Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Peter SchorschMarch 20, 2017

Nearly 200 job seekers will be able to wear a new-to-them suit as they hunt for employment, thanks to a clothing donation drive put on by ridesharing company Uber and Volunteer Florida Wednesday. The second annual “#SuitsForSession” campaign collected professional clothing donations at the Capitol and also sent out Uber drivers to pick up donations […]

Staff ReportsMarch 14, 2017

The Senate Banking & Insurance Committee approved a bill to regulate transportation network companies, like Uber and Lyft. The bill establishes minimum insurance requirements, requires background screenings and includes consumer protection provisions. Stephanie Smith, senior manager, public policy for Uber Technologies: “The bipartisan vote in the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee is another step toward […]

Staff ReportsMarch 14, 2017

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 […]

Mitch PerryMarch 14, 2017

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. […]

Mitch PerryMarch 13, 2017

St. Petersburg Republican Jeff Brandes has amended his ridesharing bill (SB 340) that has been moving its way through the Florida Senate. Among those changes include authorizing seaports to impose pickup fees on rideshare drivers when picking up or dropping riders from seaports, as long as they do not exceed what that particular port is charging […]

Michael MolineMarch 6, 2017

The insurance industry already has a good idea how one of it’s top priorities for the 2017 Legislative Session seems likely to go. It found out when the House and Senate unveiled their plans for fixing the workers’ compensation system Friday. But there’s more than that to worry about as session opens Tuesday. The industry […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 22, 2017

Last year in the Florida Legislature, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a bill to create statewide regulations regarding ridesharing, but the bill died ignominiously in the state Senate. Similar bills are winding their way through committees in both chambers already in 2017, and on Wednesday, the group Floridians for Ridesharing Coalition announced their support for […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 21, 2017

A bill to create statewide regulations for ridesharing companies easily advanced in its last committee stop Tuesday in the Florida House, but not without some dissent from a handful of Democrats on the panel. The bill (HB 221) is sponsored by Tampa Republican Jamie Grant and Palm Harbor Republican Chris Sprowls, and officials with Uber and Lyft are hoping that this is finally the […]

Peter SchorschFebruary 15, 2017

It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of ridesharing services like Lyft and Uber; it’s also no secret that I am NOT a big fan of the Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission, a bully of a governmental entity applying 19th-century thinking to a 21st-century innovation. The PTC’s blatant quest to stifle ridesharing while clinging […]

William PatrickFebruary 14, 2017

On the same day an Uber- and Lyft-friendly ridesharing bill passed its first committee stop in the Florida House, state Sen. Jeff Brandes was presenting his vision of where he believes the transportation industry is headed. “We’re in a generational shift from the horse and buggy to the Model-T,” Brandes said Wednesday evening at the […]

Tag: Uber

#SuitsForSession clothing drive brings in more than 3,000 donations

Capitol Reax: Uber, Lyft, PCI, and the League of Southeastern Credit Unions sound off on the day’s news

House committee pushes through local bill abolishing Hillsborough PTC

Bill regulating ride-sharing in Florida advances in Senate Committee

Jeff Brandes amends ridesharing bill in Florida Senate

Insurance companies have plenty to worry about as Legislative Session opens

Floridians for Ridesharing Coalition pushes for statewide bill to get passed this year

Ridesharing bill advances 21-1 in House committee

Ridesharing smoothing the roads in Florida

Ridesharing bills could pave the way for transformational changes