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SB2456 • 2026

Fees

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 47 and Title 67, relative to tickets.

Taxes
Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Bailey, Terry
Last action
2026-04-15
Official status
Assigned to General Subcommittee of Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official summary text does not provide specific details about penalties for noncompliance beyond referencing existing laws.

Tennessee Live Music Support Act

This act imposes a 5% fee on tickets sold through secondary markets for live music and performance events in Tennessee, with funds going to support the local music industry.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires a 5% fee on tickets sold at retail through the secondary ticketing market for any live music and performance event starting July 1, 2027.
  • Makes third-party ticket resellers responsible for collecting and paying this fee monthly to the state revenue department.
  • Deposits collected fees into the live music and performance venue fund, which supports economic development grants for venues, promoters, and performers.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Third-party ticket resellers who sell tickets on secondary markets.
  • Live music event attendees who buy tickets through these resellers.
  • Local live music venues, promoters, and performers who receive funding from the new fee.

Terms To Know

third-party ticket reseller
An individual or entity that engages in the business of reselling tickets to a place of entertainment, operates an internet website for resale transactions, facilitates auctions, or maintains offices for such activities.
secondary market
The resale or exchange of tickets by individuals or entities other than the original ticket issuer or authorized primary seller.

Limits and Unknowns

  • It is not clear how much money will be collected from this new fee.
  • Penalties for noncompliance are specified but details on enforcement and consequences are not provided in the summary text.
  • This act only applies to live music and performance events, excluding sports-related events.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Amendment 1-0 to HB2135

Plain English: The amendment changes the wording of a law to say that fees are now 'assessed against' someone instead of 'assessed on' them, and also allows for these fees to be subtracted from something.

  • Changes the phrase 'assessed on' to 'assessed against and subtracted from' in Section 67-6-1003(a) of Tennessee Code Annotated.
  • The amendment text does not provide details about what exactly is being subtracted or how this change affects the overall process, making it hard to explain further impacts without additional context.
Amendment 1-0 to SB2456

Plain English: The amendment adds a new part to Tennessee Code Annotated that establishes a five percent surcharge on ticket sales through secondary markets for live music and performance events starting in 2027.

  • Adds a 'Tennessee Live Music Support Act' which imposes a 5% surcharge on tickets sold through the secondary market for live music and performance events, effective July 1, 2027.
  • Requires third-party ticket resellers to register with the Department of Revenue and remit the collected surcharge monthly.
  • The exact distribution and use of funds from the surcharge are detailed in another section of Tennessee Code Annotated (§ 4-3-5007) which is not provided here.
  • Details on how penalties for noncompliance will be enforced are referenced but not fully explained.
Amendment 2-0 to SB2456

Plain English: The amendment changes the wording of a section related to how fees are calculated, replacing 'assessed on' with 'assessed against and subtracted from'.

  • Replaces the phrase 'assessed on' in Section 67-6-1003(a) with 'assessed against and subtracted from'.
  • The exact impact of this change is unclear without additional context about how fees are currently calculated.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to General Subcommittee of Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  2. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/15/2026

  3. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee to 4/15/2026

  4. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Failed in Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  5. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for 4/14/2026

  6. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  7. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  8. 2026-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/14/2026

  9. 2026-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rule #83(8) Suspended, to be heard in Senate Finance, Ways & Means Committee on 4/14/2026

  10. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2026

  11. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee to Next Calendar

  12. 2026-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee Ayes 8, Nays 1 PNV 0

  13. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Commerce and Labor Committee calendar for 4/7/2026

  14. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/8/2026

  15. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  16. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee to 4/8/2026

  17. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/1/2026

  18. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  19. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee

  20. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  21. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Government Operations Committee for 3/16/2026

  22. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Commerce and Labor Committee to 3/17/2026

  23. 2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Government Operations Committee to 3/16/2026

  24. 2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  25. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Commerce and Labor Committee calendar for 3/10/2026

  26. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Government Operations Committee for 3/9/2026

  27. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Commerce and Labor Committee to 3/10/2026

  28. 2026-02-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Commerce and Labor Committee calendar for 3/3/2026

  29. 2026-02-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  30. 2026-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  31. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Commerce and Labor Committee

  32. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Government Operations for Review - Finance, Ways & Means Committee

  33. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  34. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  35. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  36. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

B
eginning July 1, 2027,
this bill
requires a live music support of 5% to be assessed on the sales price of all
tickets sold at retail through the secondary ticketing market for any live music and performance event occurring within this state. The live music support levied is due and payable monthly on the first day of each month, and, for the purpose of ascertain
ing the amount payable under this bill, all third-party ticket resellers must, on or before the 20
th
day of each month, transmit to the commissioner of revenue returns showing the gross sales arising from all sales subject to the live music support during t
he preceding calendar month. The department of revenue must impose the live music support on the third-party ticket resellers and not impose the live music support directly on any individual user. Each third-party ticket reseller must register with the
department for the collection and remittance of the live music support levied.

"THIRD-PARTY TICKET RESELLER" DEFINED

As used in this bill, a "third-party ticket reseller" means an individual, firm, corporation, or other entity that meets any of the following criteria:



Engages in the business of reselling tickets to a place of entertainment.


Operates an internet website or other electronic service that provides a mechanism for two or more parties to participate in a resale transaction.


Facilitates resale transactions by means of an auction.


Maintains an office, branch of an office, bureau, agency, or other entity for purposes of engaging in the business of reselling tickets to a place of entertainment.

DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS

This bill requires the funds generated from the levied live action support to be deposited into the live music and performance venue fund, less any costs for the administration and enforcement of the live music support, and to be used solely for the purp
oses outlined in the Tennessee Film, Entertainment and Music Commission Act of 1987 for that fund, including economic development support grants for live music and performance venues, promoters, and performers.

PENALTIES FOR NONCOMPLIANCE

This bill provides that a third-party ticket reseller that fails to collect and remit the live music support to the department of revenue is subject to penalties and interest.

RULES

This bill authorizes the department of revenue to promulgate rules to effectuate this bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
HOUSE BILL 2135
By Terry

SENATE BILL 2456
By Bailey
SB2456
012306
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4;
Title 47 and Title 67, relative to tickets.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 67, Chapter 6, is amended by adding
the following as a new part:
67-6-1001. Short title.
This part is known and may be cited as the "Tennessee Live Music Support Act."
67-6-1002. Part definitions.
As used in this part:
(1) "Live music and performance event" means a non-sports-related
event centered around live music, electronic music, comedy, dance, theater, or
other creative performance;
(2) "Live music support" means the surcharge established in § 67-6-
1003;
(3) "Secondary ticketing market" means the resale or exchange of tickets
to live music and performance events occurring in this state, by any individual or
entity other than the original ticket issuer or authorized primary seller;
(4) "Third-party ticket reseller" means an individual, firm, corporation, or
other entity that:
(A) Engages in the business of reselling tickets to a place of
entertainment;

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(B) Operates an internet website or other electronic service that
provides a mechanism for two (2) or more parties to participate in a resale
transaction;
(C) Facilitates resale transactions by means of an auction; or
(D) Maintains an office, branch of an office, bureau, agency, or
other entity for purposes of engaging in the business of reselling tickets to
a place of entertainment; and
(5) "Ticket" means a form of admission, whether paper, digital, or
otherwise, sold for entry to a live music and performance event, including season
tickets and multi-day events, located in this state.
67-6-1003. Imposition of live music support — Registration.
(a) Beginning July 1, 2027, a live music support of five percent (5%) must be
assessed on the sales price of all tickets sold at retail through the secondary ticketing
market for any live music and performance event occurring within this state.
(b) The live music support levied under this section is due and payable monthly
on the first day of each month, and for the purpose of ascertaining the amount payable
under this section, all third-party ticket resellers shall, on or before the twentieth day of
each month, transmit to the commissioner of revenue, upon forms prescribed, prepared,
and furnished by the commissioner, returns showing the gross sales arising from all
sales subject to the live music support under this section during the preceding calendar
month.
(c) The department of revenue shall impose the live music support on the third-
party ticket resellers and shall not impose the live music support directly on any
individual user. Each third-party ticket reseller shall register with the department for the
collection and remittance of the live music support levied pursuant to this section.

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67-6-1004. Administration — Distribution of funds.
(a) The department of revenue shall collect and administer the live music
support established under § 67-6-1003.
(b) The funds must be deposited into the live music and performance venue fund
created by § 4-3-5007, less any costs for the administration and enforcement of this live
music support, and must be used solely for the purposes outlined by § 4-3-5007 for that
fund, including economic development support grants for live music and performance
venues, promoters, and performers.
67-6-1005. Penalties for noncompliance.
A third-party ticket reseller that fails to collect and remit the live music support to
the department of revenue is subject to penalties and interest pursuant to §§ 67-1-801 –
67-1-804.
67-6-1006. Rules.
The department of revenue may promulgate rules to effectuate this part. The
rules must be promulgated in accordance with the Uniform Administrative Procedures
Act, compiled in title 4, chapter 5.
SECTION 2. The headings in this act are for reference purposes only and do not
constitute a part of the law enacted by this act. However, the Tennessee Code Commission is
requested to include the headings in any compilation or publication containing this act.
SECTION 3. If any provision of this act or the application of any provision of this act to
any person or circumstance is held invalid, the invalidity does not affect other provisions or
applications of the act that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to
that end, the provisions of this act are severable.
SECTION 4. For purposes of promulgating rules and forms, this act takes effect upon
becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it. For all other purposes, this act takes effect July

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1, 2027, the public welfare requiring it, and applies only to collection periods beginning on or
after July 1, 2027.