Minnesota is continuing its crusade to prevent another Hannah Montana crisis from occurring. This week, the Minnesota House of Representatives passed a bill that would officially ban the use of “bot” technology that allows its users to virtually jump to the front of the line when buying tickets. Under the provisions of the bill, the sale or use the technology would be classified as a misdemeanor.
This bill is strikingly similar to one passed two weeks ago by the Minnesota Senate. Both bills have been nicknamed “Hannah Montana bills,” and both seek to make the use of “bot” technology illegal within the state. The most recent bill was sent to the Senate today, April 23, where it was unanimously approved. Now all it requires is the expected signature of Gov. Tim Pawlenty.
Minnesota is not the first state to take on the controversial internet technology. Several states, including Colorado and Tennessee have taken action against the companies and users of the software, passing laws to bar its use within their borders. Other states have opted to crack down on venues’ ticket policies as well as the brokers themselves in an attempt to prevent a similar situation from occurring in the future.
