Read the full stored bill text
As Introduced
136th
General Assembly
Regular
Session
S. B. No. 196
2025-2026
Senator DeMora
Cosponsors: Senators Craig, Weinstein
To
enact section 1345.53 of the Revised Code
to
limit the amount of fees charged in connection with ticket sales.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
Section
1.
That
section 1345.53 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:
Sec.
1345.53.
(A)
As used in this section:
(1)
"Entertainment" means all forms of entertainment, including
theatrical or operatic performances, dance, ballet, concerts, motion
pictures, entertainment at fairgrounds, amusement parks, athletic
competitions and other sports, and all other forms of diversion,
recreation, or show.
(2)(a)
"Fee" means a service charge, surcharge, processing fee, or
any other amount charged or collected by an operator or online ticket
marketplace in excess of the operator's base ticket price or, in the
case of tickets sold on behalf of a ticket reseller, the resale
price.
(b)
"Fee" does not include a tax or fee imposed by the state or
a political subdivision, as defined in section 2744.01 of the Revised
Code, including a municipal admissions tax described in division
(C)(1) of section 715.013 of the Revised Code, a township admission
fee under section 503.54 of the Revised Code, a ticket charge or
surcharge authorized by section 307.695 of the Revised Code, or a tax
under section 3773.54 of the Revised Code.
(c)
"Fee" does not include amounts charged for insurance
products such as those that reimburse the purchaser if the
entertainment event is canceled or postponed.
(3)
"Online ticket marketplace" means the administrator of a
web site or other electronic service, including an agent, employee,
or assignee of the administrator, that sells tickets or maintains a
platform to facilitate the sale of tickets.
(4)
"Operator" means a person, including an agent, employee, or
assignee of the person who does one or more of the following:
(a)
Owns, operates, or controls a place of entertainment;
(b)
Produces entertainment;
(c)
Sells a ticket to a place of entertainment for original sale.
(5)
"Place of entertainment" means an entertainment facility,
including an amphitheater, theater, stadium, arena, racetrack,
museum, amusement park, venue, club, or other place where
performances, concerts, exhibits, athletic games, contests, or other
forms of entertainment are held.
(6)
"Ticket reseller" means a person that offers or sells
tickets to an entertainment event held at a place of entertainment in
this state for resale after the original sale of such tickets.
(B)
No online ticket marketplace or operator shall charge or collect more
than five dollars in total fees in any transaction in which one or
more tickets to an entertainment event held at a place of
entertainment in this state are sold to a consumer.
(C)
Any violation of division (B) of this section is an unfair and
deceptive act or practice in violation of section 1345.02 of the
Revised Code. All powers and remedies available to the attorney
general to enforce sections 1345.01 to 1345.13 of the Revised Code
are available to the attorney general to enforce this section.