Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaDecember 26, 2017

Spoiler alert: If you’re a regular of this site, and reading this story, you can guess what the #1 pick is. Otherwise, 2017 still offered a bounty of material to Tallahassee’s reporting ranks. We still chuckle at the uninitiated who ask, “What do you write about when the Legislature isn’t in session?” Without further ado, […]

Jim RosicaMay 4, 2017

State Sen. Tom Lee on Wednesday filed an amendment for the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles bill that would regulate the operations of ridebooking services like Uber and Lyft. The language would prohibit local governments and governmental bodies, including airport authorities, from cutting deal with “transportation network companies” (TNCs) to operate exclusively in their […]

Jim RosicaApril 24, 2017

Gov. Rick Scott tweeted on Monday that he will sign into law a bill creating statewide regulations for ride-booking companies like Uber and Lyft. “I look forward to signing the @Uber/ @lyft bill,” Scott tweeted from his official account, @FLGovScott. The governor is in Argentina on a trade mission. Colin Tooze, Uber’s director of public affairs, tweeted back, “Many […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 11, 2017

Online car services such as Uber and Lyft got a preliminary win in Florida after favorable legislation was filed Wednesday in the Legislature. The bills (SB 340 and HB 221), which would apply to ridebooking companies like Uber and Lyft, combine parts of previous measures that have been introduced but not passed over the last few years. Still, “transportation […]

Peter SchorschMay 8, 2016

google-to-offer-ride-sharing-service-to-compete-with-uber-1102870-TwoByOne-1024x1024.jpg

If all forms of innovation were stifled, this website wouldn’t exist (and yes, there are probably some folks who are thinking “if only …”). The latest target for these head-in-the-sand luddites is ridesharing, in the form of companies like Uber and Lyft. Ridesharing is not just inevitable – it’s real, and it’s here to stay. Yet like […]

Ryan RayMarch 11, 2016

A compromise between Republican lawmakers and ride-hailing firms like Uber was on thin ice Friday afternoon as Session raced to a close, until finally, the bill hit a brick wall. Sen. David Simmons, the Senate Rules Chair, had worked on the bill (SB 1118) for months. It would have mandated minimum commercial insurance requirements for drivers with Uber and […]

Jim RosicaMarch 10, 2016

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 […]

Jim RosicaMarch 10, 2016

A leading state senator Thursday yanked his bill that would have benefited ride-booking services such as Uber and Lyft, saying there was no compromise that pleased everyone involved, including the House. State Sen. David Simmons, the chamber’s Rules chairman, had worked on the bill (SB 1118) for months. It would have mandated minimum commercial insurance requirements […]

Ryan RayMarch 10, 2016

A representative of Uber personally delivered what he said were 32,588 petitions to Senate President Andy Gardiner on Thursday morning, continuing the intensifying fight between Senate leadership and the ride-hailing industry. They have sparred for months over insurance regulations and the preemption of local ordinances. The two parties are locked in a heated debate over whether the Senate should […]

Peter SchorschMarch 9, 2016

Constituents of Andy Gardiner on Wednesday will receive mail from Uber Florida criticizing the Senate President for blocking any kind of vote on a heavily lobbied proposal involving app-based transportation services. Uber wants the Senate to approve legislation that has already passed the House preventing local governments from banning or regulating it and other ridesharing companies such […]

Tag: transportation network companies
Image via AP.

Jim Rosica’s review of top state government stories of 2017

Tom Lee quietly files amendment affecting Uber, Lyft

Rick Scott says he will sign ‘Uber bill’

Legislation covering Uber, Lyft filed for 2017

Why are so many people trying to stand in the way of innovation?

Uber legislation finally flames out

Matt Gaetz slams Senate over tanking Uber legislation

Uber bill makes last stand in Senate

Uber drops off thousands of pro-ridesharing petitions to Andy Gardiner

Not to be a skunk at Andy Gardiner’s picnic, but …