A New Jersey Assembly committee “approved a bill yesterday that would overhaul the state’s rules on ticket sales, including banning paperless tickets, which require buyers to present ID to gain entry to an event,” according to Peggy McGlone of the Newark STAR-LEDGER. But officials “from local sports teams, concert venues and promoters criticized the new rules,” saying that they “would place too many hurdles on them and hurt their ability to succeed in an increasingly competitive industry.” The Assembly committee “passed A2258 with the provision that it would meet with industry officials to address any concerns before sending it to the Assembly floor.” Discussion was held “on an identical bill (S875) in the Senate, but that committee did not take a vote.” Ticketmaster paperless tickets “are only transferable on a Ticketmaster website,” and the company “charges a fee for the resale and imposes rules for their resale, including minimum prices.” Supporters of the ban said that paperless tickets “impose too many restrictions on consumers.” Commerce and Industry Association of New Jersey VP/Government Affairs & Communications Diane Walsh said, "Restrictive paperless ticketing is a practice which we believe flies in the face of the free market system.” The co-sponsors of the bill, Assembly members Gordon Johnson and Vincent Prieto, “will meet with industry officials to hammer out compromises to the bill.” Johnson said that he “expected action on the new version would be taken in the fall” (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 6/20).
