September 12, 2012, Introduced by Rep. Geiss and referred to the Committee on Government Operations.
A bill to amend 1931 PA 328, entitled
"The Michigan penal code,"
by amending section 465 (MCL 750.465).
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 465. (1) The owner, lessee, operator, or manager of each
theatre, circus, athletic grounds used for an athletic game, or
place of public entertainment or amusement shall have printed on
each ticket issued for admission to, or for a seat of, the theatre,
circus, athletic grounds, or place of public entertainment or
amusement, in conspicuous type, the price of the ticket, and the
number on the seat when each seat is numbered. The owner, lessee,
operator, or manager also shall print or endorse on the ticket the
charge in excess of the box office price at which the ticket is
sold if the ticket is purchased at a location other than the box
office where the event occurs and the following statement: "This
ticket may be purchased at the box office price without the
surcharge by purchasing the ticket at the box office where the
event is scheduled to occur."
(2) A person owning, occupying, managing, or controlling a
building, room, park or enclosure for the sale of tickets for a
theatre, circus, athletic game, or place of public entertainment or
amusement, who asks, demands, or receives from a person for the
sale of the ticket to a theatre, circus, athletic grounds, or place
of public entertainment or amusement, a price in excess of the
general admission advertised or charged for the same privilege, or
a person, who by himself or herself or his or her agent or
employee, offers for sale upon a public place or thoroughfare, a
ticket to a theatre, circus, athletic grounds, or place of public
entertainment or amusement, for admission to, or for a seat or
other privilege in a theatre, circus, athletic grounds, or place of
public entertainment or amusement, at a price in excess of that
demanded or received from the general public for the same
privilege, or in excess of the advertised or printed rate, shall be
punished
as provided in subsection (6), (7),
except if the request,
demand, or receipt is with the written permission of the owner,
lessee, operator, or manager of the theatre, circus, athletic
grounds, or place of public entertainment or amusement where the
event occurs. If the owner, lessee, operator, or manager permits,
in writing, a charge in excess of the box office price, the
permission
shall be limited to the both
of the following:
(a) The sales of tickets at locations other than the box
office where the event occurs.
(b) The sale of tickets for not more than 10% more than the
box office value printed on the face of the ticket.
(3) Except as provided in subsections (1) and (2), a person
shall
not establish an agency, or suboffice, or internet website
for the sale of a seat ticket of admission to a theatre, circus,
athletic grounds, or place of public entertainment or amusement at
a price greater than the sale of a seat ticket at the box office of
the theatre, circus, athletic grounds, place of public
entertainment or amusement, or in excess of the advertised price of
the seat ticket.
(4) Except as provided in subsections (1) and (2), the owner,
lessee, operator, or occupant of a building, room, enclosure, or
other
place open to the public, who permits shall not permit a
person to sell or exhibit for sale in the building, room,
enclosure, or other place open to the public, 1 or more tickets for
a theatre, circus, athletic grounds, or place of public
entertainment or amusement, for more than the price printed on the
ticket. ,
shall be liable and guilty equally as the person.
(5) If the owner, lessee, operator, or manager of a circus,
theatre, athletic grounds, or place of public entertainment or
amusement has sold a ticket or admission to a person, under
restrictive conditions and at a less rate than the general
admission charged, and whose name appears on the face of the ticket
or is registered in the office of the owner, lessee, operator, or
managers as the holder of the ticket and if it is printed on the
face of the ticket that the ticket is nontransferable and sold only
to the person whose name appears on the face of the ticket or is
registered, the holder of the ticket shall not sell the ticket to
another
person. , and a person selling the ticket shall be punished
as
provided in subsection (6).
(6) A person who owns or operates an internet website that
offers for sale a ticket or admission to an event described in this
section shall post on the website both the sale price of the ticket
or admission and the box office price of that ticket or admission.
(7) (6)
A person who violates this section
is guilty of a
misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 90 days or
a fine of not more than $500.00, or both.