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Ridesharing bill advances to final vote in Senate

in The Bay and the 'Burg/Top Headlines by

Legislation creating a statewide regulatory framework for ridesharing companies was debated Tuesday on the Senate floor. Sponsored by St. Petersburg Republican Jeff Brandes, SB 340 would require ride-sharing companies to carry $100,000 of insurance for bodily injury or death and $25,000 for property damage while a driver is logged onto their app but hasn’t secured a passenger. While with a rider, drivers would be required to have $1 million in coverage. It also requires transportation network companies to have third parties conduct local and…

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Tampa Bay Partnership hails House passage of ride-sharing bill

in The Bay and the 'Burg/Top Headlines by

Heading into the 2017 Legislative Session, the Tampa Bay Partnership listed the creation of a regional transit agency connecting four Tampa Bay-area counties as its top priority. Another priority was the desire to see a bill passed regulating ride-sharing companies like Uber and Lyft. It’s closer to achieving success on the latter, with the Florida House voting unanimously Wednesday for a bill sponsored by Republicans Chris Sprowls and Jamie Grant. “Ride-sharing is an integral component of a multi-modal regional transportation system and a cost-effective, private…

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Ride-sharing legislation speeds ahead in Florida House

in Statewide/Top Headlines by

A bill that would create the first statewide law regulating ride-sharing companies passed unanimously in the Florida House on Wednesday, 115-0. Now it moves to the Senate. It’s the second straight year that such a bill has passed in the Florida House, but the chances of it getting through the Senate are considered much greater than in 2016. The legislation, sponsored by Palm Harbor Republican Chris Sprowls and Tampa Republican Jamie Grant (HB 221) requires ride-sharing companies to have third-parties conduct local and national criminal…

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House gets one step closer to passing statewide regs on Uber, Lyft

in Statewide by

Legislation to regulate transportation network companies (TNC) in Florida advanced Tuesday on its second reading through the Florida House. The bill sponsored by Palm Harbor Republican Chris Sprowls and Tampa Republican Jamie Grant (HB 221) requires ride-sharing companies to have third-parties conduct local and national criminal background checks on drivers. “That includes a multistage, multi-jurisdictional background check, a search of the National Sex Offender website, and a review of the public driving history of the applicant,” Sprowls said on the House floor. Although…

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Senate Judiciary Committee gives big win for ridesharing regulation

in Statewide/Top Headlines by

Momentum remains strong in Tallahassee for the first bill in Florida to regulate ridesharing companies Uber and Lyft. On Tuesday, the Senate Judiciary Committee passed the proposal (SB 340) unanimously without debate. The bill, sponsored by St. Petersburg Republican Jeff Brandes, would require ride-sharing companies to carry $100,000 of insurance for bodily injury or death and $25,000 for property damage while a driver is logged onto their app but hasn’t secured a passenger. While with a rider, drivers would be required to have $1…

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Despite lawsuit, Florida Lottery sees record sales; tops $100M for 2nd week

in Apolitical/Top Headlines by

For a second consecutive week, the Florida Lottery broke its own record, with total sales of more than $141 million, the game’s chief announced Tuesday. This record for the Sunshine State’s 29-year-old lottery comes despite a nasty lawsuit that pitted Florida Gov. Rick Scott against the state’s headstrong House Speaker, Rep. Richard Corcoran. For the second successive week, the Florida Lottery’s contributions to the state’s Educational Enhancement Trust Fund (EETF) exceeded $19 million from scratch-off sales alone. Total scratch-off sales…

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Bill regulating ridesharing in Florida advances in Senate Committee

in The Bay and the 'Burg/Top Headlines by

Legislation to provide statewide regulations for transportation network companies (TNC’s) advanced in its latest committee stop in the Florida Senate Tuesday. St. Petersburg Republican Jeff Brandes‘ bill (SB 340) received only two votes in opposition in clearing the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee, though there were substantial concerns expressed about funding for paratransit that animated the debate. Noting that there is a hole in disability transportation, Parkland Democrat Gary Farmer offered an amendment that would assess ride-sharing companies one-half of one percent of TNC…

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