California lawmakers have introduced a bill aimed at tackling one of the biggest frustrations for music and live-event fans: runaway ticket resale prices. The proposed legislation would cap the price at which tickets for concerts and other live entertainment can be resold, limiting markups and targeting large-scale scalping practices.

The goal is simple: make it harder for speculators and automated bots to buy large quantities of tickets and resell them at dramatically inflated prices, a practice that often leaves ordinary fans priced out of events. By placing limits on resale markups, the bill seeks to keep access to culture and entertainment more equitable and affordable.

The issue has grown in recent years as digital ticketing platforms and dynamic pricing have made it easier for intermediaries to extract profits while audiences pay more. Advocates of the measure argue that live music, theatre and comedy are not just luxury goods but important parts of cultural life that should remain accessible to a broad public.

If adopted, the law could become a model for other regions grappling with the same problem. Efforts to regulate ticket markets are gaining attention worldwide as governments look for ways to protect consumers and preserve fair access to cultural events.

At its heart, the proposal reflects a growing recognition that markets need rules to serve the public interest—and that cultural experiences shouldn’t be reserved only for those who can afford inflated secondary-market prices.