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Michigan House passes bipartisan bills to crack down on ticket‑buying bots
Summary
The Michigan House voted to pass two companion bills aimed at stopping automated bots from buying event tickets for resale, granting the attorney general enforcement authority and civil fines; both bills passed overwhelmingly and take effect immediately.
The Michigan House on June 24 passed two bipartisan bills intended to limit automated "bot" purchases of event tickets and curb reselling at inflated prices. The measures, House Bill 4262 and House Bill 4263, passed on roll call votes of 104‑1 and 104‑1, respectively, and were given immediate effect.
Supporters said the bills protect fans and local venues from bad actors who use automated programs to buy large blocks of tickets and resell them at steep markups. Representative Harris, who spoke on the package, said the bills would give the attorney general authority to sue operators of abusive programs and impose civil fines. "Our bipartisan plan will give the attorney general authority to take bad actors to court. Bot operators will face civil fines of up to $5,000 for each ticket they fraudulently obtain," Representative Harris said.
The sponsor described a pattern in which automated "bots" defeat purchase limits and allow scalpers to resell tickets at "treacherous prices." Harris cited high-profile instances in recent years to illustrate the problem and urged colleagues to approve both bills to protect consumers and venues, from large stadiums to small local clubs.
Both bills were read for third time and brought to final passage without amendment. After the passage votes, the majority floor leader moved for immediate effect; the motion was ordered and the bills will take effect immediately, according to the House action.
Votes at a glance: House Bill 4262 — final passage 104 yes, 1 no; House Bill 4263 — final passage 104 yes, 1 no. The record roll calls were announced on the floor; detailed individual vote records were not provided in the transcript excerpt beyond the tallies. The actions grant civil enforcement authority to the attorney general and establish civil penalties described by the sponsors.
Implementation and next steps: With immediate effect ordered on the House floor, enforcement would proceed under the terms set out in the bills once they complete any remaining steps to become law.
(Article based on remarks and vote announcements on the House floor; direct quotations are attributed to Representative Harris as recorded in the transcript.)
