NIVA and Orgs Urge CA Lawmakers to Vote No on Ticket Bill

Lucas Bennett 08/31/2026

The Battle for the Box Office: Independent Venues Fight Back Against Ticket Legislation

The heart of California’s live music scene is facing a legal and financial storm. A powerful coalition of California’s live music community and major industry organizations has launched an urgent call to action, demanding immediate intervention against a piece of state legislation that threatens the viability of independent venues and artists: bill AB 1349.

Originally conceived by Assembly member Isaac Bryan with the goal of curbing speculative and deceptive ticketing practices, the bill has undergone significant changes. What began as a protective measure has, through intense secondary market lobbying, morphed into legislation that exposes independent promoters to serious legal liability while carving out loopholes for major resale platforms.

The stakes are exceptionally high. Independent venues, festivals, and promoters are now squarely in the crosshairs of potential lawsuits over speculative ticket sales. To illustrate the sheer force of the opposition, major entities spent millions on this fight—with one secondary market alone reportedly spending as much as $2.6 million to reshape the law. This effort far outpaced the spending of major corporations, demonstrating a clear alignment of interests against fair practices in the live events industry.

NIVA leadership, including Executive Director Stephen Parker and CA Chapter President Joe Rinaldi, are rallying all independent venue operators, staff, musicians, and fans to take immediate action. They are urging everyone to contact their state legislators before the California Senate votes on Monday afternoon.

Four Ways the Legislation Harms the Industry

The coalition points to several critical amendments that fundamentally undermine the protections needed for a healthy market:

Exposes Venues to Lawsuits for Reseller Speculative Ticketing: The bill creates a private right of action, allowing lawsuits against primary presenters and venues over speculative ticket sales, while deliberately leaving out the secondary platforms where these transactions actually occur.
Reclassifies Standard Primary Sales as “Resale”: Routine practices like artist presales, official waitlists, and VIP packages are now re-designated as “resale” transactions under state law, complicating venue operations.
Exempts Secondary Ticket Marketplaces: Despite hosting virtually all speculative ticket listings, secondary resale platforms are explicitly shielded from being classified as speculative ticket sellers.
Strips Seat and Row Transparency: The legislation removes the requirement for secondary listings to display seat and row numbers, eliminating the most direct mechanism for fans and enforcement officials to verify ticket authenticity before a transaction occurs.

This is more than just a procedural debate; it is a fight for transparency and the security of the live music ecosystem. A broad coalition—including the American Federation of Musicians, Artist Rights Alliance, and numerous community and cultural leaders—stands united in protecting the artists, stages, and fans that make California’s live music scene vibrant.

Independent stages and music supporters need to make their voices heard now. By submitting comments immediately through the NIVA action form, concerned parties can directly urge their state representatives to vote no on AB 1349. It is a crucial moment to ensure that the right to attend and the integrity of the live music industry are protected.