WASHINGTON, DC - On Wednesday evening, the House passed S. 3183, the Better Online Ticket Sales (BOTS) Act of 2016. The legislation has been spearheaded by Energy and Commerce Committee Vice Chairman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN). The bipartisan bill would empower the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to stop scalpers from buying swaths of event tickets by going around defense measures put in place to prevent such bulk purchases. The House-version of this legislation, H.R. 5104, passed the House by voice vote in September.
“Having the BOTS bill signed into law is a victory for consumers, sports fans and live concert goers," said Vice Chairman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN). “It is time to end these anti-consumer tactics and level the online ticket playing field for fans of live entertainment. Thank you to my colleagues who have worked with me on a bipartisan bicameral basis to support my legislation, achieve passage and witness its being signed into law."
Full committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) added, “For too long scalping software has taken advantage of the online ticket sales’ process, cheating thousands of fans from enjoying live events and other one-of-a-kind experiences. But this underhanded practice ends today, with passage of the BOTS Act, as it helps sustain a fair and transparent online-purchasing experience. With Rep. Blackburn’s bill, consumers are back on a level playing field when it comes to securing tickets to big time concerts like Bruce Springsteen, or seeing the World Champion Chicago Cubs. This commonsense bill builds upon our proud record of success and I look forward to the president swiftly signing it into law."
Over the past year, the committee has worked to modernize government policies for the innovation era through the ongoing Disrupter Series. Specifically, the committee examined the type of reforms the FTC must undergo in order to keep pace with 21st century innovation. The BOTS Act is just one example of legislation that resulted from this series’ effort to modernize the FTC and promote innovation.
Learn more about the Energy and Commerce Committee’s #RecordOfSuccess HERE.