By Jean Henegan

Rhode Island recently began debating proposed bills that would take the Hannah Montana ticket fallout to another level.


One of only six states that currently prohibit the general resale of tickets, the state’s legislature is reviewing proposed bills H 7090 and H7091 that seek to further regulate ticket sales within Rhode Island. The current state law limits any ticket resale to face value, in addition to a “reasonable service charge” not to exceed three dollars or ten percent of the price printed on the ticket, whichever is greater. Rhode Island state law also allows for tickets to be resold at the venue, provided the owner or operator of the facility declares in writing that an individual may do so. Under H 7090, the existing law would be amended to include all internet sales as falling under the current ticket resale policy.

The second bill, H 7091, would adapt the law in a much stricter form, by eliminating the ability to resell tickets at the venue. The proposed bill also stipulates that it would be illegal for any resident of Rhode Island or anyone simply using a computer located in Rhode Island to purchase tickets to an event with the intention of reselling them for an amount greater than face value, and that any individual buying more than ten tickets to a single event would be required to sign a statement claiming that he or she will not resell the tickets for a price that would violate the current statutes of Rhode Island. The fine for a violation of H 7091 would be a maximum penalty of $1,000.

However, the bills will not be entering Rhode Island law in the immediate future, as both were tabled last week for further discussion. Rhode Island is not alone, Colorado and Tennessee are considering new legislation in light of ticketing controversies, and Ohio legislators have also sought an investigation into the Hannah Montana ticketing mess.

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