Texas governor to sign law bringing ride sharing firms back to the state News
Texas governor to sign law bringing ride sharing firms back to the state

Governor of Texas Greg Abbott [official profile] is expected in coming days to sign into law House Bill 100 [materials] which creates a statewide legislation for ride sharing companies, allowing them access back into all Texas markets. The new legislation will allow both Lyft and Uber [official websites] to enter several markets within the state. The new legislation will allow companies to circumvent local regulations, such as an Austin law [memo] requiring fingerprint criminal verification for all drivers for the companies. The bill may also affect Houston regulations that give access to handicapped passengers in the city. An Uber representative said in a statement [Reuters report] that “a statewide framework for ridesharing will help bring greater economic opportunity and expanded access to safe, reliable transportation options to more Texans.”

The introduction of ride sharing companies to American markets has led to a variety of responses from state, local and federal legislatures. The dynamics of the new industries has created a shift in major cities all across the United States. To understand the depth of the ride sharing industry [JURIST feature], it is important to look at the background, the progression of the industry and its future. Texas is not alone in creating state wide legislation to regulate the industry. In April, the Missouri House passed legislation that standardized [JURIST report] state-wide ride sharing rules. Also in April a federal judge blocked [JURIST report] Seattle’s first-in-the-nation law that would allow drivers for taxis, Lyft and Uber to unionize.