The Senate floor is the next stop for a proposal that would establish new insurance requirements for drivers with app-based transportation network companies such as Uber and Lyft. But work continues behind the scenes to ease the proposed requirements in the Senate bill (SB 1118) and to attach issues that were in a bill approved with bipartisan support in the House three weeks ago.
Sen. David Simmons, an Altamonte Springs Republican who is sponsoring the Senate insurance bill, said he will continue to work with both sides on the measure, which has pitted traditional taxi companies against the new technology companies. “This is still a work in process and I am working with each of the stakeholders in this matter,” said Simmons, whose bill was backed Thursday by the Senate Appropriations Committee. “And we’re getting closer and closer.”
The bill by Simmons is intended to establish coverage for when rideshare drivers are traveling to pick up passengers. Also, it would seek to keep those independently contracted drivers from going “rogue” by picking up passengers not through the app-system.
Under Simmons’ bill, drivers for the popular rideshare programs would have to have $125,000 in coverage for death and bodily injury per person, $250,000 in coverage for death and bodily injury per incident and $50,000 in coverage for property damage when logged on to the network or engaged in a prearranged ride.
