LANSING – The House quickly and quietly approved regulations for transportation network companies like Uber and Lyft on Wednesday, giving final approval to a series of a series of House bills on an issue that remained unresolved for much of the last two terms.

The House also made minor changes to SB 392, part of the package, so the Senate will have to give final approval before all of the legislation goes to Governor Rick Snyder for his signature or veto.

The bills (HB 4637, HB 4639 HB 4640 and HB 4641 and SB 392) passed easily without discussion on the House floor with votes ranging from 91-15 to 97-10.

The legislation would set up a regulatory framework for Uber and Lyft – which are smartphone based from the beginning to the end of the transaction – and include taxicabs and some limousines under the same act.

Lyft spokesperson Adrian Durbin praised the passage in a statement and urged Governor Rick Snyder to sign the bills.

“Michigan moved one step closer to having improved transportation options for all its residents when the Legislature voted to send Governor Snyder a package of bills that will allow ridesharing companies like Lyft to provide safe, affordable rides and flexible economic opportunities for Michigan residents,” Durbin said.

Sagar Shah, a general manager with Uber in the state also praised the bills, and said it preserves the ability for residents to use ridesharing in the state.

Most local ordinances regulating taxicabs, transportation network companies and limousines would be nullified under the bills, though for four years the regulations negotiated by an authority covering East Lansing and Lansing would be preserved.

All servicers would have to apply to the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs for a license to operate with a sliding scale that enables large companies to pay a $30,000 fee if they have more than 1,000 vehicles. All would have to provide to the department the auto insurance coverage that they maintain for each driver.

Drivers of any of the forms of transportation would have to apply to the company with information showing their driver’s license number, driving history, motor vehicle registration and auto liability insurance. Those companies would have to assure that the driver undergoes a local and national criminal background check though there would be no fingerprinting requirement.

Various measures prohibiting someone from serving as a driver if they committed four traffic violations or one major violation in the preceding three years or certain crimes are part of the legislation and all vehicles would have to undergo annual safety inspections by a licensed mechanic.

The bills would require transportation network companies to comply with airport ordinances governing transportation services to and from their terminals, just as taxicabs and limousines now must do.

The legislation also repeals the requirement that all drivers of each of the three forms of transportation obtain a chauffeur’s license.

This story was published by Gongwer News Service. To subscribe, click on www.gongwer.com