CHAPTER 275

An Act establishing the Ticket Brokering Study Commission.

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

    1.    There is established the Ticket Brokering Study Commission, which shall consist of nine members as follows: two members of the Senate, to be appointed by the President thereof, who shall not be of the same political party; two members of the General Assembly, to be appointed by the Speaker thereof, who shall not be of the same political party; and the Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs or his designee. The following members shall be appointed by the Governor: a representative of ticket brokers or agents;a representative of a group or association representing consumers; and two representatives of the general public.

    Vacancies in the membership of the commission shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments were made. Members of the commission shall serve without compensation, but may be reimbursed for the necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties to the extent that funds are made available for this purpose.

    2.    The commission shall organize as soon as possible after the appointment and qualification of its members. The members of the commission shall elect a chairperson from among the membership and a secretary, who need not be a member of the commission.

    3.    The commission shall conduct a study comparing the impact of a regulated and deregulated ticket brokering market on the cost and availability of tickets to entertainment events. As part of this assessment, the commission shall determine whether a deregulated market will cause ticket prices and availability to consumers to significantly increase or decrease; whether it is in the best interests of the consumer to establish a permanent deregulated market for the resale of entertainment tickets or to maintain some regulatory oversight; and, whether a deregulated market or regulated market would increase attendance at New Jersey entertainment events. The commission also shall determine how to best ensure the public's equal access to tickets.

    4.    The commission shall be entitled to request the assistance and services of the employees of any State, county or municipal department, board, bureau, commission or agency which it may require and as may be available to it for its purposes, and to employ such stenographic and clerical assistants and incur traveling and other miscellaneous expenses as necessary to perform its duties and as may be within the limits of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to it for its purposes.

    5.    The commission may meet and hold hearings at such places as it shall designate and shall report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature within four months of the effective date of this act, accompanied by any legislative bills which it may desire to recommend for enactment.

    6.    This act shall take effect immediately.

    Approved December 24, 1997.