I 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1082 

To require ride-hailing companies to implement an enhanced digital system 

to verify passengers with their authorized ride-hailing vehicles and drivers. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 15, 2021 

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey (for himself, Mr. SUOZZI, Mr. CLYBURN, Mr. WILSON of South Carolina, Mr. SIRES, and Mr. GOTTHEIMER) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation 

and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and 

Commerce, and the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined 

by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 

within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To require ride-hailing companies to implement an enhanced 

digital system to verify passengers with their authorized 

ride-hailing vehicles and drivers. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as ‘‘Sami’s Law’’. 

5 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

6 In this Act: 


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1 (1) COUNCIL.—The term ‘‘Council’’ means the 

2 Safety Actions for Matching and Identifying Ride3 Share Customers Advisory Council established under 

4 section 5(a). 

5 (2) NONVISUAL; NONVISUALLY ACCESSIBLE.— 

6 The terms ‘‘nonvisual’’ and ‘‘nonvisually accessible’’, 

7 with respect to the systems described in sections 

8 3(a)(2)(A)(iv) and 4(b)(2)(B), mean digital content 

9 that— 

10 (A) meets the criteria for success described 

11 in the guidelines entitled ‘‘Web Content Acces12 sibility Guidelines 2.0, Level AA’’ (or a suc13 cessor to, or revision of, those guidelines) that 

14 have been incorporated into the standards 

15 issued by the United States Access Board 

16 known as the ‘‘Section 508 standards’’, includ17 ing, to the extent applicable, the applications 

18 commonly known as the ‘‘Web Accessibility Ini19 tiative - Accessible Rich Internet Applications 

20 (WAI–ARIA)’’; or 

21 (B) otherwise allows visually impaired pas22 sengers to access the same information, and use 

23 the same systems, offered to nonvisually im24 paired passengers under sections 3(a)(2)(A)(iv) 

25 and 4(b)(2)(B) in a manner that provides a 


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1 comparable level of privacy, independence, and 

2 substantially equivalent ease of use to visually 

3 impaired passengers. 

4 (3) PASSENGER.—The term ‘‘passenger’’ means 

5 an individual who is matched with a TNC driver by 

6 submitting to a transportation network company a 

7 trip request using a TNC platform. 

8 (4) PERSONAL MOBILE DEVICE.—The term 

9 ‘‘personal mobile device’’ means a mobile commu10 nications device used by an individual to submit a 

11 trip request through a TNC platform. 

12 (5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

13 the Secretary of Transportation. 

14 (6) TNC DRIVER.—The term ‘‘TNC driver’’ 

15 means an individual who contracts with a transpor16 tation network company to provide transportation 

17 services through a TNC platform in exchange for 

18 compensation or payment of a fee. 

19 (7) TNC PLATFORM.—The term ‘‘TNC plat20 form’’ means an online-enabled application or digital 

21 network made available by a transportation network 

22 company to connect passengers to TNC drivers for 

23 the purpose of providing prearranged transportation 

24 services. 


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1 (8) TNC VEHICLE.—The term ‘‘TNC vehicle’’ 

2 means a vehicle (also known as a ‘‘ride-hailing vehi3 cle’’) that is— 

4 (A) owned, leased, or otherwise authorized 

5 for use by a TNC driver; and 

6 (B) used by the TNC driver to provide to 

7 passengers prearranged transportation services. 

8 (9) TRANSPORTATION NETWORK COMPANY.— 

9 (A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘transpor10 tation network company’’ means a corporation, 

11 partnership, sole proprietorship, or other entity 

12 that makes available a TNC platform to con13 nect passengers to TNC drivers in exchange for 

14 compensation or payment of a fee in order for 

15 the TNC driver to transport the passenger 

16 using a TNC vehicle to a point chosen by the 

17 passenger. 

18 (B) EXCLUSIONS.—The term ‘‘transpor19 tation network company’’ does not include— 

20 (i) a shared-expense carpool or van21 pool arrangement that is not intended to 

22 generate profit for the driver; or 

23 (ii) microtransit or other dedicated 

24 services provided exclusively on behalf of a 

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1 tion, or a third-party commercial enter2 prise. 

3 (10) VERIFIABLE INFORMATION.—The term 

4 ‘‘verifiable information’’ means data that— 

5 (A) are shared among— 

6 (i) a TNC platform; 

7 (ii) a TNC driver authorized to use 

8 the TNC platform; and 

9 (iii) a passenger using the TNC plat10 form; and 

11 (B) include— 

12 (i) a personal authentication number 

13 confirmation; 

14 (ii) a license plate confirmation; or 

15 (iii) other information that may be 

16 used in a successor technology-based sys17 tem. 

18 SEC. 3. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR TRANSPORTATION 

19 NETWORK COMPANIES. 

20 (a) TNC PLATFORM SYSTEMS.— 

21 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after 

22 the date of enactment of this Act, each transpor23 tation network company shall establish and imple24 ment, within the TNC platform of the transportation 

25 network company, a system and policy under which 


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1 the transportation network company shall provide to 

2 each passenger using the TNC platform a digital 

3 method to verify, prior to the beginning of the trip 

4 requested by the passenger, that the TNC driver 

5 with whom the passenger has been matched through 

6 the TNC platform has been authorized by the trans7 portation network company to accept the trip re8 quest. 

9 (2) INCLUSIONS.—Each system under para10 graph (1) shall include— 

11 (A)(i) an initial notification, containing 

12 verifiable information specific to the applicable 

13 TNC driver or TNC vehicle with which the ap14 plicable passenger has been matched, that is— 

15 (I) sent to the personal mobile device 

16 of the passenger; or 

17 (II) otherwise communicated to the 

18 passenger; 

19 (ii) a method by which the applicable pas20 senger, TNC driver, and TNC platform can 

21 confirm the verifiable information matching the 

22 passenger to the TNC driver or TNC vehicle 

23 prior to the beginning of the requested trip; 

24 (iii) a restriction imposed by the TNC plat25 form against any TNC driver from commencing 


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1 a trip through the TNC platform until the sys2 tem is used— 

3 (I) by the applicable passenger to 

4 verify the identity of the TNC driver; and 

5 (II) by the applicable TNC driver to 

6 verify the identity of the passenger; and 

7 (iv) a nonvisual method by which a pas8 senger can verify the identity of the applicable 

9 TNC driver in accordance with this subpara10 graph; or 

11 (B) as an alternative to a system described 

12 in subparagraph (A), a successor technology13 based system that enables verification by the 

14 applicable passenger, prior to the beginning of 

15 the trip requested by the passenger, that the 

16 TNC driver with whom the passenger has been 

17 matched through the TNC platform of the 

18 transportation network company has been au19 thorized by the transportation network company 

20 to accept the trip request. 

21 (b) PASSENGER OPT-OUT.—A transportation net22 work company may offer to passengers an option not to 

23 use the system of the transportation network company 

24 under subsection (a). 


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1 (c) EXEMPTIONS.—This section shall not apply to 

2 any trip— 

3 (1) with respect to which a passenger elects 

4 under subsection (b) to opt out of using the system 

5 of the relevant transportation network company; 

6 (2) that is facilitated by a third party, including 

7 any third-party commercial enterprise, nonprofit or8 ganization, or government entity, for a passenger 

9 who is transported in a TNC vehicle; or 

10 (3) with respect to which compliance with sub11 section (a) is impracticable due to circumstances be12 yond the control of the relevant transportation net13 work company, including any instance in which— 

14 (A) the personal mobile device of a pas15 senger has failed to operate; or 

16 (B) there exists degraded, reduced, or oth17 erwise insufficient cellular connectivity in order 

18 for the system of a transportation network com19 pany under subsection (a) to operate properly. 

20 (d) AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY.— 

21 (1) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary may pro22 mulgate such regulations as the Secretary deter23 mines to be necessary to carry out this section. 

24 (2) INSPECTION AUTHORITY.—The Secretary 

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1 work company as the Secretary determines to be 

2 necessary to allow the Secretary to determine wheth3 er the transportation network company achieves 

4 compliance with the applicable requirements of this 

5 section. 

6 (e) ENFORCEMENT.— 

7 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), a 

8 transportation network company that is in violation 

9 of an applicable requirement of this section shall be 

10 liable to the United States for a civil penalty in an 

11 amount equal to not more than $5,000 per day of 

12 violation. 

13 (2) KNOWING AND WILLFUL VIOLATIONS.—A 

14 transportation network company shall be liable to 

15 the United States for a civil penalty in an amount 

16 equal to not more than $20,000 per day of knowing 

17 and willful violation of an applicable requirement of 

18 this section. 

19 (3) COMPROMISE.—The Secretary may com20 promise the amount of a civil penalty imposed under 

21 this subsection before referral to the Attorney Gen22 eral. 

23 (4) OFFSET FROM FEDERALLY OWED

24 AMOUNTS.—The Federal Government may deduct 

25 the amount of a civil penalty imposed under this 


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1 subsection (including through compromise under 

2 paragraph (3)) from any amounts owed by the Fed3 eral Government to the transportation network com4 pany liable for the penalty. 

5 SEC. 4. SUCCESSOR TECHNOLOGY-BASED SYSTEM PER6 FORMANCE STANDARDS. 

7 (a) RECOMMENDATIONS OF COUNCIL.—Not later 

8 than 180 days after the date of establishment of the Coun9 cil, the Council shall submit to the Secretary information 

10 regarding best practices and recommendations supported 

11 by the majority of the members of the Council concerning 

12 performance standards the Secretary may establish with 

13 respect to successor technology-based systems described in 

14 section 3(a)(2)(B). 

15 (b) ACTION BY SECRETARY.— 

16 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year 

17 after the date of receipt of the recommendations of 

18 the Council under subsection (a), the Secretary 

19 shall— 

20 (A) review the recommendations; 

21 (B) establish performance standards with 

22 respect to successor technology-based systems 

23 described in section 3(a)(2)(B); and 

24 (C) provide to each transportation network 

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1 nology-based system subject to a performance 

2 standard established under subparagraph (B) a 

3 reasonable time to achieve compliance with the 

4 applicable standards. 

5 (2) REQUIREMENTS.—The standards estab6 lished under paragraph (1)(B) shall require, at a 

7 minimum, that— 

8 (A) a successor technology-based system 

9 enables verification by a passenger, prior to the 

10 beginning of the trip requested by the pas11 senger through a TNC platform, that the TNC 

12 driver with whom the passenger has been 

13 matched is authorized by the applicable trans14 portation network company to accept the trip 

15 request; 

16 (B) the protocols for verification described 

17 in subparagraph (A) are visually accessible and 

18 nonvisually accessible; and 

19 (C) a transportation network company 

20 shall implement a system incorporating a TNC 

21 driver education and public awareness program 

22 relating to— 

23 (i) the use of the successor tech24 nology-based system; and 


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1 (ii) any required verifiable informa2 tion. 

3 (3) UPDATES.—Not later than 180 days after 

4 the date of establishment of performance standards 

5 under paragraph (1)(B), and not less frequently 

6 than annually thereafter, the Secretary— 

7 (A) shall solicit input from the Council re8 garding whether the performance standards 

9 should be updated or expanded to incorporate 

10 new technological developments; and 

11 (B) may issue such amended performance 

12 standards as the Secretary determines to be 

13 necessary to account for new technological de14 velopments. 

15 (4) INTERIM STANDARDS.— 

16 (A) IN GENERAL.—During the period be17 ginning on the date of enactment of this Act 

18 and ending on the date on which performance 

19 standards are established under paragraph 

20 (1)(B), a transportation network company may 

21 adopt and deploy any successor technology22 based system that enables passengers to verify, 

23 prior to the beginning of the trip requested by 

24 the passenger, that the TNC driver with whom 

25 the passenger has been matched through the 


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1 TNC platform has been authorized by the 

2 transportation network company to accept the 

3 trip request. 

4 (B) TREATMENT.—A successor technology5 based system deployed pursuant to subpara6 graph (A) shall be considered to meet the appli7 cable requirements of paragraph (2) during the 

8 period described in that subparagraph, unless 

9 the Secretary determines that the successor 

10 technology-based system is insufficient. 

11 (C) INSUFFICIENCIES.—If the Secretary 

12 makes a determination described in subpara13 graph (B) with respect to a successor tech14 nology-based system deployed by a transpor15 tation network company, the Secretary shall 

16 provide to the transportation network company 

17 a reasonable period to remedy the insufficiency. 

18 (5) REPORTS.—On initially establishing per19 formance standards under paragraph (1)(B), and 

20 not less frequently than annually thereafter until the 

21 date of termination of the Council under section 

22 5(g)(2), the Secretary shall submit to the Committee 

23 on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 

24 Senate and the Committee on Transportation and 


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1 Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a re2 port that describes— 

3 (A)(i) the recommendations of the Council 

4 under subsection (a); and 

5 (ii) the consideration by the Secretary of 

6 those recommendations, including the reasons 

7 why the recommendations were accepted or not 

8 accepted, as applicable; 

9 (B) the performance standards established 

10 by the Secretary under paragraph (1)(B), in11 cluding any updates to those standards under 

12 paragraph (3); and 

13 (C) the rationale of the Secretary for es14 tablishing those performance standards. 

15 SEC. 5. SAFETY ACTIONS FOR MATCHING AND IDENTI16 FYING RIDE-SHARE CUSTOMERS ADVISORY 

17 COUNCIL. 

18 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Subject to the availability of 

19 appropriations, not later than 90 days after the date of 

20 enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a 

21 council, to be known as the ‘‘Safety Actions for Matching 

22 and Identifying Ride-Share Customers Advisory Council’’ 

23 or ‘‘SAMI’s Law Council’’, to recommend to the Secretary 

24 performance standards the Secretary may establish with 


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1 respect to successor technology-based systems described in 

2 section 3(a)(2)(B). 

3 (b) MEMBERSHIP.— 

4 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Council shall be com5 posed of 17 members to be appointed by the Sec6 retary, comprised of the following: 

7 (A) One or more representatives of each 

8 of— 

9 (i) the Department of Transportation; 

10 (ii) the National Institute of Stand11 ards and Technology; 

12 (iii) the Federal Trade Commission; 

13 (iv) an association or trade group that 

14 represents technology companies, the mem15 bership of which includes 1 or more trans16 portation network companies; 

17 (v) an association or trade group that 

18 represents ground passenger transpor19 tation, the membership of which includes 1 

20 or more transportation network companies; 

21 and 

22 (vi) an organization that is— 

23 (I) comprised, and established for 

24 the benefit, of TNC drivers; and 


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1 (II) present in not fewer than 

2 two States. 

3 (B) Two or more representatives from each 

4 of— 

5 (i) one national transportation net6 work company and one small, local trans7 portation network company; 

8 (ii) one State government and one 

9 unit of local or Tribal government; 

10 (iii) law enforcement agencies; 

11 (iv) national organizations comprised, 

12 and established for the benefit, of individ13 uals with disabilities; and 

14 (v) ride-hailing victims advocacy 

15 groups. 

16 (2) CHAIRPERSON.—Of the members of the 

17 Council appointed under paragraph (1)(A), the Sec18 retary shall designate one to serve as chairperson of 

19 the Council. 

20 (c) TERM; VACANCIES.— 

21 (1) TERM.—A member of the Council shall 

22 serve for a term of three years. 

23 (2) VACANCIES.—A vacancy on the Council— 

24 (A) shall not affect the powers of the 

25 Council; and 


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1 (B) shall be filled in the same manner as 

2 the original appointment was made. 

3 (d) COMPENSATION OF MEMBERS.— 

4 (1) IN GENERAL.—A member of the Council 

5 shall serve without compensation. 

6 (2) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—A member of the 

7 Council shall be allowed travel expenses, including 

8 per diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates authorized 

9 for an employee of an agency under subchapter I of 

10 chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code, while 

11 away from the home or regular place of business of 

12 the member in the performance of the duties of the 

13 Council. 

14 (e) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—On request of the 

15 Council, the Secretary shall provide such technical assist16 ance as the Secretary determines to be necessary to enable 

17 the Council to carry out the duties of the Council. 

18 (f) DETAIL OF DOT EMPLOYEES.— 

19 (1) IN GENERAL.—On receipt of a request from 

20 the Council, the Secretary may detail to the Council 

21 any employee of the Department of Transportation, 

22 with or without reimbursement. 

23 (2) CIVIL SERVICE STATUS.—The detail of an 

24 employee under paragraph (1) shall be without inter25 ruption or loss of civil service status or privilege. 


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1 (g) REVIEW BY SECRETARY.— 

2 (1) IN GENERAL.—Beginning on the date that 

3 is 12 years after the date of enactment of this Act, 

4 the Secretary shall periodically review, and solicit 

5 public comment regarding, whether the continued 

6 existence of the Council is necessary. 

7 (2) TERMINATION OF COUNCIL.—On a deter8 mination by the Secretary under paragraph (1) that 

9 the Council is no longer necessary, the Secretary 

10 may— 

11 (A) terminate the Council; and 

12 (B) on termination of the Council under 

13 subparagraph (A), update performance stand14 ards relating to successor technologies as the 

15 Secretary determines to be appropriate. 

16 SEC. 6. PROHIBITION ON SALE OF RIDE-HAILING SIGNAGE. 

17 (a) PROHIBITION.—Except as provided in subsection 

18 (b), it shall be unlawful for any person to sell or offer 

19 for sale any signage that— 

20 (1) is designed to help a passenger to identify 

21 a TNC vehicle; and 

22 (2)(A) contains a proprietary trademark or logo 

23 of a transportation network company; or 

24 (B) purports to be signage of a transportation 

25 network company. 


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1 (b) APPLICABILITY.—Subsection (a) shall not apply 

2 to any person authorized by a transportation network 

3 company to sell or offer for sale signage of the transpor4 tation network company described in that subsection. 

5 (c) ENFORCEMENT.— 

6 (1) IN GENERAL.—A violation of this section 

7 shall be considered to be a violation of a rule defin8 ing an unfair or deceptive act or practice prescribed 

9 under section 18(a)(1)(B) of the Federal Trade 

10 Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 57a(a)(1)(B)). 

11 (2) ACTION BY FTC.—The Federal Trade Com12 mission shall enforce this section in the same man13 ner, by the same means, and with the same jurisdic14 tion, powers, and duties as though all applicable pro15 visions of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 

16 U.S.C. 41 et seq.) are incorporated in this Act. 

17 (3) TREATMENT.—Any person who violates this 

18 section shall be subject to the penalties, and entitled 

19 to the privileges and immunities, provided in the 

20 Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 41 et 

21 seq.). 

22 (d) SAVINGS CLAUSE.—Nothing in this section limits 

23 the authority of the Federal Trade Commission under any 

24 other provision of law. 


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1 SEC. 7. GAO STUDY ON INCIDENCE OF ASSAULT AND ABUSE 

2 OF PASSENGERS, TNC DRIVERS, AND DRIV3 ERS OF OTHER FOR-HIRE VEHICLES. 

4 The Comptroller General of the United States shall— 

5 (1) conduct a study regarding the incidence of 

6 assault and abuse perpetrated— 

7 (A) against TNC drivers and drivers of 

8 other for-hire vehicles (including taxicabs) by 

9 passengers and riders of for-hire vehicles; and 

10 (B) against passengers and riders by TNC 

11 drivers or drivers of other for-hire vehicles (in12 cluding taxicabs); and 

13 (2) not later than 14 months after the date of 

14 enactment of this Act, submit to Congress a report 

15 that includes a description of— 

16 (A) the nature and specifics of any back17 ground checks conducted on prospective TNC 

18 drivers of and drivers of other for-hire vehicles 

19 (including taxicabs), including any State and 

20 local laws requiring those background checks; 

21 (B) incidences in which— 

22 (i) individuals who are not TNC driv23 ers or drivers of other for-hire vehicles at24 tempt to pose as TNC drivers or drivers of 

25 other for-hire vehicles; or 


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1 (ii) passengers enter an incorrect vehi2 cle, regardless of whether the vehicle is a 

3 TNC vehicle or other for-hire vehicle; and 

4 (C)(i) efforts by— 

5 (I) transportation network companies, 

6 taxicab companies, or for-hire vehicle com7 panies to implement additional safety 

8 measures and practices; and 

9 (II) State and local governments to 

10 require those measures; and 

11 (ii) the efficacy of those efforts, practices, 

12 and requirements. 

13 SEC. 8. BUDGETARY EFFECTS. 

14 The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of 

15 complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, 

16 shall be determined by reference to the latest statement 

17 titled ‘‘Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation’’ for this 

18 Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional Record 

19 by the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, pro20 vided that such statement has been submitted prior to the 

21 vote on passage. 

Æ 


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