1-1 By: Henderson S.B. No. 1333 1-2 (In the Senate - Filed March 31, 1993; April 1, 1993, read 1-3 first time and referred to Committee on Economic Development; 1-4 April 6, 1993, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 9, 1-5 Nays 0; April 6, 1993, sent to printer.) 1-6 COMMITTEE VOTE 1-7 Yea Nay PNV Absent 1-8 Parker x 1-9 Lucio x 1-10 Ellis x 1-11 Haley x 1-12 Harris of Dallas x 1-13 Harris of Tarrant x 1-14 Leedom x 1-15 Madla x 1-16 Rosson x 1-17 Shapiro x 1-18 Wentworth x 1-19 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-20 AN ACT 1-21 relating to the creation of an offense involving sales of tickets 1-22 to certain events; providing a penalty. 1-23 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-24 SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 35, Business & Commerce 1-25 Code, is amended by adding Section 35.49 to read as follows: 1-26 Sec. 35.49. TICKET SCALPING. (a) In this section: 1-27 (1) "Event" means an event of public entertainment or 1-28 amusement. 1-29 (2) "Event sponsor" means an owner, lessee, operator, 1-30 promoter, or manager of an event or the site of an event. 1-31 (3) "Nonprofit organization" means an organization 1-32 described by Section 501(c)(3), Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 1-33 U.S.C. Section 501(c)(3)). 1-34 (4) "Resell" means to sell a ticket after it has been 1-35 purchased from the event sponsor or from an individual, 1-36 corporation, or association authorized to sell the ticket by the 1-37 event sponsor. 1-38 (b) This section applies to an event only if: 1-39 (1) it is held in a county with a population of 2.4 1-40 million or more; 1-41 (2) it is an agricultural exposition or a show 1-42 occurring at or in connection with an agricultural exposition; 1-43 (3) the primary event sponsor is a nonprofit 1-44 organization; and 1-45 (4) the net proceeds are used to provide scholarships 1-46 and educational programs for youths in the state. 1-47 (c) A person may not resell or offer to resell a ticket to 1-48 an event to which this section applies for a price in excess of the 1-49 price authorized to be offered to the general public by the event 1-50 sponsor. 1-51 (d) A person who violates this section commits an offense. 1-52 An offense under this section is a Class B misdemeanor. 1-53 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1993. 1-54 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 1-55 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-56 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-57 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-58 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended. 1-59 * * * * * 1-60 Austin, 1-61 Texas 1-62 April 6, 1993 1-63 Hon. Bob Bullock 1-64 President of the Senate 1-65 Sir: 1-66 We, your Committee on Economic Development to which was referred 1-67 S.B. No. 1333, have had the same under consideration, and I am 1-68 instructed to report it back to the Senate with the recommendation 2-1 that it do pass and be printed. 2-2 Parker, 2-3 Chairman 2-4 * * * * * 2-5 WITNESSES 2-6 FOR AGAINST ON 2-7 ___________________________________________________________________ 2-8 Name: Leroy Shafer x 2-9 Representing: Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo 2-10 City: Houston 2-11 ------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-12 Name: Lisa Thies x 2-13 Representing: Self 2-14 City: Austin 2-15 ------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-16 Name: James C. Barr x 2-17 Representing: Ticket Attractions, Inc. 2-18 City: Friendswood 2-19 ------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-20 Name: Sandy Dickey x 2-21 Representing: We B Tickets/Self 2-22 City: Austin 2-23 ------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-24 Name: Scott Baima x 2-25 Representing: Texas Tickets, Inc. 2-26 City: Dallas 2-27 ------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-28 Name: Bryson McCall Smith x 2-29 Representing: Elf Tickets 2-30 City: Austin 2-31 ------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-32 Name: Robert Hightower x 2-33 Representing: Ticket Center, Inc. 2-34 City: Houston 2-35 ------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-36 Name: Chris Toy x 2-37 Representing: The Ticket Company, Inc. 2-38 City: Bellaire 2-39 ------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-40 Name: Andrew Hentrich x 2-41 Representing: Encore Tickets 2-42 City: Austin 2-43 ------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-44 Name: Tariq Samee x 2-45 Representing: Ticket Connection 2-46 City: Missouri City 2-47 ------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-48 Name: John Landry x 2-49 Representing: Center Stage Tickets 2-50 City: Dallas 2-51 ------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-52 Name: Jack Stopnicki x 2-53 Representing: Ticket Stop 2-54 City: Houston 2-55 -------------------------------------------------------------------