Arkansas Strikes Down Bill to Repeal Scalping

By a vote of 49-37, the Arkansas General Assembly Thursday voted down a proposal to have the state’s scalping laws repealed, but the defeat could prove to be a victory for brokers.

The proposal contained language that would require anyone who resold tickets above face value to gain permission to do so from the event’s organizers or venue. Brokers and the lobbyist for eBay opposed that language because it could create a monopoly for Ticketmaster for both initial and secondary ticket sales.

Officials said there is support among legislators to repeal the current law banning scalping, but without the added language. The bill’s author, Rep. Nathan George, is considering having the proposal reconsidered by the assembly, which would give him three days to rework it before a new vote.