II 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1871 

To amend title 23, United States Code, to compel States to require illuminated signs and other measures on ride-hailing vehicles, to require transportation network companies to implement an electronic access system 

on ride-hailing vehicles, to prohibit the sale of such signs, and for 

other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 13, 2019 

Mr. CARDIN (for himself, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, and Mr. MENENDEZ) introduced 

the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee 

on Environment and Public Works 

A BILL 

To amend title 23, United States Code, to compel States 

to require illuminated signs and other measures on ridehailing vehicles, to require transportation network companies to implement an electronic access system on ridehailing vehicles, to prohibit the sale of such signs, and 

for other purposes. 

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. DEFINITIONS. 

2 In this Act, the terms ‘‘machine-readable code or 

3 image’’, ‘‘personal mobile device’’, ‘‘QR code’’, ‘‘TNC driv4 er’’, ‘‘TNC platform’’, ‘‘TNC vehicle’’, ‘‘trade dress’’, and 

5 ‘‘transportation network company’’ have the meanings 

6 given those terms in section 171(a) of title 23, United 

7 States Code. 

8 SEC. 3. SANCTIONS FOR STATES WITHOUT TRANSPOR9 TATION NETWORK COMPANY VEHICLE IDEN10 TIFICATION LAWS. 

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

12 States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol13 lowing: 

14 ‘‘§ 171. Sanctions for States without transportation 

15 network company vehicle identification 

16 laws 

17 ‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

18 ‘‘(1) MACHINE-READABLE CODE OR IMAGE.— 

19 The term ‘machine-readable code or image’ means a 

20 machine-readable optical label that— 

21 ‘‘(A) is unique to each TNC driver and the 

22 vehicle of the TNC driver; and 

23 ‘‘(B) can be scanned using a special scan24 ner or a personal mobile device with a built-in 

25 camera. 


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1 ‘‘(2) PERSONAL MOBILE DEVICE.—The term 

2 ‘personal mobile device’ means any mobile device 

3 that an individual uses to connect to a TNC plat4 form. 

5 ‘‘(3) QR CODE.—The term ‘QR code’ means a 

6 machine-readable code or image that— 

7 ‘‘(A) is also known as a quick response 

8 code; and 

9 ‘‘(B) consists of a matrix or 2-dimensional 

10 barcode. 

11 ‘‘(4) TNC DRIVER.—The term ‘TNC driver’ 

12 means an individual who is employed or contracted 

13 by a transportation network company to provide 

14 transportation services to the public through a TNC 

15 platform. 

16 ‘‘(5) TNC PLATFORM.—The term ‘TNC plat17 form’ means an online-enabled application or digital 

18 network used to connect passengers with drivers 

19 using vehicles for the purpose of providing pre20 arranged transportation services for compensation. 

21 ‘‘(6) TNC VEHICLE.—The term ‘TNC vehicle’ 

22 means a vehicle of a TNC driver that the TNC driv23 er uses to provide TNC services (also known as a 

24 ride-hailing vehicle). 


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1 ‘‘(7) TRADE DRESS.—The term ‘trade dress’ 

2 means anything designed or used to promote or sig3 nify a transportation network company or a vehicle 

4 used to provide transportation services to the public, 

5 such as the logo of the company, and includes the 

6 color, shape, size, or any other feature that makes 

7 the presentation of the service distinctive. 

8 ‘‘(8) TRANSPORTATION NETWORK COMPANY.— 

9 The term ‘transportation network company’ means a 

10 company that uses an online-enabled application 

11 platform or digital network to connect passengers 

12 with drivers using personal, noncommercial vehicles 

13 of the drivers to provide transportation services. 

14 ‘‘(b) WITHHOLDING OF FUNDS FOR NONCOMPLI15 ANCE.— 

16 ‘‘(1) FIRST FISCAL YEAR.—On October 1 of 

17 second full fiscal year beginning after the date of en18 actment of this section, the Secretary shall withhold 

19 1 percent of the amount required to be apportioned 

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

21 section 104(b) for that fiscal year if the State is not 

22 in compliance with subsection (c) on that date. 

23 ‘‘(2) SUBSEQUENT FISCAL YEARS.—On October 

24 1 of the third full fiscal year beginning after the 

25 date of enactment of this section, and each October 


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1 1 thereafter, the Secretary shall withhold 2.5 per2 cent of the amount required to be apportioned to a 

3 State under each of paragraphs (1) and (2) of sec4 tion 104(b) for that fiscal year if the State is not 

5 in compliance with subsection (c) on that date. 

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

7 No funds withheld under this section from an appor8 tionment to a State shall be available to that State. 

9 ‘‘(c) REQUIREMENTS.—A State shall be in compli10 ance with this subsection if the State has in effect the 

11 following laws with respect to transportation network com12 panies operating in that State: 

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

14 law requiring that each TNC vehicle display a State15 issued license plate on both the front and rear of the 

16 vehicle. 

17 ‘‘(2) INSPECTION AND SIGNAGE REQUIRE18 MENTS.—A law requiring TNC drivers to present 

19 TNC vehicles for inspection by not later than 180 

20 days after the date of enactment of that law, or, in 

21 the case of a State that already has in effect a law 

22 that meets the requirements of this paragraph, not 

23 later than 180 days after the date of enactment of 

24 this section, and annually thereafter, including each 

25 of the following: 


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1 ‘‘(A) A provision requiring each TNC driv2 er to affix a sticker with a machine-readable 

3 code or image, provided to that driver pursuant 

4 to section 4(b)(2) of Sami’s Law, on each win5 dow of the vehicle of the TNC driver adjacent 

6 to where passengers may sit. 

7 ‘‘(B) A provision that prohibits a TNC 

8 driver from providing TNC services if the TNC 

9 vehicle does not pass the inspection. 

10 ‘‘(C) A provision that requires periodic 

11 safety inspections of the TNC vehicle performed 

12 at intervals of not less frequently than once 

13 each year. 

14 ‘‘(D) A provision that requires, at all times 

15 when the TNC driver is active on the TNC 

16 platform or providing any TNC service, each 

17 TNC vehicle to display a consistent and distinc18 tive signage or emblem that— 

19 ‘‘(i) is recognized as a trade dress for 

20 the transportation network company; 

21 ‘‘(ii) is readable during daylight hours 

22 at a distance of 50 feet; 

23 ‘‘(iii) includes an illuminated trans24 portation network company sign that dis25 plays the proprietary trademark or logo of 


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1 the company that is patently visible so as 

2 to be seen in darkness; and 

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

4 nature. 

5 ‘‘(3) UNLAWFUL DISPLAY.—A law providing 

6 that an individual who is not a TNC driver may be 

7 charged with a misdemeanor for displaying the illu8 minated sign described in paragraph (2)(D)(iii) on 

9 any vehicle with the intent to impersonate a TNC 

10 driver operating a TNC vehicle.’’. 

11 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The analysis for chap12 ter 1 of title 23, United States Code, is amended by add13 ing at the end the following: 

‘‘171. Sanctions for States without transportation network company vehicle 

identification laws’’. 

14 SEC. 4. ACCESS AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS FOR TRANS15 PORTATION NETWORK COMPANY VEHICLES 

16 AND TRANSPORTATION NETWORK COMPA17 NIES. 

18 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 

19 date of enactment of this Act, each transportation network 

20 company shall— 

21 (1) establish and implement a system that re22 quires— 

23 (A) each individual who uses the TNC 

24 platform of a transportation network company 


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1 to verify the identity of the TNC driver as2 signed to the individual via the TNC platform 

3 for the trip; and 

4 (B) that TNC driver to confirm the iden5 tity of the individual prior to the beginning of 

6 a trip. 

7 (b) INCLUSIONS.—A system under subsection (a) 

8 shall include— 

9 (1) a machine-readable code or image that is 

10 unique to each TNC driver and the vehicle of the 

11 TNC driver, such as a QR code or a successor tech12 nology, that can be scanned by the individual hailing 

13 the driver, using a personal mobile device with a 

14 built-in camera; 

15 (2) forward-facing window stickers containing 

16 the machine-readable code or image described in 

17 paragraph (1) that shall be provided to each TNC 

18 driver; 

19 (3) the ability, via the TNC platform of the 

20 transportation network company— 

21 (A) to provide to each individual who is as22 signed a TNC driver the unique machine-read23 able code or image of that driver; and 

24 (B) to provide a means by which that indi25 vidual may scan the machine-readable code or 


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1 image displayed on the window sticker of the 

2 TNC vehicle, using the TNC platform on the 

3 personal mobile device of the individual, to con4 firm the identity of the TNC driver who is as5 signed to the individual prior to entering the ve6 hicle; and 

7 (4) policies or procedures that— 

8 (A) restrict each TNC driver from com9 mencing a trip until the individual who has re10 quested the trip successfully verifies the identity 

11 of the TNC driver by scanning the machine12 readable code or image; 

13 (B) prohibit a TNC driver from providing 

14 TNC services if the TNC vehicle or TNC driver 

15 is not in compliance with this section; 

16 (C) require a periodic safety inspection of 

17 the TNC vehicle performed at intervals of not 

18 less frequently than once each year; and 

19 (D) require each TNC vehicle, at all times 

20 when the TNC driver is active on the TNC 

21 platform or providing any TNC service, to dis22 play a consistent and distinctive signage or em23 blem that— 

24 (i) is recognized as a trade dress for 

25 the transportation network company; 


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1 (ii) is readable during daylight hours 

2 at a distance of 50 feet; 

3 (iii) includes an illuminated transpor4 tation network company sign displaying 

5 the proprietary trademark or logo of the 

6 company that is patently visible so as to be 

7 seen in darkness; and 

8 (iv) may be magnetic or removable in 

9 nature. 

10 (c) SIGNAGE POLICY.—Not later than 180 days after 

11 the date of enactment of this Act, each transportation net12 work company shall implement a policy to require that any 

13 illuminated signage described in section 171(c)(2)(D)(iii) 

14 of title 23, United States Code, be returned to the trans15 portation network company when a TNC driver ceases to 

16 be employed or contracted by the company. 

17 SEC. 5. PROHIBITION ON SALE OF TRANSPORTATION NET18 WORK COMPANY SIGNAGE. 

19 It shall be unlawful for any person to sell or offer 

20 for sale any illuminated sign described in section 

21 171(c)(2)(D)(iii) of title 23, United States Code. 

22 SEC. 6. UNFAIR OR DECEPTIVE ACT OR PRACTICE. 

23 (a) IN GENERAL.—A violation of section 4 or section 

24 5 shall be treated as a violation of a rule defining an un25 fair or deceptive act or practice prescribed under section 


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1 18(a)(1)(B) of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 

2 U.S.C. 57a(a)(1)(B)). 

3 (b) POWERS OF FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION.— 

4 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Federal Trade Commis5 sion shall enforce sections 4 and 5 in the same man6 ner, by the same means, and with the same jurisdic7 tion, powers, and duties as though all applicable 

8 terms and provisions of the Federal Trade Commis9 sion Act (15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.) were incorporated 

10 into and made a part of such sections. 

11 (2) PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES.—Any person 

12 who violates section 4 or section 5 shall be subject 

13 to the penalties and entitled to the privileges and 

14 immunities provided in the Federal Trade Commis15 sion Act (15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.). 

16 SEC. 7. GAO STUDY ON THE INCIDENCE OF ASSAULT AND 

17 ABUSE OF TRANSPORTATION NETWORK COM18 PANY PASSENGERS AND DRIVERS. 

19 The Comptroller General of the United States shall— 

20 (1) conduct a study on the incidence of assault 

21 and abuse perpetrated on drivers by passengers 

22 using TNC vehicles, and on passengers by drivers of 

23 TNC vehicles, including an examination of— 


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1 (A) incidences in which individuals who are 

2 not TNC drivers attempt to pose as TNC driv3 ers; 

4 (B) incidences of passengers who hailed a 

5 ride through a TNC platform entering the 

6 wrong vehicle, whether or not the vehicle was a 

7 TNC vehicle; 

8 (C) efforts by transportation network com9 panies, States, and local governments to imple10 ment additional safety measures, practices, and 

11 requirements, and the efficacy of those meas12 ures, practices, and requirements; and 

13 (D) the nature and specifics of any back14 ground checks conducted by transportation net15 work companies on potential TNC drivers, in16 cluding any State laws that may require such 

17 background checks; and 

18 (2) submit to Congress a report on the results 

19 of the study under paragraph (1) by not later than 

20 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act. 

Æ 


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