Bill would let counties regulate Uber, Lyft
State legislators advanced two bills Thursday that address regulation of taxicabs and ride-hailing companies that use smartphones to connect independent drivers with fares.
Senate Bill 2777 would give oversight of ride-hailing companies like Uber and Lyft to the counties, which already regulate taxicabs. The committees on Transportation and Energy; Commerce, Consumer Protection and Health; and Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs passed the measure with amendments. The bill will now go to the Senate Ways and Means Committee.
The bill would require the counties to regulate and permit ride-hailing companies and drivers. It also would require that ride-hailing companies pay an annual airport permit fee to the state Department of Transportation. In addition, it would create requirements pertaining to insurance and set minimum standards for driver qualifications and policies tied to drug and alcohol matters, anti-discrimination and accessibility.
Public Utilities Commission Chairman Randy Iwase said the commission supports vesting oversight of ride-sharing with the counties. Several insurance companies and organizations that represent insurers also supported the measure, although some recommended modifying the insurance requirements. The Hawaii Association for Justice, an organization made up of personal injury or consumer action attorneys, backed the bill.
Brian Hughes, general manager Uber Hawaii, said the company opposes the bill.
Annabel Chang, director of public policy for Lyft, submitted testimony advocating for a statewide regulatory framework.
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“Twenty-five other states … have passed statewide comprehensive (ride-hailing) legislation to combat the confusion and difficulties brought about by differing local mandates,” Chang said.
Another measure, SB 3155, was advanced by the Senate Transportation and Energy Committee and by the Senate Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs Committee. The bill passed with amendments proposed by the state attorney general to facilitate counties in obtaining state and federal criminal background checks of applicants for taxicab driver’s certificates. The bill now goes to the Senate Judiciary and Labor Committee.
The bills are among about 20 related to the issue introduced this year. The Honolulu City Council also is considering four bills and two resolutions designed to shore up regulation of taxicab companies and drivers and to create a regulatory framework for their ride-hailing competitors. The legislative push follows a series of articles in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser last fall on the oversight of taxicabs and ride-hailing companies.
15 responses to “Bill would let counties regulate Uber, Lyft”
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This is so laughable. The little 7th world of Hawaii Nei is trying to tell the ride sharing programs how to do their job when it can’t even get anything right in city and state government. Stuck in the past, it wants Jurassic meters and dome lights while they have been using GPS for years.
Actually it is just another tax and rip off so our babooze, obtuse, elected bureaucrats can skim more money to pay for their wasteful pet projects.
Yes, and so has California, Colorado, Tennessee, Nevada….So, I guess they are all 7th world, right?
advertiser1 – So how long have you been a rookie poster?
Truth is California did not impose the Jurassic, out of date, requirements on Lyft or Uber like the Nei is trying to do. Services can pick up passengers at the airports, drop off, work all around the cities.
Here is one example where the San Diego airport embraced the ridesharing companies. Notice no shibai requirements like the Nei wants to use.
http://www.san.org/News/Article-Detail/ArtMID/952/ArticleID/92/San-Diego-International-Airport-enhances-ridesharing-operations-with-start-of-service-by-Lyft-and-Uber
7th world? Sound like your shibai post. Rookies………….
Here we go again folks. Legislators micro managing companies when they themselves can’t even manage the state.
A TAXI by any other name is a Taxi.
This does sound like a joke, the title says the state will let the counties regulate the industry and then goes on to list the regulations requirements. So is it the state or the counties who will decide IF they even want to further regulate and if so then to what level. Sounds like the state has made up its mind, and it does not sound good for the consumer aka their constituents.
This bill SUCKS pure and simple
Time to join the 21st century technology there Hawaii. Have you thought of de-regulation the Taxi industry? Might want to bring Taxis more in line with the way Uber does business, rather than dragging Uber back down into the dark ages with Taxis. Maybe the Taxi has gone the way of the horse drawn buggy and the whale oil lamp business. Ya think?
Why is the State’s first instinct to over regulate, over tax, destroy businesses and create unemployment?
This is what Nei bureaucrats who kowtow to their union bosses do. Live in the past, no progress, same ole same ole for decades.
Again, this has been done in many many states already.
advertiser1 – Failed to do your research before posting, mark of a rookie poster.
Truth is California did not impose the Jurassic, out of date, requirements on Lyft or Uber like the Nei is trying to do. Services can pick up passengers at the airports, drop off, work all around the cities.
Here is a link showing how the San Diego airport embraced the ridesharing companies. Notice no utterly shibai requirements like the Nei wants to use.
http://www.san.org/News/Article-Detail/ArtMID/952/ArticleID/92/San-Diego-International-Airport-enhances-ridesharing-operations-with-start-of-service-by-Lyft-and-Uber
Rookies………….
This bill is ridiculous.
Manoa to Airport by cab= $35 plus tip. UBER inclusive $18. Our legislators keep us in the hole..
As we have seen, our elected bureaucrats are for sale to the highest bidder, no integrity or morals. For sale to the largest envelope of love found on their desk.