By: Menéndez  S.B. No. 2409
         (In the Senate - Filed March 8, 2019; March 21, 2019, read
  first time and referred to Committee on Business & Commerce;
  April 15, 2019, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
  Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 9, Nays 0; April 15, 2019,
  sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 2409 By:  Menéndez
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the Internet domain name used by a website that sells
  tickets to events.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subtitle B, Title 10, Business & Commerce Code,
  is amended by adding Chapter 327 to read as follows:
  CHAPTER 327. INTERNET WEBSITE DOMAIN NAMES FOR TICKET SELLERS
         Sec. 327.001.  DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
               (1)  "Internet domain name" means a globally unique,
  hierarchical reference to an Internet host or service that is:
                     (A)  assigned through a centralized Internet
  naming authority; and
                     (B)  composed of a series of character strings
  separated by periods with the right-most string specifying the top
  of the hierarchy.
               (2)  "Performer" means an individual, team, group, or
  other person that entertains an audience.
               (3)  "Ticket website" means an Internet website or
  mobile application advertising or offering the sale of tickets, or
  offering tickets for resale, to an event in this state.
               (4)  "URL" means the uniform resource locator address
  for an Internet website that may include the website's Internet
  domain name or a subdomain of the Internet domain name.
               (5)  "Venue" means an arena, stadium, theater, concert
  hall, or other place used for events such as exhibitions, sporting
  events, concerts, or other live entertainment events.
               (6)  "Website operator" means a person who owns,
  operates, manages, licenses, or controls a ticket website for an
  event scheduled at a venue in this state.
         Sec. 327.002.  TICKET WEBSITE DOMAIN NAME RESTRICTED.
  (a)  Except as provided by Subsection (b), a website operator may
  not intentionally use an Internet domain name, or any subdomain of
  the Internet domain name, in a ticket website's URL that contains
  any of the following:
               (1)  the name of:
                     (A)  a performer;
                     (B)  an organization or association that is
  associated with a performer, such as a professional sports league;
                     (C)  a venue in this state; or
                     (D)  an exhibition, performance, or other event to
  be held at a venue in this state;
               (2)  a trademark not owned by the website operator,
  including a trademark owned by an authorized agent or partner of the
  venue or event; or
               (3)  any name substantially similar to a name described
  by Subdivision (1), including a misspelling of the name.
         (b)  Subsection (a) does not apply to a website operator who
  is authorized by a performer, organization, venue, or event's
  organizer to use the name or trademark on the performer's,
  organization's, venue's, or event's behalf for the purpose of
  selling or reselling tickets.
         Sec. 327.003.  DECEPTIVE TRADE PRACTICE. A violation of
  this chapter is a deceptive trade practice under Subchapter E,
  Chapter 17, and is actionable under that subchapter.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
 
  * * * * *