Jim Rosica
The House sponsor of legislation this year that would have benefited Uber, Lyft and other ride-hailing services slammed the Senate’s inaction, saying the chamber wasn’t “interested in the free market.”
State Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Fort Walton Beach Republican, talked to reporters Thursday evening with Uber public affairs director Colin Tooze and state Sen. Jeff Brandes, a St. Petersburg Republican. The two lawmakers support “disruptive technologies” such as Uber.
In the afternoon, state Sen. David Simmons tabled his own bill (SB 1118) that would have mandated minimum commercial insurance requirements for drivers with Uber and similar app-based companies, known as “transportation network companies.”
He said the House wouldn’t budge on its insistence that any legislation include a “preemption” provision: Blocking local authorities, such as the Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission, from regulating the services and instead reserving that power to the state.
The House passed its own bill (HB 509) last month, which the Senate has declined to hear.
“Pre-emption is absolutely essential to the preservation of a free market,” Gaetz said, using the example of how he takes an Uber from his home to his favorite restaurant in Pensacola.
Between the two are “seven different political subdivisions,” he said. “Does anyone really believe there ought to be seven different sets of rules for ride-sharing companies?”
“… The fact that the Florida Senate sponsor is only focused on (an insurance) mandate only highlights the fact that they’re not interested in the free market,” he said. “We’re interested in allowing innovators to thrive … We ought to be here to facilitate (business), not frustrate it.”
Tooze said Uber did not plan to pull out of the state if some legislation isn’t passed by session’s end on Friday. The San Francisco-based company ceased operations in Kansas last year when a bill similar to Simmons’ was passed in that state.
“What we’re focused on now is, before this Session ends, encouraging the Senate to do its job and take up (the House bill) and let democracy work,” Tooze said.
Brandes also took a jab at the taxi companies, which opposes ride-booking, saying it wants to “keep competition out.” But he also guessed that the taxicab industry, a regulated industry, would itself agitate to be deregulated if the state preempts the ride-booking services.
