Category Archives: 2017 legislation

Regulatory TREND. Autonomous Vehicle Task Force. 4 Goals in Texas.

Goal of Texas Department of Transportation Autonomous Vehicle Task Force:

  • one-stop resource for information & coordination
  • oversee all ongoing CAV projects, investments and initiatives in Texas
  • document public & private entity efforts
  • facilitate partnerships

Task Force Membership details being worked out.

Refreshing our recollection: the Texas AV Proving Grounds Partnership is a collaboration among:

  • the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI)
  • The University of Texas at Austin’s Center…

Regulatory TREND. EV policies to encourage EV use.

Arizona regulators have finalized new EV charger policies that include:

  • encourages investor-owned utilities to develop new rates
  • ecourages investor-owned utilities to develop pilot programs supporting EV growth
  •  ensures recovery of  “prudent costs” spent to develop charging stations
  • requires development of optional rate design tariffs to encourage off-peak charging
  • develop outreach and education programs focused on EVs, infrastructure and electrification of the transportation sector

What…

By the numbers. Economic Boost of 1 Ride Share Company in the Sunshine State & in Texas

Study Authors: Economic Development Research Group

Study subject: Uber’s economic impact in Florida after statewide ride share law

The numbers:

  • $1 billion of Florida’s gross domestic product from Uber
  • $134 million positive impact on the economy
  • $870 million in payouts to FL Uber partners

The numbers from Texas:

  •  $540 million in gross revenue for rdrivers in 2017
  • $746 million in gross state product

Florida Politics | Uber provides billion dollar boost to Florida’s economy, study says

Uber…

Connected Cars. Will states allow the sale of connected car data? 3 Key Points.

  • It is projected that the sale of connected car data wille a multiple billion dollar industry by 2020
  • In 2017, more cars were connected to cellular netowrks than new phones
  • Will states protect consumer connected car data, for instance:
    • will disclosures be required to share data with the manufacturer?
    • will disclosures allow for limited data sharing to the driver’s insurance company but not to related 3rd parties
    • will a hard wired privacy switch be required?

ARS TECHNICA | Car companies…

TRENDING. Ride Share vs. Traffic Laws like Car Seats. 3 potential fixes:

Car seat laws, like Arizon’a usually require children younger than 8 years old or less than 4 feet 9 inches tall to sit in a proper child safety seat.

So, you get into a ride share with a child that requires a safety seat, but you don’t bring a safety seat- what’s the law?

  • clear statutory responsiblity in ride share statutes or ordinances 
  • ride share platforms can include car seat options
  • requirements that divers cancel/refuse riders when there is no child safety seat

ABC 15 Arizona | No…

Legal Trend. Disclosing Ride Share Data at Airports. Appellate Court Says Yes. 2 Reasons Why.

A Florida appeals court ruled that information collected by the County for ride share companies operating at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport is subject to open records.

How did we get here? Taxi companies requested  the ride share data from the county under open records laws. The county said the data isn’t subject to open reocords. The taxi companies sued. The lower court said aggregate number of pickups and the fees paid were not trade secrets.

2 Reasons the appellate…

Anatomy of a State Bill for Direct Auto Sales. Free Market + Vehicle Freedom = legislation.

Wisconsin legislators announced legislation to permit the direct sales of certain EV vehicles in Wisconsin.

The bill’s tagline: Electric Vehicle Freedom Act. 

The press release from legislators:

Representative Brooks and Senator Kapenga Introduce “Electric Vehicle Freedom Act” 

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | Legislation would let Tesla sell directly to buyers in Wisconsin

Lege Trend. 2 Step Background Check for Ride Share. No Fingerprint. Other States Eyeing it.

Maryland has a two step background check for ride share drivers that does not include fingerprinting. Here’s how it works:

  • The ride share comapny runs a background check
  •  “paired with rigorous oversight by regulators”
    • no new screening
    • its like a meticulous audit to make certain the ride share company complied

This Maryland model is being considered in other states, because Maryland results include:

  • 15% of drivers are booted by the regulators
  • 95% of the booted drivers are…

TX A.G. Opinion: Enforcing Big Truck Weight Enforcement on the Gulf Coast.

The opinion requestor: Liberty County Attorney

The issue that the Liberty County Attorney wants the Attorney General to answer: Whether an elected constable and his deputies may simultaneously serve under the sheriff, specifically to perform tasks related to the duties of a weight enforcement officer. 

Why Liberty County Attorney thinks an elected constable can also serve as a weight enforcement officer?  Article XVI, Section 40 oft he Texas Constitution does not prohibit an elected constable…

Local Trend. Changing Taxi Regulations in Texas. 2 Reasons to Reject Change.

San Antonio City Council rejected a proposal to remove cap on taxi permits and allow an unlimited number of taxi drivers to operate independently of companies and co-ops.

Houston and Dallas have adopted these proposals to remove taxi permit caps & allow unlimited taxi drivers independent of companies and coops.

The supporting rational for not removing caps?

  • The cities that removed the caos and restrictions were said to have had periods of regulatory chaos.
  • It dilutes the opportunities for…