Uber-friendly legislation moves forward in Massachusetts

BOSTON — A debate over how to regulate ride-hailing companies such as Uber and Lyft is heading to the floor of the Massachusetts State House, but some say a recent case uncovered by FOX25 Investigates highlights a need for tougher screening of drivers.

State Senate legislation would allow companies such as Uber and Lyft to continue to use a third party to conduct background checks of their drivers, while a House version of the bill would additionally require the state to certify drivers.

Neither version of the legislation currently calls for fingerprinting drivers – an extra step Boston began requiring of taxi drivers in the last four months.

Critics say fingerprinting would have identified the sex offender status of an Uber driver recently pulled over by State Police at Logan Airport. FOX25 Investigates discovered the same driver was also operating without a valid license or insurance. Uber said its own background check process failed to identify that driver's status on the sex offender registry because the information was not accessible online.

"We have technology resources we want to bring to bear to fix this known vulnerability," said Uber's Director of Public Policy Jason Post in a phone interview with FOX25 earlier this week.

A statement from pro-taxi group, Ride Safe MA, blasted newly proposed legislation for not doing enough to protect the public and level the industry playing field.

"It is very disappointing to learn that as multiple cities across the country have implemented strong public safety measures to regulate TNC's, here in Massachusetts the legislature has left our residents vulnerable and unprotected," said spokesman Scott Solombrino.

The language in the proposed Senate bill would require "annual renewals" of drivers' information and would require companies, such as Uber, to maintain a roster of all of its drivers.

One of the architects of the Senate bill said his position on the issue was unchanged by the case of the illegally operating Uber driver uncovered by FOX25 Investigates.

"It's an alarming incident," said Sen. Jamie Eldridge, (D) Acton. "I continue to have faith in the system we're proposing."

Eldridge points out the proposed legislation gives the state the power to conduct regular audits, but he did not dispute the characterization that the Senate bill was "pro-Uber."

"We want to create an environment to allow Uber and Lyft to thrive in Massachusetts," said Eldridge.

Cox Media Group