Ride-hailing negotiations underway
Antonio Caban/SHNS]
Negotiators on House and Senate versions of bills regulating the ride-for-hire industry met for the first time Monday afternoon.
The six lawmakers tasked with ironing out compromise legislation to regulate the app-based ride-for-hire industry began their negotiations Monday by stressing the similarities between the House and Senate bills they must reconcile.
"As we know, our bills differ in some ways but….much of it is in common," Senate Ways and Means Chair Karen Spilka said. "Both of our bills are similarly strong in insurance protection and public safety, in particular."
Spilka, who is co-chairing the committee with Rep. Aaron Michlewitz, said the bills (H 4064/S 2371) differ on driver certification and access to Logan Airport and the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, but each consider price transparency, vehicle identification and accessibility.
So-called transportation network companies such as Uber and Lyft make up a "new industry which we are certainly excited about in the commonwealth and something we want to make sure is done properly going forward," Michlewitz said.
The conference committee's other members are House Majority Leader Ron Mariano, House Assistant Minority Leader Brad Hill, and Sens. Jamie Eldridge and Donald Humason.
The panel met for approximately five minutes in open session before voting 4-2 to close the meeting. The committee's two Republicans, Hill and Humason, against moving to executive session.
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