A so-called Taylor Swift bill that Gov. Tim Walz signed into law on Tuesday would ensure greater transparency and safety for those purchasing tickets online for concerts, sporting events, and other live events in Minnesota.
Minneapolis, Minnesota A so-called Taylor Swift bill that Gov. Tim Walz signed into law on Tuesday would ensure greater transparency and safety for those purchasing tickets online for concerts, sporting events, and other live events in Minnesota.
A legislator’s displeasure at not being able to get tickets for Swift’s 2023 Minneapolis performance served as the impetus for the rule, which among other things will force ticket vendors to reveal all costs up front and forbid resellers from offering more than one copy of a ticket. Tickets for concerts and other live events conducted in Minnesota that are bought in Minnesota or in another state will be subject to the law.
Walz signed House File 1989 at First Avenue, a well-known performance venue in downtown Minneapolis, which alludes to Swift’s birth year and an album of the same name.
The measure’s primary author, Democratic Representative Kelly Moller, stated, “I never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that we would be at a bill signing for House File 1989 at First Avenue.”
Moller was one of thousands of people trapped in the Ticketmaster system when it crashed in 2022 due to a bot attack that attempted to purchase tickets for resale at inflated rates and the overwhelming demand for Swift concert tickets. Congress held hearings on the matter, but no federal legislation was passed as a result.
Supporters of Minnesota’s new law say the state joins Maryland as among the few states to pass protections for ticket buyers into law.