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

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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

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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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More legislative hopefuls file to run in 2018

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It’s never too early to start thinking about the next election cycle, and a host of legislative hopefuls are already thinking about the next election cycle. State election records show dozens of members of the House, Senate, and other legislative hopefuls have filed to run in 2018. Rep. Shevrin Jones filed to run for re-election in House District 101 in 2018. The 33-year-old West Park Democrat filed to run for re-election March 6. First elected to the House in 2012,…

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Jamie Grant picks up challenger in HD 64

in The Bay and the 'Burg/Top Headlines by

A Hillsborough County school teacher announced this week that she will challenge incumbent Republican Rep. Jamie Grant for the District 64 seat in the Florida House. Jessica Harrington originally planned to challenge Republican U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis in 2018, but said she decided to change course after a trip to Tallahassee. “I realized that no one really knows me… nationally, but a lot of people know me locally,” she said. Harrington believes public schools are underfunded and overcrowded, which she…

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House ‘whiskey & Wheaties’ bill clears another panel — barely

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The House “whiskey & Wheaties” bill has limped out of another committee with a one-vote margin. And that was after its sponsor fixed a problem that could have cost the Department of Business and Professional Regulation more than $250,000 in lost liquor license revenue. The legislation (HB 81) cleared the Government Operations and Technology Appropriations Subcommittee on Tuesday by a 7-6 vote. It previously stumbled out of the Careers and Competition Subcommittee on an 8-7 vote. The proposal, which aims to let retailers sell hard liquor…

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House committee pushes through local bill abolishing Hillsborough PTC

in The Bay and the 'Burg/Top Headlines by

A bill to shutter the Hillsborough County Public Transportation Committee continued its rapid pace through the House, quickly passing the Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee Tuesday. Transportation and Infrastructure, which oversees taxicabs and limousines, has clashed with municipalities lately over the regulation of ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft. In past years, several members of the Hillsborough County legislative delegation have unsuccessfully sought the elimination of the agency, in support of transportation network companies (TNC). However, the 2017 Session is the…

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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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