NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A2595 Revised 2/17/23
SPONSOR: Paulin
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the arts and cultural affairs law, in relation to
requiring ticket distributors to refund the purchase price of tickets
within forty-five days after a cancelled or rescheduled event
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To require ticket distributors to refund the full price of a ticket to a
purchaser requesting a refund within forty-five days of the originally
scheduled date of the performance or the event;
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section one amends subdivision 1: of section 23.08 of the arts and
culture law to require: a ticket distributor refund the full price of a
ticket to each ticket purchaser requesting a refund within forty-five
days of the originally scheduled date of the performance or the event.
Section two provides the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
When New York State locked down in early March 2020 due to COVID-19,
many concerts were cancelled or postponed indefinitely {1}. In New York,
ticket distributors such as StubHub and Ticket Master ate obligated to
disburse refunds to purchasers {2}. While ticket distributors continued
to offer refunds, many customers have still not received their refunds.
Many ticket purchasers have been understandably outraged Attorney Gener-
al Letitia James has received over100 complaints about delayed or
refused refunds {3}. The New York Times estimates that across the
nation, over 30,000 events have been disrupted, with consumers paying
over $1 billion in tickets for disrupted shows {4}
This loophole can be exploited by ticket distributors to indefinitely
delay refunds, leaving purchasers without recourse. Some companies have
self-imposed policies regarding how long it will take them to refund a.
ticket but codifying a timeframe for refunds will stop malfeasance in
the future. This bill requires ticket distributors to issue a refund to
a ticket purchaser, when requested, within forty-five days after the
cancelled event was originally scheduled,
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
A.6195 of 2021 and 2022, referred to tourism, parks, arts and sports
development.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
This bill will have no fiscal impact to the State.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act would take effect immediately.
{1} https://www.billboard.aom/articlesibusinessitouring/93236477
/concertscanceled7coronavirus-list/ {2}
http://www.4y.senate.g0V/Iegislation/laws/AC08
https://newyork.cbslocal.cdm/2020/08/20/stubhub-ticketmas:ters-corona
virus-cancelled-concerts-sporting-events-covid-19/ {4}
https//www,nytimes.com/2020/0:4/16/arts/muSicegreentsicketmasterrefunds.
html