State legislature committees pass 2 bills legalizing Uber in New York

A New York state Senate committee approved a bill on Wednesday that would legalize ride-hailing services in Syracuse and elsewhere in New York, according to the legislation.

The Senate Insurance Committee passed the bill on Wednesday so now the rest of the Senate and the state Assembly have until the legislation session ends on June 16 to make a decision. The bill would require drivers for transportation network companies, such as Uber and Lyft, to have automobile liability coverage of a minimum of $1 million whenever they have a paid passenger in their personal vehicle.

Representatives on the New York State Assembly Insurance Committee voted on a similar bill to the Senate Insurance Committee’s, and it passed 15-9. The two bills differ in the insurance that would be required for the drivers of ride-hailing companies to have.

The Assembly Insurance Committee’s bill would require ride-hailing companies to provide their drivers with liability coverage, first party benefits coverage and uninsured motorist coverage.

John McDonald III, a co-sponsor of the bill and an assembly representative for the 108th district of New York state, said before the bill was voted on that he expected the legislation to pass.

Much of the controversy over ride-hailing services stems from critics’ concerns that the services are unsafe and that ride-hailing companies, unlike taxi companies, operate without providing their drivers with insurance. Currently, ride-hailing services can’t operate in New York, except for in New York City, because state law does not include the services in its insurance regulations.

Both the Assembly Insurance Committee’s bill and the Senate Insurance Committee’s bill will need approval from New York state Gov. Andrew Cuomo before becoming law. But before Cuomo can make his decision, the bills will need to pass through the full state Senate and Assembly.

—Asst. News Editor Michael Burke, mdburk01@syr.edu, contributed reporting to this article.