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MAASH Secures Non-Profit Exemption in New Ticket Bill

September 25, 2007

Dear Friends,

Yesterday, the Legislature's Joint Committee on Consumer Affairs reported out favorably a bill to regulate the resale of tickets (sometimes called scalping) and to allow tickets to be resold at any price.

MAASH has been working with the co-chairs of the Joint Committee on Consumer Affairs—Senator Michael Morrissey and Rep. Michael Rodrigues—to protect the interests of non-profit cultural organizations. We are pleased to report that the new draft of the bill as approved by the committee exempts non-profit organizations from the bill’s requirements. Earlier drafts of the bill did not exempt non-profits and could have required all venues selling tickets to post a bond of $100,000 and maintain extensive ticket records.

On behalf of the cultural community across the state, MAASH thanks Chairmen Morrissey and Rodrigues for their leadership in recognizing the distinctive nature of our non-profit performing arts organizations.

The bill is expected to come up for a vote in the House this week. MAASH will keep you posted on the progress of the bill. For more information, please e-mail me at dhunter@maash.org.

Thank you,

Dan Hunter

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