Ticket sellers: equitable ticket buying process: use or sale of services.

Existing law defines a ticket seller for specified purposes to mean a person who for compensation, commission, or otherwise sells admission tickets to sporting, musical, theater, or any other entertainment event. Existing law makes it unlawful for a person to intentionally use or sell software to circumvent a security control or measure that is used to ensure an equitable ticket buying process. Existing law makes a violation of the laws regulating ticket sellers a misdemeanor. This bill would, for purposes of the prohibition on the intentional use or sale of certain software, specify that the equitable ticket buying process is for event attendees, and that a control or measure that is used to ensure an equitable ticket buying process includes limits on the number of tickets that a person can purchase. The bill would additionally make it unlawful for a person to intentionally use or sell services to circumvent a security control or measure that is used to ensure an equitable ticket buying process for event attendees. The bill would define event attendee for these purposes, and would exclude a ticket seller from that definition. By expanding the scope of an existing crime, this bill would impose a state-mandate local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.