-1 SECTION 2. LICENSE REQUIRED. A person may not operate as a 2-2 ticket reseller in this state unless the person is licensed under 2-3 this Act. 2-4 SECTION 3. DUTIES OF DEPARTMENT AND COMMISSIONER. (a) The 2-5 department shall administer this Act. 2-6 (b) The commissioner shall adopt rules requiring a licensee 2-7 to display a badge or other form of identification while operating 2-8 as a ticket reseller as required by Section 7(b) of this Act. 2-9 SECTION 4. ISSUANCE OF LICENSE. (a) The department shall 2-10 issue a ticket reseller license to an applicant who: 2-11 (1) is at least 18 years of age; 2-12 (2) meets the application requirements prescribed by 2-13 rule; 2-14 (3) pays the application and licensing fees; and 2-15 (4) maintains an established place of business. 2-16 (b) A license issued under this Act is valid throughout this 2-17 state but is not assignable or transferable. 2-18 SECTION 5. LICENSE RENEWAL. (a) A license is valid for one 2-19 year from the date of issuance and may be renewed annually on 2-20 payment of the required renewal fee. 2-21 (b) If a licensee fails to renew a license by the required 2-22 date, the licensee may renew the license before the first 2-23 anniversary of its expiration date by paying the renewal fee and a 2-24 late fee in an amount set by the commission. If the license is not 2-25 renewed before the first anniversary of the expiration date, the 3-1 licensee must satisfy the requirements for an original license to 3-2 reinstate the license. 3-3 SECTION 6. REINSTATEMENT OF LICENSE. A person whose license 3-4 has been revoked may apply for a new license after the expiration 3-5 of one year from the date of the revocation. 3-6 SECTION 7. CRIMINAL OFFENSES; PENALTY. (a) A person 3-7 commits an offense if the person operates as a ticket reseller 3-8 without a license issued under this Act. 3-9 (b) A person commits an offense if the person: 3-10 (1) is a licensed ticket reseller who fails to display 3-11 a licensee badge or other form of identification as required by 3-12 rule adopted under this Act; and 3-13 (2) operates as a ticket reseller at or within 1,000 3-14 yards of: 3-15 (A) the location where the event will be held; 3-16 (B) the place where the tickets to the event are 3-17 sold with the authority of the event sponsor; or 3-18 (C) a parking lot or parking facility owned or 3-19 leased by the event sponsor for use by the persons attending the 3-20 event. 3-21 (c) A person commits an offense if the person, without the 3-22 authorization of the event sponsor, knowingly resells for admission 3-23 to the event tickets in excess of the smaller of: 3-24 (1) 300 tickets; or 3-25 (2) a number of tickets equal to three percent of the 4-1 total number of seats available in the venue where the event is to 4-2 be held. 4-3 (d) An offense under this section is a Class C misdemeanor. 4-4 SECTION 8. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect September 4-5 1, 1993. 4-6 SECTION 9. EMERGENCY. The importance of this legislation 4-7 and the crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 4-8 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 4-9 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 4-10 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.