“Common Sense” Rep. Bilirakis Touts Ticket Act in CTF Keynote

If things had gone slightly different in December, the Coalition for Ticket Fairness conference this week might have been a celebration of the passage of commonsense ticket reform by way of the TICKET Act. But that bill – which would mandate transparent “all-in” ticket prices as its cornerstone among numerous fan-forward improvements to the ticketing climate at the federal level – fell just short of passage.

But that was just a momentary pause, according to Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), who co-sponsors the bill and provided the CTF Keynote address Thursday afternoon.

“Our bill brings much-needed transparency to the whole ticketing industry, and I’m committed to working to get these reforms passed,” says Rep. Bilirakis, who co-sponsored the House bill with Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill) in the last Congress, then again for the new congress in February of this year. “These reforms protect consumers, and help bring certainty to the marketplace.”

“I’m focused on prioritizing consumer protection legislation to safeguard the rights and the well-being of American citizens,” he continued. “With rapidly evolving industries like healthcare, finance, and technology, consumers are increasingly exposed to fraud, misinformation, and exploitation. Strong consumer protections ensure fairness, promote transparency and create a level playing field for businesses while empowering consumers to make better decisions.”

Rep. Bilirakis’ remarks drew significant approval and applause from the CTF attendees, most of whom are small business owners operating in the ticketing space.

When first introduced, the TICKET Act was viewed as something of a compromise and common sense bit of legislation. Rather than bringing significant new regulations against ticket resale such as the Live Nation-backed “Fans First Act” also introduced during the last Congress, TICKET focused on reforms that were largely supported by consumers and businesses alike.

It passed the House of Representatives in overwhelming bipartisan fashion, and it was poised to pass into law after being included in the end-of-year continuing resolution bill to fund the government. At that point, stakeholders representing the artist and venue lobby curiously reversed their position and came out against the bill’s passage. But its inclusion in the CR hit the wall when President-Elect Donald Trump and Elon Musk came out against some of the bills included in the resolution, which was stripped down and set the TICKET Act back to square one in the new year.

“We have our work cut out for us folks,” Rep. Bilirakis said. “But as part of our commitment to public trust and economic growth, we brought the TICKET Act back.”

Also reintroduced in the Senate, the TICKET Act has passed out of committee already in the upper chamber, and is awaiting consideration by the full Senate.

There is no question that the full might of the Live Nation Entertainment lobbying apparatus will again be brought to bear – as it is for any legislation that might impact the giant’s multi-billion dollar stranglehold on the entertainment and ticketing business. But the appetite for reform in ticketing is there – for consumers and lawmakers alike – and Rep. Bilirakis expressed confidence that there would be no near-miss this session.

“I’m optimistic that we’ll be getting this important legislation over the finish line,” he said. He said there might be an opportunity to get the bill into markup in the next two weeks, or even get it considered for inclusion in the next CR bill, which approaches in March. “ We want to do it this year and it would be great if we can get it on the floor this month or next month.”

Should that be the case, he said he’d likely relish a chance to make a return trip to the CTF conference in 2026.

“I’d love to be back next year,” the Rep, said as he closed out his remarks. “[Then] we can celebrate!”