California’s legislature often receives outsized national attention. The state’s deep-blue partisan nature, its size, and the political ambitions of its leaders often make it a trailblazer in public policy. While some on the left see progressive accomplishments like requiring corporations to disclose their climate impact as an example to replicate, critics on the right highlight these actions in their criticisms of government overreach. 

When you combine California’s spotlight with hot-button topics like LGBTQ+ rights and education, you’re bound to have a highly followed, emotional debate. This is exactly what happened with CA AB 1955, the “Support Academic Futures and Educators for Today’s Youth (SAFETY) Act.” Governor Gavin Newsom signed the SAFETY Act into law on July 15th. Reactions have come in from both sides. Perhaps most notably, Elon Musk shared that he intends to move X and SpaceX headquarters from California to Texas in response.

What does the SAFETY Act Do?

The SAFETY Act is a response to a growing state and local trend. State and local policies increasingly require school staff to inform students’ families regarding any change in their pronouns or gender identity, regardless of the student’s consent. Eight states and a number of individual school districts have passed such policies. Referred to by opponents as “forced outing policies,” similar policies adopted by California school districts have been challenged by Governor Newsom’s administration in court.

The SAFETY Act prevents educators from being required to disclose information related to students’ sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression without the a student’s consent, unless otherwise required by law. It also prohibits school districts from enacting or enforcing policies requiring such disclosures. In short, with the passage of the SAFETY Act, California becomes the first state to prohibit “forced outing policies.”

However, the bill does not prohibit educators from communicating with families regarding students’ gender identity or sexual orientation when deemed appropriate or necessary. It only ensures that educators are not required to disclose this information to parents. Most California school districts don’t currently require educators to disclose this information. For these districts, the new law does not change any current procedure.

Finally, the bill also directs the state Department of Education to develop resources to support LGBTQ students and their families. This includes support groups, counseling services, and specially trained school staff.

Reactions and Next Steps

Even before making it to Governor Newsom’s desk, the SAFETY Act was the subject of fervent debate. In late July, a floor debate turned chaotic as lawmakers shouted at each other out of turn. At one point, some lawmakers were restrained from physical confrontation. 

National reaction has been swift following the bill’s signing. This is to be expected, given the polarizing nature of California politics. Supporters and advocates praise it as protecting LGBTQ youth. Opponents, however, claim it restricts parental rights. Musk’s announcement of his move, as mentioned, has also attracted significant attention. Interestingly, several news outlets have shared misleading headlines:

• LA Times: Newsom signs bill banning schools from notifying parents about student gender identity
• KCRA: Gov. Newsom signs transgender parental notification ban in schools
• Fox News: California Gov. Gavin Newsom signs bill banning schools from notifying parents of child’s gender identity

As mentioned, the SAFETY Act does not ban educators from sharing information with parents. It only prohibits policies that require educators to share that information with parents.

The SAFETY Act will go into effect in January of 2025. In the meantime, it has become the subject of multiple lawsuits within just 72 hours of becoming law. California courts will have the next say in what happens to this policy. 

Using Plural to Monitor California AB 1955

Top public policy teams in California trust Plural to monitor key legislation like California AB 1955. With Plural, you’ll:

• Access superior public policy data 
• Be the first to know about new bills and changes in bill status
• Streamline your day with seamless organization features
• Harness the power of time-saving AI tools to gain insights into individual bills and the entire legislative landscape
• Keep everyone on the same page with internal collaboration and external reporting all in one place

More Resources for California

California’s SAFETY Act: What the New Law Means for Parents, Students, and Teachers

Understanding California’s ACA 7 Using Plural’s AI Bill Summarizer

2024 Legislative Sessions Calendar

The post California’s SAFETY Act: What the New Law Means for Parents, Students, and Teachers appeared first on Plural Policy.

As California’s legislature wraps up its legislative session, many will monitor ACA 7. If the bill passes, Californians will soon find themselves voting on a referendum related to affirmative action. Californians have voted on two affirmative action-related referendums in five years, and three since 1995. Affirmative action remains a politically charged issue across the country. As such, ACA 7 has received significant attention from supporters and opponents alike. Below we examine ACA 7, how it relates to previous actions on affirmative action, and what might come next.

The Context Behind ACA 7

Assembly Member Corey Jackson proposed ACA 7 as a constitutional amendment. California requires a two-thirds majority in each legislative chamber to pass a constitutional amendment. Afterwards, the proposed amendment is voted on in the next statewide election.

ACA 7 seeks to amend a section of the state Constitution established by an amendment in 1996. At the time, 55% of voters supported the amendment, known as Proposition 209. After the successful vote, Proposition 209 was added as Section 31 to the state Constitution. Section 31 prevents discrimination or preferential treatment on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin. It pertains to employment, education, and contracting.

In 2020, California legislators sought to repeal Proposition 209 in a state-wide vote. 57% of voters rejected this effort, Proposition 16 (ACA 5).

What Does ACA 7 Propose? California ACA 7 Summary

We utilized Plural’s AI Bill Summarizer to gain greater insight into how ACA 7 fits into the history of affirmative action legislation in California. The Bill Summarizer distills hundreds of words to provide the following summary for ACA 7:

The bill is proposing an amendment to Section 31 of Article I of the California Constitution. The amendment would:

1. Prohibit the state from discriminating against or granting preferential treatment to any individual or group based on race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin in public employment, education or contracting, except:
2. Allow the state to utilize state funds for research-based interventions or programs targeted at specific ethnic groups or marginalized genders to improve health, education or poverty outcomes. These programs would need approval from the Governor.
3. Clarify that the amendment does not prohibit bona fide qualifications based on sex that are reasonably necessary for public employment, education or contracting.
4. State that the amendment does not invalidate any existing court orders or consent decrees.
5. Specify that the amendment does not prohibit any action needed to maintain eligibility for federal funding.
6. Define “state” and “state moneys”.
7. Require that remedies for violations provide equal treatment regardless of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin.
8. Make the amendment self-executing but severable if any part is found in conflict with federal law.

Contextualizing California ACA 7 Summary

As we can see, ACA 7 differs from Proposition 16 in that it attempts to amend Section 31, rather than repealing it. ACA 7 would maintain Section 31’s ban on discrimination and preferential treatment. However, health, education, and poverty programs targeted at specific ethnic groups or marginalized genders would be exempt from the ban set forth by Section 31.

Proponents of ACA 7, including Assembly Member Jackson, argue that this exemption is necessary. Without it, programs that target marginalized groups may not exist. Disparities in education, housing, wealth, employment, and healthcare are cited as evidence of the need for change.

Meanwhile, opponents maintain that there is a lack of public support for affirmative action. They point to the 1996 and 2020 Propositions as evidence that Californians have consistently rejected affirmative action.

What’s Next for ACA 7?

ACA 7 passed out of the Assembly in September of 2023. The Senate will consider it at some point in 2024. Any action on the bill will draw significant attention from both supporters and opponents of affirmative action. If approved by the Senate, ACA 7 could go before voters for approval in November of 2024.

Get Started With Plural

Plural is the policy tracking and legislative intelligence tool of choice for dynamic policy, government relations, and nonprofit teams working in California. Our revolutionary AI Bill Summarizer helps teams save time, get key information, and skyrocket effectiveness. Interested in getting started? Request a demo today!

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2024 Legislative Sessions Calendar

The post Understanding California’s ACA 7 Using Plural’s AI Bill Summarizer appeared first on Plural Policy.

Here are four options to access Plural’s 2024 Legislative Sessions Calendar. Choose the one that’s best for you:

1. Google Calendar: Add the calendar directly to your Google Calendar using this link.
2. Outlook or Other Calendars: Add the calendar as a public calendar through Outlook or other calendar applications. (Outlook instructions)
3. View Online: View and bookmark the calendar online here. 
4. Download a PDF: View and download a PDF of session start dates and expected adjournment.

A few things to note:

• The majority of legislative sessions begin within the first two weeks of January and end between late March and mid-May.
• 15 states are scheduled to have significantly shorter sessions than in 2023. Only 4 states are scheduled to have significantly longer sessions.
• Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, and Virginia will enter 2024 with the most new legislators after those states held regular legislative elections this fall.
• 4 states (Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, and Texas) only host regular sessions during even-numbered years, and do not have a regular session scheduled for 2024.
• 4 states, Puerto Rico, and the US Congress meet throughout the entirety of the year and do not generally have a typical end-of-session adjournment scheduled.

More Resources for Public Policy Professionals

2024 118th Congress Report

Guide to Preparing for Congressional Testimony

Upcoming Changes to Party Leadership in Congress

The post 2024 Legislative Sessions Calendar appeared first on Plural Policy.

Criminal Justice Reforms in California

AB 360 addresses the classification of “excited delirium” as a cause of death. This terminology is controversial and was notably seen in the George Floyd case. Many argue that it stemmed from biased policing and investigations. This bill aims to eliminate certain discrimination against victims of police violence. 

AB 452 eliminates of the statute of limitations for childhood sexual assault victims. This bill brings overdue justice to survivors. It comes after a 2017 law that allowed a ‘look back window’ during which victims of childhood sexual assault may come forward. After this law lapsed in 2022, the state decided to bring back the intent of the law into permanence. California becomes one of the first states to implement this type of law. 

AB 2282 enforces stricter penalties for hate symbols in public spaces. This includes symbols like swastikas and nooses. The bill aims to combat hate crimes and foster a safer environment in California.

Housing Initiatives in California

AB 12 places restrictions on landlords. Under the new bill, landlords may not charge more than one month’s rent for a security deposit. This bill offers relief to renters and decreases barriers to housing in California. California is already facing a housing crisis, and measures like AB 12 lessen some of the strain

SB 4 grants certain entities the right to build housing on their properties. This includes religious institutions and independent higher education entities. The bill aims to streamline the housing development process.

Healthcare Advances in California

SB 345 reflects California’s commitment to reproductive rights. The bill aims to protect healthcare providers who mail certain medications out-of-state. This includes abortion pills or gender-affirming medications. SB 345 is one of many laws implemented in CA after the fall of Roe v. Wade in 2022. The bill will allow women and the LGBTQ community to continue to access life-saving care.

SB 385 empowers physician’s assistants to perform surgical abortions without direct doctor supervision. It’s one of many efforts to expand access to reproductive healthcare.

SB 848 enacts workplace protections for those experiencing reproductive loss. It mandates five days of paid leave for those experiencing a reproductive loss, including miscarriages. The bill promotes compassion and support for pregnant people in the workplace.

SB 43 signals the legislature’s focus on mental healthcare. The bill allows for involuntary medical holds for those with severe mental illness. Individuals suffering from drug addiction or alcohol dependence also fall under the provisions of the bill.

Consumer Protections in California

AB 1084 states that retailers must establish a gender-neutral toy section. The bill promotes inclusivity in shopping experiences for those of varied gender identities.

SB 244, also known as The Right to Repair Act, requires that manufacturers provide consumers and repair shops with the tools and information necessary for device repairs.

Finally, SB 478 is another effort to increase consumer protections. Beginning in July, websites must transparently display the actual cost of services or items. This bill aims to increase transparency and prevent hidden fees.

California Minimum Wage Increases

Under AB 1228, fast-food workers will see an increase in the minimum wage to $20 an hour come April.

With SB 525, healthcare workers will experience wage increases based on facility type. The bill sets forth with an industry-wide $25 minimum wage goal by 2033.

SB 700 and AB 2188 protect cannabis users from employment discrimination. These acts further decriminalizing cannabis in California. Certain trades and federal workers are excluded from the protections set forth by both bills.

Miscellaneous New Laws in California

AB 587 requires social media companies to disclose their approach to hate speech and disinformation. It’s an effort to promote accountability in a sector that’s recently come under fire.

SB 497 is also known as The Equal Pay and Anti-Retaliation Act. The bill streamlines the process by which employees can make retaliation claims against their employers.

SB 616 creates increased protections for workers. Under the bill, employers must provide at least five paid sick days per year for both hourly and salaried workers.

Monitoring New Laws in California in 2024

California’s legislative agenda for 2024 demonstrates a commitment to addressing issues affecting Californians. Major bills address criminal justice, housing, healthcare, consumer protection, and employment. As these policies come into effect, the state aims to create a more equitable, inclusive, and compassionate society, setting a precedent for other regions to follow.

Plural is catered to the needs of public policy teams monitoring new laws in California in California. Unlock premium legislative data, advanced searching and tracking, tools for easy organization and collaboration, and AI-powered insights, catered to your needs in California.

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2024 Legislative Sessions Calendar

The post California’s Legislative Reforms in 2024: A Comprehensive Overview appeared first on Plural Policy.

California’s Legislature has a total of 120 legislators, 80 Assemblymembers and 40 State Senators. The Assembly is composed of 62 Democrats and 18 Republicans, while the Senate is composed of 32 Democrats and eight Republicans.

Before the session began, Democratic leaders announced their legislative priorities:

• Housing
• Climate change
• Economic investment
• Big oil industries
• The opioid crisis
• Healthcare
• Systemic racism
• Public transportation.

Republican leaders shared their own, including: cutting government costs, tackling crime, acting on homelessness, investing in students, building water storages, and reducing wildfires.

Governor Gavin Newsom broke tradition by not delivering a State of the State address, where governors make the case for their agenda. Instead, he traveled throughout the state to share priorities. Governor Newsom’s legislative priorities include SB 2, ‘The Price Gouging Penalty Bill.’ This bill passed on March 27, 2023, and went into effect on June 26, 2023.

Key 2023 Session Data

In California, 3,036 bills were introduced during this year’s legislative session. Of those, nearly 40% (1,196) were passed by the Senate and Assembly. Governor Newsom has signed nearly 400 bills into law. He will sign many more throughout the rest of September. New laws relate to abortion, education, climate change, the LGBTQ+ community, and consumer protections.

Key Legislative Trends in California

• Gun control
• LGBTQ+ rights
• Climate change
• Abortion and reproductive healthcare
• Education
• Elections and voting rights
• Anti-discrimination
• Criminal justice reform

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The post Recapping California’s 2023 Legislative Session: The First Half of the Biennium appeared first on Plural Policy.

Key Topics in the California Legislature

Our research has highlighted the remarkable consistency of California’s legislature. Across sessions, the CA legislature is very consistent when it comes to activity, passage rates, number of bills passed, and time to passage. General information about the legislative process can be helpful for those predicting or reacting to policy. For our final blog in this series, we wanted to dig deeper. In this blog, we will go beyond the high-level of how legislators are acting, to look at what they are acting on.

We built and trained an AI model using Plural’s legislative datasets to categorize bills by their topics. Bills were assigned to 17 topic categories. We applied the model across two complete biennial sessions, 2019-2020 and 2021-2022, as well as the first half of the current biennium, 2023. Our analysis paints a picture of the legislative topics that attract the most activity in any given session.

Percent of Analyzed Bills within Each Topic Category, by Session (2019-2023)

A few insights immediately jumped out to our team as we examined this data.

Over the biennium examined, the legislature focused on Health and Social Services far more than other topic categories. Health and Social Services is a broad category, far broader than privacy, for example. It includes everything from pandemic-related safety measures to Medi-Cal reimbursement rates. Beyond the wide scope of the subject matter, this is also an area that lawmakers often highlight as a priority. It’s unsurprising to see more than 1 in 5 bills logged into this category.

More than 20% of bills introduced in 2023 fell into the Appropriations, Budget and Taxation category. This is likely overweighted, as the first year in a biennium tends to have more appropriations legislation than the second year. Despite this, no other category comes close to the level of consistent focus on Health and Social Services.

Finally, looking at this data shows the value in expanding this type of dataset. Five years of legislative data from one jurisdiction can unlock a few insights. However, the real value could come from comparing across jurisdictions or across wider spans of time.

Analyzing California’s Legislative Activity

Our analyses of California’s legislative activity over the past fifteen years has produced many interesting insights. We’ve learned that:

• A majority of passage votes to come in August in September
• Most bills receiving final passage votes will indeed pass
• Most bills that become law have a 30-35 week lifespan between introduction and final passage

Continuing and expanding this type of analysis can help better understand legislative activity. It can also give us insights into how legislative activity compares across jurisdiction and time. Here at Plural, we’re committed to using our data to help our community of public policy experts deepen their legislative insights.

Get Started With Plural

With Plural, it’s easier than ever to get and stay ahead in the public policy landscape. Get started today to:

• Access superior public policy data 
• Be the first to know about new bills and changes in bill status
• Streamline your day with seamless organization features
• Harness the power of AI to gain insights into individual bills and the entire legislative landscape
• Keep everyone on the same page with internal collaboration and external reporting all in one place

The post What Policy Topics Do California Legislators Typically Focus On? appeared first on Plural Policy.

How Long Do Bills Take To Pass in California? How Much Activity Takes Place During That Time?

A core building block of education in public policy is an explanation of ‘how a bill becomes a law’. Resources range from Schoolhouse Rock songs, to flow charts prepared by legislative information offices.

Understanding the path a bill takes from introduction to passage is key to anticipating the work of state legislators. It takes on-the-ground experience to grasp what that path truly looks and feels like. Lobbyists and advocates with experience monitoring bills that pass, stall, or fail are often more effective.

Plural has a wealth of details about every bill that has passed or failed in California, over the last fifteen years. This data can unlock insights that improve our understanding of the road to passage, for current and future legislation. Below, we take a look at the typical timeline for a bill from introduction to its final vote in the legislature.

Average Number of Weeks Between Introduction and Passage Vote in the California Legislature, 2007-2022

The chart above is best understood with a key piece of context: the CA legislature operates on a biennial calendar. For instance, this means that some bills introduced in early 2007 did not receive a passage vote until late 2008. These 2-year bills (with nearly 100 weeks of lifetime!) drag our average up, but the chart shows the consistency of this average across sessions. The table below provides a fuller picture of how long bills typically take to receive a passage vote.

Number of Weeks Between Introduction and a Passage Vote in the California Legislature, 2007-2022

The averages shown in the chart above give us a picture of the consistency of the lifespan of a typical bill. This table grants us a better understanding of what this may mean for any individual bill.

The average weeks-to-passage for each legislative session is between 32 and 33 weeks. This aligns with what we learned in a previous blog.

The data we see here puts bills introduced in mid-January on a timeline to pass during the busiest part of the year, in late August and early September. This trend is consistent, holding across sessions, governorships, and turnover in the chambers. Lobbyists and advocates can use this data to map out their efforts to influence a bill on its way to passage over 8-9 months.

The minimum and maximum columns in the table remind us that there are always outliers. There’s always the possibility of a bill moving through to passage in one week (typically at the very end of a session,) or lasting across multiple sessions and nearly 100 weeks.

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The post Bill Passage Timelines in California appeared first on Plural Policy.

How Many Bills Do California Legislators Introduce, Vote On, and Pass in Each Legislative Session?

Each legislative session in California produces a massive amount of legislative text. By the end of the two-year session, those monitoring the legislature will likely have read thousands of bills. Some bills will have died in committee, while others made it all the way to a final vote. In the moment, though, the drama of each session can make an interested party think the current activity is unprecedented.

We’ve used our data to examine the past 15 years of legislative activity in California. In particular, we examined whether there were significant swings in the legislature’s productivity or divisiveness. To do this, we looked at:

• The total number of introduced bills
• The number of bills that appeared for a final passage vote
• The number of bills successfully passed by the legislature

2007-2022 Bills Introduced, Appearing for Final Passage, and Passed in the California State Legislature

In this analysis, two findings struck us as particularly interesting. First, while the number of bills introduced is relatively static, the number of bills appearing for final passage and passing is trending downwards. This trend can be seen even more clearly if we look at the percentage of introduced bills that passed across sessions.

2007-2022 Percentage of Introduced Bills that Pass

The years in which the number of bills introduced was lowest, 2009-2016, were also when legislators passed a higher proportion of bills. It’s difficult to isolate one reason for a trend, and we won’t attempt to. We’ll return to this dataset following the 2023-2024 session to see if this trend continued, or even accelerated.

The second interesting finding was the consistency of the rate at which bills that appear for a final passage do indeed pass. In other words, most bills that appear for a final vote end up becoming law. Of course, in order to appear for a final passage, bills must be approved by multiple legislative committees and a whole chamber. While it shouldn’t necessarily be surprising that the bills that make it through the full legislative process have robust support, we did not expect the rate of passage to be quite so high.

2007-2022 Percentage of Bills Appearing for Final Passage that Pass

Again, the fact that most bills that make it to a third reading in their second chamber pass is unsurprising. But, the magnitude and consistency of these passage rates can help inform models that determine the viability of a bill. It would also be interesting to compare California’s rate of passage to a state with a more even partisan split, to see if a more divided legislature has lower passage rates.

Using Data to Understand Legislative Activity

Zooming out and looking for patterns in legislative data can help you better understand legislative processes you already thought you knew well. Understanding a legislature’s activity, productivity, and progress requires some contextual knowledge. However, examining data at a higher level can benefit those hoping to better understand a legislature’s activity.

Get Started with Plural

Interested in seeing how Plural can deepen your legislative insights? Get started today!

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State-Specific Resources

2025 Legislative Committee Deadlines Calendar

Staying on top of key deadlines is manageable in one state, but if you’re tracking bills across multiple states, or nationwide, it quickly becomes overwhelming. That’s why we created the 2025 Legislative Committee Deadlines Calendar. Stay ahead of important dates and download our calendar today. Get started with Plural. Plural helps top public policy teams get […]

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State-Specific Resources

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The 2024 Florida legislative session saw significant activity in the realm of insurance and financial services, reflecting key themes of consumer protection, market stability, and regulatory modernization.

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The post Using Data to Determine the California Legislature’s Productivity appeared first on Plural Policy.

When is the California Legislature Most Active?

Those familiar with California politics know that late Summer and early Fall is when Sacramento is most hectic. During this time, action is brought out of committees and onto the chamber floors, in a mad dash before adjournment.

In 2023, legislators returned from Summer recess on August 14th. They had just fifteen working days before the deadline for reporting bills out of committee on September 1st. Labor Day (September 4th) is now followed by a two-week sprint to the finish line, before legislators adjourn on September 14th.

Unsurprisingly, our California data shows a significant increase in bill passage votes each August and September. What’s fascinating is the magnitude of difference between activity during these months and other times of the year. This trend is consistent across more than a decade of data.

Our Findings: August and September are the California Legislature’s Busiest Months, By Far

First, we looked at bill passage votes in California’s 2021-2022 biennium. In the chart below, you can see the consistency in the pattern across both the first year (2021) and the second year of the biennium (2022). You can also see the slightly elevated vote totals in the second year. Passage votes increase significantly in the final seven weeks of each session. This includes the last week before summer recess and the six weeks following recess.

Also of note in this chart is that the odd-numbered year, 2021, saw slightly less volume in most of these final seven weeks. This suggests that the end of the biennium (August-September 2022) is the busiest time of all.

2021-2022 Bill Passage Votes by Week in the California State Legislature

One biennium doesn’t determine a pattern. We wanted to look further back to see if we could find similar trends in previous bienniums. Using data spanning fifteen years, we mapped passage votes by week since the start of Governor Schwarzenegger’s second term in 2007.

We see a continuation of the trend in the 2021-2022 data, with passage votes ramping up each August and September. However, the second trend identified in the 2021-2022 data, that the final, even year of the biennium saw more activity than the first, odd year is less consistent as we look back to 2007. This pattern shows up in the bienniums beginning in 2009, 2011, 2015, and 2017, but not in the bienniums beginning in 2007 and 2013. Additionally, the 2019-2020 biennium shows a significant departure from the overall pattern, due to the complications of the COVID-19 pandemic.

2007-2022 Bill Passage Votes by Week in the California State Legislature

Turning Data Into Meaning

Trends found in the weekly vote analysis aren’t shocking. However, the clarity and consistency of these trends is significant. One can expect similar analyses of other states to show comparable trends, with slightly different “busy” months.

At Plural, we’re excited about the possibilities this kind of data opens up, especially in the data quality and data monitoring spaces. The norms we see could be used to build rules alerting interested parties when a deviation from those norms is detected, possibly serving as an early indicator of a break from precedent.

Get Started With Plural

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State-Specific Resources

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The post Using Plural’s Data to Gain Insights into the California Legislature appeared first on Plural Policy.

As a big fan of state legislative trends, and a casual fan of Taylor Swift, some recent headlines jumped out at me:

• ‘Taylor Swift Bill,’ ticket-buyer protections receive support at hearing, Boston Herald
• Taylor Swift Tour Spurs Ticket Sales Reforms, Pluribus News

Swift’s Eras tour has been credited with boosting public transit, the hospitality industry, and even consumer spending at-large. It’s unsurprising that the tour would also drive legislative activity. I used Plural’s extensive legislative dataset to get a sense of what’s going on across the country.

Legislating Ticket Sales to Enhance Transparency and Fairness

Tickets went on sale for Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour” in November of 2022. At the same time, legislators across the country prepared for their upcoming 2023 legislative sessions. The ensuing fiasco, caused by high demand, led to soaring prices, lawsuits, and many upset fans.

There has been a flurry of legislative activity in response to the chaos of the Eras Tour ticket sales. To be specific, 45 bills have been introduced across 20 states. The bills each aim to increase transparency and fairness in online ticket sales. Since their introduction, four bills have since become law. But the trend doesn’t end there. Lawmakers in Massachusetts and California are continuing to work on their respective measures. View the complete list of bills here.

In general, lawmakers focused on two areas of the ticket sales process. At the federal level, U.S. Senators have raised antitrust concerns. They claim that Ticketmaster, which handled Swift’s ticket sales, dominates the market. As such, Ticketmaster’s dominance has led to a harmful lack of competition. At the state level, legislators have introduced legislation that aims to further regulate online ticket sales.

States That Have Introduced or Passed Legislation Increasing Transparency and Fairness in Ticket Sales

Laws passed in Arkansas, Tennessee, Utah, and Virginia increase regulation by:

• Reducing the number of “bots” purchasing and reselling tickets
• Increasing transparency in pricing and fees

How do we know that this wave of ticket sale legislation isn’t mere coincidence? It’s true that some legislation was introduced independent of the focus that the Eras Tour brought to the industry. However, many lawmakers made it clear that Swift and the Eras Tour motivated their proposals. Lawmakers in Washington named their proposal the “Ticket Sales Warrant Integrity, Fairness, and Transparency (TSWIFT) for Consumer Protection Act.” Maryland lawmakers dubbed their bill the “Event-Goer Rights and Accountable Sales (ERAS) Act.” Even members of U.S. Congress couldn’t resist giving Swift (and Bruce Springsteen) a nod with the “Better Oversight of Stub Sales and Strengthening Well Informed and Fair Transactions (BOSS and SWIFT) for Audiences of Concert Ticketing Act of 2023.” Finally, while Hawaii legislators didn’t use a creative acronym, they paid homage to a Hawaiian native with their “Bruno Mars Act.”

Pop Culture and Trends in Public Policy

It may seem silly that a cultural moment like the Eras Tour and the chaos surrounding ticket sales could spur a trend in policy.

It’s not that simple.

We’re seeing in real time the speed with which legislative trends can kick off and the efficacy of mass outrage, especially on the internet.

In our digital world, advocacy and organizing is happening remotely. Online communities like the “Swifties” clearly have the ability to garner the attention of lawmakers.

The post Did Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour Spark a Legislative Trend? appeared first on Plural Policy.