I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 4686 

To amend title 23, United States Code, to compel States to require illuminated signs and other measures on ride-hailing vehicles, to prohibit 

the sale of such signs, to require ride-hailing companies to implement 

an electronic access system on ride-hailing vehicles. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 15, 2019 

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey (for himself and Mr. SUOZZI) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and 

Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 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 amend title 23, United States Code, to compel States 

to require illuminated signs and other measures on ridehailing vehicles, to prohibit the sale of such signs, to 

require ride-hailing companies to implement an electronic 

access system on ride-hailing vehicles. 

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’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. SANCTIONS FOR STATES WITHOUT RIDE-HAILING 

2 VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION LAWS. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 1 of title 23, United 

4 States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol5 lowing: 

6 ‘‘§ 171. Sanctions for States without transportation 

7 network company vehicle identification 

8 laws 

9 ‘‘(a) WITHHOLDING OF FUNDS FOR NONCOMPLI10 ANCE.— 

11 ‘‘(1) FIRST FISCAL YEAR.—On the first day of 

12 the fiscal year that is two years after the date of en13 actment of this section, the Secretary shall withhold 

14 1 percent of the amount required to be apportioned 

15 to a State under each of paragraphs (1) and (2) of 

16 section 104(b) if the State does not meet the re17 quirements of subsection (b) on the first day of the 

18 fiscal year. 

19 ‘‘(2) SUBSEQUENT FISCAL YEARS.—On the first 

20 day of each fiscal year beginning 3 years after the 

21 date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall 

22 withhold 2.5 percent of the amount required to be 

23 apportioned to a State under each of paragraphs (1) 

24 and (2) of section 104(b) if the State does not meet 

25 the requirements of subsection (b) on the first day 

26 of the fiscal year. 


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1 ‘‘(3) EFFECT OF WITHHOLDING OF FUNDS.— 

2 No funds withheld under this subsection from appor3 tionment to any State shall be available at any point 

4 for apportionment to that State. 

5 ‘‘(b) REQUIREMENTS.—A State meets the require6 ments of this subsection if the Governor of the State cer7 tifies to the Secretary that the State has enacted and is 

8 enforcing the following laws with respect to TNC drivers 

9 and TNC vehicles operating in that State: 

10 ‘‘(1) FRONT AND REAR LICENSE PLATES.—A 

11 law requiring that every TNC vehicle has a duly 

12 issued general State license plate on both the front 

13 and rear of the vehicle. 

14 ‘‘(2) INSPECTION AND SIGN REQUIREMENTS.— 

15 A law requiring TNC drivers to present TNC vehi16 cles for inspection not later than 180 days after the 

17 date of enactment of such laws (unless the State has 

18 enacted and is enforcing a law meeting the require19 ments of this subsection on the date of enactment of 

20 this section) and annually thereafter. Such law shall 

21 include the following: 

22 ‘‘(A) A provision requiring each TNC driv23 er to affix the stickers containing the optical 

24 code or label provided to that driver (pursuant 

25 to section 3(1)(A) of Sami’s Law) on each winVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:17 Oct 19, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4686.IH H4686

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1 dow of the TNC driver’s vehicle adjacent to 

2 where passengers may sit. 

3 ‘‘(B) A provision that requires periodic 

4 safety inspections of the TNC vehicle performed 

5 at intervals of at least once each year. 

6 ‘‘(C) A provision that requires each TNC 

7 vehicle to display a consistent and distinctive 

8 sign at all times when the TNC driver is active 

9 on the TNC digital platform or providing any 

10 prearranged transportation service. Such sign— 

11 ‘‘(i) shall include the transportation 

12 network company’s proprietary trademark 

13 or logo; 

14 ‘‘(ii) shall be readable during daylight 

15 hours at a distance of 50 feet; 

16 ‘‘(iii) shall be illuminated so that it is 

17 patently visible in darkness; and 

18 ‘‘(iv) may be magnetic or removable in 

19 nature. 

20 ‘‘(D) A provision that does not permit a 

21 TNC driver to provide TNC services if the TNC 

22 vehicle does not pass such inspection. 

23 ‘‘(3) UNLAWFUL DISPLAY.—A law that pro24 hibits an individual who is not a TNC driver for a 

25 transportation network company from displaying on 


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1 any vehicle the sign described in paragraph (2)(C) 

2 that is affiliated with that company on any vehicle 

3 with the intent to pass himself or herself off as a 

4 TNC driver operating a TNC vehicle for the trans5 portation network company affiliated with that sign. 

6 ‘‘(c) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section— 

7 ‘‘(1) the term ‘TNC driver’ means an individual 

8 who is employed or contracted by a transportation 

9 network company to provide transportation services 

10 to the public through a TNC platform; 

11 ‘‘(2) the term ‘TNC platform’ means an online12 enabled application or digital network used to con13 nect riders to TNC drivers for the purpose of pro14 viding prearranged transportation services; 

15 ‘‘(3) the term ‘TNC vehicle’ means a vehicle 

16 owned, leased, or otherwise authorized for use by 

17 TNC driver that the TNC driver uses to provide 

18 TNC services, also known as a ride-hailing vehicle; 

19 and 

20 ‘‘(4) the term ‘transportation network com21 pany’— 

22 ‘‘(A) means a corporation, partnership, 

23 sole proprietorship, or other entity, that uses a 

24 digital network to connect riders to drivers af25 filiated with the entity in order for the driver 


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1 to transport the rider using a vehicle owned, 

2 leased, or otherwise authorized for use by the 

3 driver to a point chosen by the rider; and 

4 ‘‘(B) does not include a shared-expense 

5 carpool or vanpool arrangement that is not in6 tended to generate profit for the driver.’’. 

7 SEC. 3. ACCESS AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS FOR RIDE8 HAILING VEHICLES AND RIDE-HAILING COM9 PANIES. 

10 Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment 

11 of this Act, each transportation network company shall es12 tablish and implement the following system, prohibition, 

13 requirement, and policy: 

14 (1) A system that enables each individual who 

15 uses a TNC platform to verify the identity of the 

16 TNC driver who is provided to such individual via 

17 that TNC platform, and such TNC driver to confirm 

18 the identity of such individual prior to the beginning 

19 of a trip. Such system shall include the following: 

20 (A) A machine-readable code or image, 

21 such as a QR code (or successor technology), 

22 that can be scanned by the individual hailing 

23 such driver, using a personal mobile device with 

24 a built-in camera. The transportation network 

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1 ward-facing window stickers containing such 

2 code or label. 

3 (B) The ability, within the transportation 

4 network company’s TNC platform, to— 

5 (i) provide a means by which each in6 dividual who is assigned a TNC driver via 

7 such platform must, except where such in8 dividual chooses to use a personal authen9 tication number as provided in clause (ii), 

10 scan the unique machine-readable code or 

11 label displayed on the window sticker of 

12 the TNC vehicle to confirm the identity of 

13 the TNC driver who is assigned to the in14 dividual, using the TNC platform on the 

15 individual’s personal mobile device, prior to 

16 entering the vehicle; 

17 (ii) provide a means by which such in18 dividual may opt out of using the machine19 readable code or image and instead choose 

20 to use a randomly generated 4 digit per21 sonal authentication number as described 

22 in subparagraph (C); 

23 (iii) restrict each TNC driver from 

24 commencing a trip by withholding from 

25 such driver the destination of the indiVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:17 Oct 19, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4686.IH H4686

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1 vidual assigned that TNC driver until the 

2 individual verifies the identity of the TNC 

3 driver by scanning the code or label, or in 

4 the case of an individual who opts to use 

5 a personal authentication number, as pro6 vided in clause (ii), until the driver suc7 cessfully verifies the identity of the indi8 vidual by entering the individual’s personal 

9 authentication number into the TNC driv10 er’s TNC platform, as described in sub11 paragraph (C); and 

12 (iv) provide a means by which each in13 dividual who is assigned a TNC driver via 

14 such platform may confirm visually and 

15 non-visually that their correct personal au16 thentication number has been entered into 

17 the TNC driver’s platform. 

18 (C) The means to provide, through the 

19 TNC platform, or by another means if the indi20 vidual used a means other than such platform 

21 to request a TNC driver, each individual who is 

22 assigned a TNC driver via such platform and 

23 who opts out of using the machine-readable 

24 code or image, as provided in subparagraph 

25 (B)(ii), a personal authentication number for 


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1 each trip requested by the individual which may 

2 be displayed on the personal mobile device of 

3 the individual who is assigned a TNC driver in 

4 such a fashion that either the TNC driver is 

5 able to read and enter the personal authentica6 tion number into the TNC driver’s platform or 

7 such individual can read and orally commu8 nicate the personal authentication number to 

9 the TNC driver. 

10 (D) The means by which a TNC driver can 

11 enter the personal authentication number as12 signed to an individual into the TNC platform 

13 of such driver, when provided such number by 

14 such individual, to verify the identity of the in15 dividual and be enabled to commence the trip 

16 by receiving the destination of the individual. 

17 (2) A prohibition on a TNC driver from pro18 viding TNC services if the TNC vehicle of that driv19 er does not pass inspections required by the State in 

20 which the TNC driver’s vehicle is licenced. 

21 (3) A requirement that all TNC vehicles display 

22 a consistent and distinctive sign provided by the 

23 transportation network company at all times when 

24 the TNC driver is active on the TNC digital plat25 form or providing any TNC service. Such sign— 


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1 (A) shall include the transportation net2 work company’s proprietary trademark or logo; 

3 (B) shall be readable during daylight hours 

4 at a distance of 50 feet; 

5 (C) shall be illuminated so that it is pat6 ently visible in darkness; and 

7 (D) may be magnetic or removable in na8 ture. 

9 (4) A policy to require that any sign described 

10 in paragraph (3) be returned to the transportation 

11 network company when a TNC driver ceases to be 

12 employed or contracted by such company. 

13 (5) A requirement that all aspects of the TNC 

14 platform are non-visually accessible. 

15 SEC. 4. PROHIBITION ON SALE OF RIDE-HAILING SIGN. 

16 It shall be unlawful for any person other than a 

17 transportation network company to sell or offer for sale 

18 any sign described in section 3(3). 

19 SEC. 5. UNFAIR OR DECEPTIVE ACT OR PRACTICE. 

20 A violation of a section 3 or 4 shall be treated as 

21 a violation of a rule defining an unfair or deceptive act 

22 or practice prescribed under section 18(a)(1)(B) of the 

23 Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 57a(a)(1)(B)). 

24 The Federal Trade Commission shall enforce this Act in 

25 the same manner, by the same means, and with the same 


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1 jurisdiction, powers, and duties as though all applicable 

2 terms and provisions of the Federal Trade Commission 

3 Act (15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.) were incorporated into and 

4 made a part of this Act. Any person who violates section 

5 3 or section 4 shall be subject to the penalties and entitled 

6 to the privileges and immunities provided in the Federal 

7 Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.). 

8 SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS. 

9 For purposes of this Act— 

10 (1) the term ‘‘machine-readable code or image’’ 

11 means a machine-readable optical label that is 

12 unique to each TNC driver and the vehicle of such 

13 TNC driver and can be scanned using a personal 

14 mobile device with a built-in camera; 

15 (2) the term ‘‘non-visually accessible’’ refers to 

16 digital content that meets the success criteria of the 

17 Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, 

18 Level AA, including the Web Accessibility Initiative– 

19 Accessible Rich Internet Applications (WAI–ARIA), 

20 and any successor to or revision of such guidelines; 

21 (3) the term ‘‘personal mobile device’’ means 

22 any mobile device that an individual uses to connect 

23 to a TNC platform; 

24 (4) the term ‘‘QR code’’ means a machine-read25 able code or image also known as a quick response 


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1 code and consists of a matrix or two-dimensional 

2 barcode; 

3 (5) the term ‘‘TNC driver’’ means an individual 

4 who is employed or contracted by a transportation 

5 network company to provide transportation services 

6 to the public through a TNC platform; 

7 (6) the term ‘‘TNC platform’’ means an online8 enabled application or digital network used to con9 nect riders to TNC drivers for the purpose of pro10 viding prearranged transportation services; 

11 (7) the term ‘‘TNC vehicle’’ means a vehicle 

12 owned, leased, or otherwise authorized for use by 

13 TNC driver that the TNC driver uses to provide pre14 arranged transportation services, also known as a 

15 ride-hailing vehicle; and 

16 (8) the term ‘‘transportation network com17 pany’’— 

18 (A) means a corporation, partnership, sole 

19 proprietorship, or other entity, that uses a dig20 ital network to connect riders to drivers affili21 ated with the entity in order for the driver to 

22 transport the rider using a vehicle owned, 

23 leased, or otherwise authorized for use by the 

24 driver to a point chosen by the rider; and 


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1 (B) does not include a shared-expense car2 pool or vanpool arrangement that is not in3 tended to generate profit for the driver. 

4 SEC. 7. G.A.O. STUDY ON THE INCIDENCE OF ASSAULT AND 

5 ABUSE OF RIDE-HAILING RIDERS AND DRIV6 ERS. 

7 The Comptroller General of the United States shall 

8 conduct a study on the incidence of assault and abuse per9 petrated on drivers by riders using ride-hailing vehicles, 

10 and on such riders by drivers of ride-hailing vehicles, and 

11 shall submit a report to Congress not later than one year 

12 after the date of enactment of this Act. The report shall 

13 also examine— 

14 (1) the nature and specifics of any background 

15 checks conducted by ride-haling companies on poten16 tial drivers, including any State laws which may re17 quire such background checks; 

18 (2) incidences where individuals who are not 

19 ride-hailing drivers try to pose as ride-hailing driv20 ers; 

21 (3) incidences of ride-hailing passengers enter22 ing the wrong vehicle, whether or not the vehicle was 

23 a ride-hailing vehicle; and 

24 (4) efforts by ride-hailing companies to imple25 ment additional safety measures and practices and 


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1 of State and local governments requiring such meas2 ures, and the efficacy of those efforts, practices, and 

3 requirements. 

Æ 


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