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Senate Technology Committee advances bill banning bots from exceeding posted ticket limits
Summary
The Senate Technology Committee moved Senate File 49 forward after brief discussion; the bill would prohibit using or creating bots to buy more than posted limits for online ticket sales and would require ticket sellers to report violations to the attorney general.
The Senate Technology Committee on an unspecified date advanced Senate File 49, a measure that would ban the use or creation of automated “bots” to purchase more than the posted limit for online ticket sales and would require ticket sellers to report violations to the attorney general.
Senator Gruenhagen, the bill’s floor manager, said: "Senate file 49, the bill prohibits the use or creation of bots to purchase more than the posted limit for online ticket sales or circumvent the posted limit. Ticket sellers are required to report violations to the attorney general where civil action may be taken." The committee approved the measure by voice vote and moved it forward as a committee bill.
Senator Bennett, a member of the subcommittee that considered the bill this year and last, spoke in support. "I sat on the subcommittee for this bill, both this year and last year. And, I think this is a really good bipartisan piece of legislation to protect Iowa consumers. And, I think we discussed this last year, but if you're trying to rip off Iowa consumers, we're gonna have bad blood. So let's get it done," Bennett said.
A subcommittee report for the bill was signed by Senators Bennett, Taylor and Gruenhagen, according to the committee record. Committee members had no further recorded debate on the measure during the meeting before voting; the chair called a short-form voice vote and the ayes were recorded as carrying the motion.
The measure, identified in committee as Senate File 49, was advanced as a committee bill for further consideration. The transcript does not specify a legislative timeline, any amendments, a recorded roll-call vote tally, or the date of the committee meeting beyond the approval of prior minutes dated 01/14/2025.
The bill’s enforcement provision as described in committee places responsibility on ticket sellers to notify the attorney general, and the attorney general is authorized to pursue civil action, according to Gruenhagen’s remarks.
