A. 8245--B 2
(C) SUCH LICENSEE OR OTHER TICKET RESELLER INFORMS THE PURCHASER IN A
CLEAR AND CONSPICUOUS MANNER AND IN PLAIN LANGUAGE AT THE TIME OF OFFER-
ING SUCH TICKET FOR SALE AND IN A WRITTEN NOTICE PRIOR TO THE COMPLETION
OF THE TRANSACTION THAT SUCH LICENSEE OR OTHER TICKET RESELLER DOES NOT
HAVE POSSESSION OF THE TICKET, HAS NO CONTRACT TO OBTAIN THE OFFERED
TICKET AT A CERTAIN PRICE FROM A PERSON IN POSSESSION OF THE TICKET OR
FROM A PERSON WHO HAS A CONTRACTUAL RIGHT TO OBTAIN SUCH TICKET, MAY NOT
BE ABLE TO SUPPLY THE TICKET AT THE CONTRACTED PRICE OR RANGE OF PRICES,
AND REQUIRES SUCH PURCHASER TO EXPRESSLY CONFIRM PRIOR TO COMPLETING THE
TRANSACTION THAT THE PURCHASER HAS READ SUCH NOTICE.
2. NOTHING IN THIS SECTION SHALL PROHIBIT A LICENSEE OR OTHER TICKET
RESELLER FROM ACCEPTING A DEPOSIT FROM A PROSPECTIVE PURCHASER FOR A
RESALE PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (C) OF SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION,
PROVIDED THAT SUCH LICENSEE OR OTHER TICKET RESELLER INFORMS THE
PURCHASER IN WRITING PRIOR TO RECEIPT OF CONSIDERATION OF THE TERMS OF
THE DEPOSIT AGREEMENT, AND INCLUDES IN THE WRITTEN NOTICE THE DISCLO-
SURES OTHERWISE REQUIRED BY THIS SECTION. IF A LICENSEE OR TICKET
RESELLER HAS ENTERED INTO A CONTRACT WITH OR RECEIVED CONSIDERATION FROM
A PROSPECTIVE PURCHASER FOR THE SALE OF A TICKET OR TICKETS AND CANNOT
SUPPLY SUCH TICKET OR TICKETS AT THE CONTRACTED PRICE OR PRICE RANGE,
SUCH LICENSEE OR TICKET RESELLER SHALL REFUND ANY MONIES PAID BY SUCH
PROSPECTIVE PURCHASER WITHIN TEN BUSINESS DAYS OF RECEIPT OF A REQUEST
FOR A REFUND FROM SUCH PURCHASER.
3. NOTHING IN THIS SECTION SHALL BE CONSTRUED TO NULLIFY, EXPAND,
RESTRICT, OR OTHERWISE AMEND OR MODIFY NOW EXISTING LAWS OR REGULATIONS
OUTSIDE OF THIS ARTICLE, AND NOTHING IN THIS SECTION SHALL BE CONSTRUED
AS MAKING LAWFUL ANY FRAUDULENT, DECEPTIVE, OR ILLEGAL ACT OR PRACTICE
THAT IS UNLAWFUL PURSUANT TO NOW EXISTING LAWS OR REGULATIONS.
4. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SHALL HAVE JURISDICTION TO ENFORCE THE
PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE POWERS GRANTED TO HIM
OR HER BY SECTION SIXTY-THREE OF THE EXECUTIVE LAW.
§ 2. Section 25.19 of the arts and cultural affairs law, as amended by
chapter 61 of the laws of 2007, is amended to read as follows:
§ 25.19. Posting of license or certificate. Immediately upon the
receipt of the license or certificate issued pursuant to this article by
the secretary of state, the licensee named therein shall cause such
license to be posted and at all times displayed in a conspicuous place
in the principal office of such business for which it is issued, and
shall cause the certificate for each branch office, bureau, agency or
sub-agency to be posted and at all times displayed in a conspicuous
place in such branch office, bureau, agency or sub-agency for which it
is issued, so that all persons visiting such principal office, branch
office, bureau, agency or sub-agency may readily see the same, and if
such licensee does business on the internet, INCLUDING VIA A RETAIL
TICKET PURCHASING PLATFORM, to provide a LICENSE NUMBER DISPLAYED IN A
CONSPICUOUS MANNER OR A hyperlink displayed in a conspicuous manner to a
scanned copy of such license. Such license or certificate shall at all
reasonable times be subject to inspection by the secretary of state or
his or her authorized inspectors. It shall be unlawful for any person,
firm, partnership or corporation holding such license or certificate to
post such license or certificate or to permit such certificate to be
posted upon premises other than those described therein or to which it
has been transferred pursuant to the provisions of this article or
unlawfully to alter, deface or destroy any such license or certificate.
FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE TERM "RETAIL TICKET PURCHASING PLAT-
A. 8245--B 3
FORM" SHALL MEAN A RETAIL TICKET PURCHASING WEBSITE, APPLICATION, PHONE
SYSTEM, OR OTHER TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM USED TO SELL TICKETS.
§ 3. Section 25.23 of the arts and cultural affairs law, as amended by
chapter 106 of the laws of 2005, is amended to read as follows:
§ 25.23. Posting of price lists; information to purchaser. 1. In
every principal office or branch office, bureau, agency or sub-agency of
any licensee under this article, there shall be conspicuously posted and
at all times displayed a price list showing the established price
charged by the operator of the place of entertainment for which a ticket
is being sold by such licensee, together with the price being charged by
such licensee for the resale of such ticket, so that all persons visit-
ing such place may readily see the same. The licensee shall also on
request furnish each purchaser of a ticket with a receipt showing the
same information. Further, if the licensee conducts business through the
use of the internet, the same price list, or hyperlink to the same,
shall be conspicuously displayed on the internet page on which tickets
are accessed. In addition the licensee shall publish in a conspicuous
place, or hyperlink to on the internet a statement clearly detailing the
required guarantees required by section 25.07 of this article.
2. AN ONLINE RESALE MARKETPLACE SHALL POST A CLEAR AND CONSPICUOUS
NOTICE ON THE WEBSITE THAT THE WEBSITE IS FOR THE SECONDARY SALE OF A
TICKET, THAT THE PRICE OF SUCH TICKET OFFERED FOR SALE MAY EXCEED THE
ESTABLISHED PRICE AND SHALL ALSO STATE THE REFUND POLICY OF THE PLATFORM
IN CONNECTION WITH THE CANCELLATION OR POSTPONEMENT OF AN EVENT. AN
ONLINE RESALE MARKETPLACE SHALL REQUIRE THAT THE USER CONFIRM HAVING
READ SUCH NOTICE BEFORE COMPLETING ANY TRANSACTION. FOR THE PURPOSES OF
THIS SECTION, AN "ONLINE RESALE MARKETPLACE" MEANS ANY OPERATOR OR
MANAGER OF A WEBSITE OR OTHER ELECTRONIC SERVICE THAT RESELLS TICKETS OR
SERVES AS A PLATFORM TO FACILITATE RESALE, OR RESALE BY WAY OF A COMPET-
ITIVE BIDDING PROCESS.
§ 4. Section 25.24 of the arts and cultural affairs law is amended by
adding a new subdivision 10 to read as follows:
10. ANY PERSON, FIRM, CORPORATION OR OTHER ENTITY WHO IS A LICENSEE
UNDER THIS ARTICLE WHO IS ADJUDICATED GUILTY OF THE FOLLOWING ACTS MAY
LOSE THEIR LICENSE AND MAY BE BARRED FROM LICENSURE UNDER THIS ARTICLE
FOR A PERIOD NOT TO EXCEED THREE YEARS TO BE DETERMINED BY THE DEPART-
MENT OF STATE PURSUANT TO SECTION 25.31 OF THIS ARTICLE IF SUCH LICEN-
SEE: (A) KNOWINGLY UTILIZED TICKET PURCHASING SOFTWARE IN ORDER TO
PURCHASE TICKETS; (B) KNOWINGLY RESOLD OR OFFERED TO RESELL A TICKET
THAT SUCH LICENSEE KNEW WAS OBTAINED USING TICKET PURCHASING SOFTWARE;
OR (C) INTENTIONALLY MAINTAINED ANY INTEREST IN OR MAINTAINED ANY
CONTROL OF THE OPERATION OF TICKET PURCHASING SOFTWARE TO PURCHASE TICK-
ETS.
§ 5. Section 25.07 of the arts and cultural affairs law is amended by
adding a new subdivision 4 to read as follows:
4. EVERY OPERATOR OR OPERATOR'S AGENT OF A PLACE OF ENTERTAINMENT, ANY
LICENSEE OR OTHER TICKET RESELLER OR PLATFORM THAT FACILITATES THE
RESALE OF TICKETS SHALL DISCLOSE IN A CLEAR AND CONSPICUOUS MANNER THE
TOTAL PRICE OF THE TICKET AND THE PORTION OF THE TICKET PRICE STATED IN
DOLLARS THAT REPRESENTS A SERVICE CHARGE, OR ANY OTHER FEE OR SURCHARGE
PRIOR TO ACCEPTING PAYMENT THEREFOR.
§ 6. The arts and cultural affairs law is amended by adding a new
section 25.12 to read as follows:
§ 25.12. PROFESSIONAL SPORTS ORGANIZATION MEMBERSHIP PASS. NOTWITH-
STANDING SECTION 25.30 OF THIS ARTICLE, AN OPERATOR OF A PLACE OF ENTER-
TAINMENT OR SUCH OPERATOR'S AGENT MAY OFFER PAPERLESS TICKETS WHICH DO
A. 8245--B 4
NOT ALLOW FOR INDEPENDENT TRANSFERABILITY PROVIDED THAT SUCH TICKETS ARE
INCLUDED IN A MEMBERSHIP PASS AT A DISCOUNTED PRICE OFFERED BY A PROFES-
SIONAL SPORTS ORGANIZATION THAT GUARANTEES ENTRY TO A SPECIFIED NUMBER
OF EVENTS IN A SPECIFIED TIME PERIOD. TICKETS PROVIDED UNDER SUCH
MEMBERSHIP PASS CANNOT BE TRANSFERRED OR RESOLD, INCLUDING THROUGH THE
OPERATOR OR OPERATORS' AGENTS, AND MUST BE CLEARLY MARKED AS SUCH. SUCH
MEMBERSHIP PASS SHALL NOT MEAN A SUBSCRIPTION OR SEASON TICKET PACKAGE
OFFERED FOR SALE AND SHALL NOT RESULT IN THE SALE OF MORE THAN FIVE
PERCENT OF ALL SEATS AVAILABLE AT A VENUE FOR A PARTICULAR EVENT.
§ 7. Section 25.30 of the arts and cultural affairs law is amended by
adding a new subdivision 5 to read as follows:
5. NO OPERATOR OR ITS AGENT SHALL TRANSFER A PROSPECTIVE TICKET
PURCHASER THROUGH ANY MEANS TO A LICENSEE OR SECONDARY TICKET RESELLER
WITHOUT PROVIDING A CLEAR AND CONSPICUOUS DISCLOSURE THAT INFORMS THE
PROSPECTIVE PURCHASER THAT THE TICKET IS NOT BEING OFFERED BY THE OPERA-
TOR OR ITS AGENT, BUT RATHER BY A LICENSEE OR OTHER TICKET RESELLER IN
THE SECONDARY MARKET.
§ 8. The arts and cultural affairs law is amended by adding a new
section 25.34 to read as follows:
§ 25.34. TICKET WEBSITES. 1. AS USED IN THIS SECTION:
(A) "TICKET WEBSITE" MEANS AN INTERNET WEBSITE ADVERTISING THE SALE OF
TICKETS, OFFERING THE SALE OF SUCH TICKETS, OR FACILITATING A SECONDARY
TICKET EXCHANGE.
(B) "URL" MEANS THE UNIFORM RESOURCE LOCATOR FOR A WEBSITE ON THE
INTERNET.
2. (A) IT SHALL BE UNLAWFUL FOR ANY PERSON TO, WITH INTENT TO MISLEAD
OR DECEIVE, OWN, OPERATE, OR CONTROL A TICKET WEBSITE FOR AN EVENT SCHE-
DULED AT A PLACE OF ENTERTAINMENT TO USE A SUBDOMAIN OR DOMAIN NAME IN A
TICKET WEBSITE'S URL THAT CONTAINS:
(I) THE NAME OF THE PLACE OF ENTERTAINMENT, PROVIDED THAT THIS PARA-
GRAPH SHALL NOT PRECLUDE THE USE OF GENERAL TERMS TO DEPICT A GEOGRAPH-
ICAL LOCATION OR VENUE CATEGORY;
(II) THE NAME OF THE SPECIFIC EVENT, INCLUDING THE NAME OF A PERSON OR
ENTITY SCHEDULED TO PERFORM OR APPEAR AT THE EVENT; OR
(III) A NAME SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO THOSE IN SUBPARAGRAPH (I) OR
(II) OF THIS PARAGRAPH.
(B) PARAGRAPH (A) OF THIS SUBDIVISION SHALL NOT APPLY IF THE PERSON IS
ACTING ON BEHALF OF, AND WITH THE CONSENT OF, THE PLACE OF ENTER-
TAINMENT, EVENT, ARTIST OR SPORTS TEAM FOR WHICH THE WEBSITE IS BEING
CREATED.
3. ANY PERSON, FIRM, CORPORATION OR OTHER ENTITY WHO INTENTIONALLY
OWNS, OPERATES, OR CONTROLS SUCH TICKET WEBSITE SHALL BE SUBJECT TO A
CIVIL PENALTY IN AN AMOUNT OF NO MORE THAN ONE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED
DOLLARS FOR EACH SUCH VIOLATION.
4. ANY PERSON WHO IS SUBJECT TO A CIVIL PENALTY UNDER THIS SECTION AND
HAS BEEN ASSESSED A PENALTY UNDER THIS SECTION IN THE PREVIOUS THREE
YEARS SHALL BE ASSESSED A CIVIL PENALTY OF NO MORE THAN FIVE THOUSAND
DOLLARS FOR EACH SUCH VIOLATION.
5. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SHALL HAVE JURISDICTION TO ENFORCE THE
PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE POWERS GRANTED TO HIM
OR HER BY SECTION SIXTY-THREE OF THE EXECUTIVE LAW.
§ 9. Section 4 of chapter 704 of the laws of 1991, amending the arts
and cultural affairs law and chapter 912 of the laws of 1920 relating to
the regulation of boxing and wrestling matches relating to tickets to
places of entertainment, as amended by chapter 68 of the laws of 2017,
is amended to read as follows:
A. 8245--B 5
§ 4. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall
have become a law, provided, chapter 61 of the laws of 2007 shall not
take effect with respect to the issuance of licenses or certificates
under this article by the secretary of state or department of state
until January 1, 2008 and regulation under this article by the commis-
sioners of licenses of the political subdivisions of the state shall
continue through December 31, 2007, and shall remain in full force and
effect only until and including June 30, [2018] 2021 when such act shall
be repealed and when, notwithstanding any other provision of law, the
provisions of article 25 of title G of the arts and cultural affairs
law, repealed by such act, shall be reinstituted; provided further that
section 25.11 of the arts and cultural affairs law, as added by section
one of this act, shall survive such repeal date. Provided, however, the
printing on tickets required pursuant to sections 25.07 and 25.08 of
article 25 of the arts and cultural affairs law, as added by this act,
shall not apply to tickets printed prior to enactment of such article so
long as notice of the higher maximum premium price and prohibition of
sales within one thousand five hundred feet from the physical structure
of the place of entertainment, where applicable, is prominently
displayed at the point of sale and at such place of entertainment.
§ 10. Section 11 of chapter 151 of the laws of 2010, amending the arts
and cultural affairs law relating to resale of tickets to places of
entertainment, as amended by chapter 68 of the laws of 2017, is amended
to read as follows:
§ 11. Notwithstanding the provisions of article 5 of the general
construction law, if this act shall take effect after May 15, 2010, the
provisions of article 25 of the arts and cultural affairs law, except
section 25.11 are hereby revived and shall continue in full force and
effect as they existed on May 15, 2010 through June 30, [2018] 2021 when
upon such date such provisions shall expire and be deemed repealed.
§ 11. This act shall take effect immediately; provided however that:
(a) sections one, two, three, four, five, seven and eight of this act
shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have
become a law; and
(b) the amendments to article 25 of the arts and cultural affairs law
made by sections one, two, three, five, six, seven and eight of this act
shall not affect the repeal of such article and shall be deemed repealed
therewith.