Uber goes after Gardiner on ride-sharing issue

By JIM TURNER AND DARA KAM
THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

THE CAPITAL, TALLAHASSEE, March 1, 2016.......... The Senate has scuttled efforts to reach a compromise on a heavily lobbied proposal involving app-based transportation services, an official from the ride-sharing service Uber said Tuesday.
 
But Senate leaders said they're still working to advance legislation, as the annual session prepares to end next week.
 
The Senate and House have taken different positions on legislation that has been called the "Uber bill." Senate leaders have focused on adding insurance requirements for drivers, while the House has approved a more-sweeping measure that would block local governments from regulating ride-sharing services.
 
Colin Tooze, public affairs director for Uber, blamed Senate President Andy Gardiner for the stalled talks and pointed to close ties between the powerful lawmaker and Orlando-based Mears Transportation.
 
"We have not had the same opportunity to make our case in the Florida Senate because of one termed-out individual's cozy relationship with one taxi company in his district," Tooze said in a conference call with reporters.
 
Gardiner, R-Orlando, responded later that his stance "has nothing to do" with anyone on either side of the issue, as he dismissed Tooze's statement.
 
"I'm not going to change my view or my position just because I got attacked by some Uber guy in Washington," Gardiner said.
 
Gardiner said the focus on the Senate bill has always been on liability and insurance.

"Everybody loves the technology until there's an accident," Gardiner said. "I think that's where the state should provide an umbrella understanding of what the insurance should be."
 
Sen. David Simmons, an Altamonte Springs Republican who has steered the Senate bill (SB 1118), said he's still working on the issue, though time is short to address the desires of Uber. The House proposal to block local regulations is known as "preemption."
 
"The Senate has not dealt with the issue of enforcement preemption," Simmons said. "We've only dealt with insurance, which in itself is a huge, huge hurdle."
 
Simmons added that he's been waiting for Uber to provide copies of legislation from other states addressing issues such as preemption of local laws and federal disabilities compliance.
 
Last week, Simmons said he expected aspects of the House plan (HB 509) would land in his proposal.
 
But Tooze suggested the Senate didn't want to reach a compromise on the issue.
 
"Mears and their powerful benefactor in the Senate changed their minds and have walked away from a deal that would have ensured access to safe transportation options and flexible work for all Floridians," Tooze said. "It's apparent now that they were never serious about it in the first place."
 
Uber already operates in Florida through contracts with local governments.

The House approach is expected to have brighter prospects next year as Sen. Joe Negron, R-Stuart, is set to replace Gardiner as president. Negron recently lent his name to a press release supporting statewide ride-sharing regulations.
 
Under Simmons' bill, drivers for the services would be required 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 prearranged rides.

When not logged into the system, drivers would have to maintain $25,000 in coverage for death and bodily injury per person, $50,000 in coverage for death and bodily injury per incident and $10,000 in coverage for property damage, all levels that are higher than the state's personal-injury protection insurance requirements.

The House measure would set insurance requirements of $50,000 in coverage for death and bodily injury per person, $100,000 in coverage for death and bodily injury per incident and $25,000 in coverage for property damage while drivers are logged on to the network.