SE Oakland News

State Representative Mike Harris has led the Michigan House of Representatives in approving a bipartisan plan aimed at protecting eventgoers from inflated ticket prices. The initiative targets the use of automated bots that purchase large quantities of tickets, which are then resold at higher prices.

House Bills 4262 and 4263, sponsored by Harris, R-Waterford, and Rep. Mike McFall, D-Hazel Park, seek to ban these bots. The bills have been informally named the "Taylor Swift" bills due to the prominence of this issue during Swift's Eras Tour in 2023-2024.

Harris commented on the situation: “‘Mastermind’ bot operators flip their ill-gotten tickets for massive markups, profiting at the expense of real fans — who are left ‘Haunted’ by high prices,” he said. He added that expensive tickets contribute to a “Death by a Thousand Cuts” after recent inflation.

The proposed legislation would allow the Michigan Department of Attorney General to take legal action against those using bots to bypass ticket purchase limits. Violators could face civil fines up to $5,000 per fraudulently obtained ticket.

“The ticket bot problem has gone on too long, and Michiganders should not have to ‘Tolerate It,’” Harris stated. He emphasized the importance of protecting patrons of Michigan’s entertainment venues and urged swift action against this issue.

A national movement is building for state-level consumer protection laws against ticket bots. States like Arizona and Maine have already enacted similar measures. Federal law also addresses ticket bots, but state-level bans will empower local enforcement agencies as well.

The House passed HBs 4262 and 4263 with strong bipartisan support; they now proceed to the Senate for consideration.