TSWIFT Act: Bill Aims To Address Ticket Sales Nightmare in WA

Here's the hope that live music lovers of Washington state may never have to endure another Era’s Tour ticket-buying nightmare. A step in the right direction is the proposed bill set for discussion in Olympia. 

The frustration stemmed from the Fall of 2022 - when Taylor Swift's highly anticipated "The Eras Tour." prompted headaches for Swifties locally and across the country. Swifties directed their anger towards Ticketmaster, as fans endured lengthy online wait times and came up empty.

House Bill 1648

Also known as the “Ticket Sales Warrant Integrity, Fairness, and Transparency Act,” seeks to enhance fairness and simplicity in ticket purchases. This proposed bill will hopefully combat: bots, fake sales, and hidden fees and mandate transparency regarding ticket prices. 

This long overdue piece of legislation was proposed by Washington State House Rep. Kristine Reeves.

The "TSWIFT" act 

This proposed piece of legislation gained momentum amid fan outrage over the November 2022 "Eras Tour" online purchasing nightmare. 

"Whether you're going to see a popular artist like Taylor Swift or experiencing a local Seattle artist, folks are feeling the crunch of not being able to get access to their favorite artists through these ticket seller markets." -Rep. Kristine Reeves

 

Although the bill failed to reach a full vote in the 2023 session, it recently resurfaced for discussion during a public hearing on January 16th, 2024. 

What would be done?

Currently on the agenda for an executive session of the Consumer Protection and Business Committee - the TSWIFT Act proposes:

* Penalties - including fines of up to $500, for multi-time violators attempting to circumvent ticket-buying platforms. 

If passed, the Ticket Sales Warrant Integrity, Fairness, and Transparency Act could bring a much fairer and more transparent era for concert ticket purchasing in Washington state. We hope this passes.

INFO: KING 5 News