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Senate hearing in Puerto Rico spotlights competing fixes to ticket resale, refunds and transparency
Summary
A Senate committee heard testimony from venue operators, producers, Hacienda and DACO on three related bills about resale, in-person ticket access and fee transparency. Producers urged regulating resale and ending exclusive contracts; venues warned mandatory full refunds of service fees could harm operations.
San Juan — Lawmakers on a Senate commerce committee heard hours of testimony Dec. 5 as stakeholders weighed three related bills addressing how tickets for public events are sold, resold and refunded in Puerto Rico.
The measures under consideration are Senate Bill 1196, which would require guaranteed alternatives for consumers to buy tickets in person; Senate Bill 873, which would regulate resale; and House Bill 1794, which would increase transparency and require refunding ticket charges on cancellations. The hearing drew venue managers, producers’ representatives, the Department of Treasury (Hacienda) and the consumer protection agency (DACO).
Lic. Mariela Ballines Fernández, executive director of the Autoridad del Distrito del Centro de Convenciones (ADCC), told senators the authority opposes Senate Bill 873 and has serious reservations about parts of the other measures as drafted. Ballines said ticket-selling platforms and venue expendedoras incur real costs — citing data-security, transaction processing and staff time — and defended a $2-per-ticket facility…
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