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California Senate Panel Rejects AB 1720 Ticket Resale Cap

8/15/2026

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California Senate Rejects

The California Senate Appropriations Committee rejected AB 1720, a ticket-resale price-cap bill, on August 13, 2026, after debate over consumer protection and industry impact.
StubHub declined to comment on the bill’s failure, highlighting the reseller’s silence publicly.
Assembly member Matt Haney introduced AB 1720 in February 2026, citing concerns about fairness and artist revenue.
It was narrowed to venues with 3,000 seats or fewer after $3.4 million lobbying by StubHub.

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California Senate Rejects

On August 13, 2026, the California Senate Appropriations Committee rejected AB 1720, halting the ticket-resale price-cap bill.
The defeat leaves fans, artists and small venues vulnerable to unchecked scalping and steep resale markups.
Assemblymember Matt Haney introduced the bill in February, proposing a ten-percent resale price cap.
The measure was narrowed to venues with three-thousand seats or fewer.
StubHub spent $3.4 million lobbying the Senate to defeat the legislation.

History

Historical Context

Ticketmaster’s dominance, reflected in a 1994 Pearl Jam antitrust complaint and a 2010 consent decree limiting retaliation against rival venues, resurfaced during the 2022 Taylor Swift ticket crash that spurred Senate hearings and a 2024 DOJ antitrust suit. With Live Nation-Ticketmaster controlling over 70% of primary ticket sales, states now pursue caps on resale fees.

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California Senate Rejects

The California Senate Appropriations Committee rejected AB 1720, a ticket-resale price-cap bill, on August 13, 2026, after debate over consumer protection and industry impact.
StubHub declined to comment on the bill’s failure, highlighting the reseller’s silence publicly.
Assembly member Matt Haney introduced AB 1720 in February 2026, citing concerns about fairness and artist revenue.
It was narrowed to venues with 3,000 seats or fewer after $3.4 million lobbying by StubHub.

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