A Missouri lawmaker who works as an Uber driver was among House members who voted Thursday to pass proposed statewide regulations for ride-hailing companies, which supporters say will spur competition and create jobs.
Rep. Shamed Dogan, a Republican from St. Louis County who works as an Uber driver on weekends, said he's also used the service as a customer and has had "wonderful drivers."
"I would like to continue having that service available and have some certainty brought into our state regulations," Dogan said during earlier debate on the measure, which would exempt those companies and drivers from paying most local taxes and following local regulations taxi companies must follow.
House lawmakers voted 115-34 to send the bill to the Senate. Asked about whether his vote poses ethical conflicts, Dogan said lawmakers vote on bills related to their work "all the time."
The legislation would require ride-hailing companies to conduct background checks on drivers, ensure that vehicles are insured and provide riders with fare estimates - steps Uber and Lyft say they already take. Both companies back the measure, and Uber has said enacting it would allow the business to expand services.
Republican bill sponsor Rep. Kirk Mathews and other backers tout the legislation as a job creator.
Lyft pulled out of St. Louis after a 2014 lawsuit from the Metropolitan Taxicab Commission and has since halted its operations in Missouri.
"Were the regulations to pass, it would create a regulatory environment in which Lyft could operate," Lyft spokeswoman Alexandra LaManna said in an email. "But we don't have specific launch plans to share at this time."
Both companies hired lobbyists to work the Capitol halls this year, and Missouri Ethics Commission records show those working for Uber include Steve Tilley, a former House speaker.
The bill would require ride-hailing companies to pay an annual $5,000 fee, adopt no-tolerance policies on alcohol and drug use for drivers when they're working and ban drivers convicted of some serious felonies. But it also would exempt the companies and drivers from paying most local taxes with the exception of earnings taxes, which now are in place in Kansas City and St. Louis. It also would ban additional local license requirements and other requirements for ride-hailing companies and drivers.
Primarily Democratic opponents in the House slammed the bill, saying it should be up to cities to regulate ride-hailing companies and criticizing the legislation for not doing enough to safeguard riders.
For example, while St. Louis-area taxicab drivers must be fingerprinted, ride-hailing drivers would be exempt from such local requirements.
Kansas City Democrat Rep. Jeremy LaFaver said the legislation allows ride-hailing companies to "fully and completely regulate themselves."
"That's freedom to some degree," LaFaver said Thursday. "But it's also freedom if my butcher didn't have to go through the USDA to have meat inspected."
Supporters argued there are also safety concerns with cab drivers and that it's up to consumers whether to use ride-hailing services.
"If people don't feel comfortable taking an Uber or Lyft, they don't have to take it," Dogan said during Monday debate.
The legislation now heads to the Senate, where a similar bill is awaiting debate. The legislative session ends May 13.