I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4686 
To amend title 23, United States Code, to compel States to require illumi-
nated 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 fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Com-
merce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdic-
tion of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
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. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as ‘‘Sami’s Law’’. 
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SEC. 2. SANCTIONS FOR STATES WITHOUT RIDE-HAILING 
VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION LAWS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 1 of title 23, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘§ 171. Sanctions for States without transportation 
network company vehicle identification 
laws 
‘‘(a) WITHHOLDING
OF FUNDS
FOR NONCOMPLI-
ANCE.— 
‘‘(1) FIRST FISCAL YEAR.—On the first day of 
the fiscal year that is two years after the date of en-
actment of this section, the Secretary shall withhold 
1 percent of the amount required to be apportioned 
to a State under each of paragraphs (1) and (2) of 
section 104(b) if the State does not meet the re-
quirements of subsection (b) on the first day of the 
fiscal year. 
‘‘(2) SUBSEQUENT FISCAL YEARS.—On the first 
day of each fiscal year beginning 3 years after the 
date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall 
withhold 2.5 percent of the amount required to be 
apportioned to a State under each of paragraphs (1) 
and (2) of section 104(b) if the State does not meet 
the requirements of subsection (b) on the first day 
of the fiscal year. 
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‘‘(3) EFFECT OF WITHHOLDING OF FUNDS.— 
No funds withheld under this subsection from appor-
tionment to any State shall be available at any point 
for apportionment to that State. 
‘‘(b) REQUIREMENTS.—A State meets the require-
ments of this subsection if the Governor of the State cer-
tifies to the Secretary that the State has enacted and is 
enforcing the following laws with respect to TNC drivers 
and TNC vehicles operating in that State: 
‘‘(1) FRONT AND REAR LICENSE PLATES.—A 
law requiring that every TNC vehicle has a duly 
issued general State license plate on both the front 
and rear of the vehicle. 
‘‘(2) INSPECTION AND SIGN REQUIREMENTS.— 
A law requiring TNC drivers to present TNC vehi-
cles for inspection not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of such laws (unless the State has 
enacted and is enforcing a law meeting the require-
ments of this subsection on the date of enactment of 
this section) and annually thereafter. Such law shall 
include the following: 
‘‘(A) A provision requiring each TNC driv-
er to affix the stickers containing the optical 
code or label provided to that driver (pursuant 
to section 3(1)(A) of Sami’s Law) on each win-
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dow of the TNC driver’s vehicle adjacent to 
where passengers may sit. 
‘‘(B) A provision that requires periodic 
safety inspections of the TNC vehicle performed 
at intervals of at least once each year. 
‘‘(C) A provision that requires each TNC 
vehicle to display a consistent and distinctive 
sign at all times when the TNC driver is active 
on the TNC digital platform or providing any 
prearranged transportation service. Such sign— 
‘‘(i) shall include the transportation 
network company’s proprietary trademark 
or logo; 
‘‘(ii) shall be readable during daylight 
hours at a distance of 50 feet; 
‘‘(iii) shall be illuminated so that it is 
patently visible in darkness; and 
‘‘(iv) may be magnetic or removable in 
nature. 
‘‘(D) A provision that does not permit a 
TNC driver to provide TNC services if the TNC 
vehicle does not pass such inspection. 
‘‘(3) UNLAWFUL
DISPLAY.—A law that pro-
hibits an individual who is not a TNC driver for a 
transportation network company from displaying on 
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any vehicle the sign described in paragraph (2)(C) 
that is affiliated with that company on any vehicle 
with the intent to pass himself or herself off as a 
TNC driver operating a TNC vehicle for the trans-
portation network company affiliated with that sign. 
‘‘(c) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section— 
‘‘(1) the term ‘TNC driver’ means an individual 
who is employed or contracted by a transportation 
network company to provide transportation services 
to the public through a TNC platform; 
‘‘(2) the term ‘TNC platform’ means an online- 
enabled application or digital network used to con-
nect riders to TNC drivers for the purpose of pro-
viding prearranged transportation services; 
‘‘(3) the term ‘TNC vehicle’ means a vehicle 
owned, leased, or otherwise authorized for use by 
TNC driver that the TNC driver uses to provide 
TNC services, also known as a ride-hailing vehicle; 
and 
‘‘(4) the term ‘transportation network com-
pany’— 
‘‘(A) means a corporation, partnership, 
sole proprietorship, or other entity, that uses a 
digital network to connect riders to drivers af-
filiated with the entity in order for the driver 
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to transport the rider using a vehicle owned, 
leased, or otherwise authorized for use by the 
driver to a point chosen by the rider; and 
‘‘(B) does not include a shared-expense 
carpool or vanpool arrangement that is not in-
tended to generate profit for the driver.’’. 
SEC. 3. ACCESS AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS FOR RIDE- 
HAILING VEHICLES AND RIDE-HAILING COM-
PANIES. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, each transportation network company shall es-
tablish and implement the following system, prohibition, 
requirement, and policy: 
(1) A system that enables each individual who 
uses a TNC platform to verify the identity of the 
TNC driver who is provided to such individual via 
that TNC platform, and such TNC driver to confirm 
the identity of such individual prior to the beginning 
of a trip. Such system shall include the following: 
(A) A machine-readable code or image, 
such as a QR code (or successor technology), 
that can be scanned by the individual hailing 
such driver, using a personal mobile device with 
a built-in camera. The transportation network 
company shall provide to each TNC driver for-
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ward-facing window stickers containing such 
code or label. 
(B) The ability, within the transportation 
network company’s TNC platform, to— 
(i) provide a means by which each in-
dividual who is assigned a TNC driver via 
such platform must, except where such in-
dividual chooses to use a personal authen-
tication number as provided in clause (ii), 
scan the unique machine-readable code or 
label displayed on the window sticker of 
the TNC vehicle to confirm the identity of 
the TNC driver who is assigned to the in-
dividual, using the TNC platform on the 
individual’s personal mobile device, prior to 
entering the vehicle; 
(ii) provide a means by which such in-
dividual may opt out of using the machine- 
readable code or image and instead choose 
to use a randomly generated 4 digit per-
sonal authentication number as described 
in subparagraph (C); 
(iii) restrict each TNC driver from 
commencing a trip by withholding from 
such driver the destination of the indi-
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vidual assigned that TNC driver until the 
individual verifies the identity of the TNC 
driver by scanning the code or label, or in 
the case of an individual who opts to use 
a personal authentication number, as pro-
vided in clause (ii), until the driver suc-
cessfully verifies the identity of the indi-
vidual by entering the individual’s personal 
authentication number into the TNC driv-
er’s TNC platform, as described in sub-
paragraph (C); and 
(iv) provide a means by which each in-
dividual who is assigned a TNC driver via 
such platform may confirm visually and 
non-visually that their correct personal au-
thentication number has been entered into 
the TNC driver’s platform. 
(C) The means to provide, through the 
TNC platform, or by another means if the indi-
vidual used a means other than such platform 
to request a TNC driver, each individual who is 
assigned a TNC driver via such platform and 
who opts out of using the machine-readable 
code or image, as provided in subparagraph 
(B)(ii), a personal authentication number for 
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each trip requested by the individual which may 
be displayed on the personal mobile device of 
the individual who is assigned a TNC driver in 
such a fashion that either the TNC driver is 
able to read and enter the personal authentica-
tion number into the TNC driver’s platform or 
such individual can read and orally commu-
nicate the personal authentication number to 
the TNC driver. 
(D) The means by which a TNC driver can 
enter the personal authentication number as-
signed to an individual into the TNC platform 
of such driver, when provided such number by 
such individual, to verify the identity of the in-
dividual and be enabled to commence the trip 
by receiving the destination of the individual. 
(2) A prohibition on a TNC driver from pro-
viding TNC services if the TNC vehicle of that driv-
er does not pass inspections required by the State in 
which the TNC driver’s vehicle is licenced. 
(3) A requirement that all TNC vehicles display 
a consistent and distinctive sign provided by the 
transportation network company at all times when 
the TNC driver is active on the TNC digital plat-
form or providing any TNC service. Such sign— 
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(A) shall include the transportation net-
work company’s proprietary trademark or logo; 
(B) shall be readable during daylight hours 
at a distance of 50 feet; 
(C) shall be illuminated so that it is pat-
ently visible in darkness; and 
(D) may be magnetic or removable in na-
ture. 
(4) A policy to require that any sign described 
in paragraph (3) be returned to the transportation 
network company when a TNC driver ceases to be 
employed or contracted by such company. 
(5) A requirement that all aspects of the TNC 
platform are non-visually accessible. 
SEC. 4. PROHIBITION ON SALE OF RIDE-HAILING SIGN. 
It shall be unlawful for any person other than a 
transportation network company to sell or offer for sale 
any sign described in section 3(3). 
SEC. 5. UNFAIR OR DECEPTIVE ACT OR PRACTICE. 
A violation of a section 3 or 4 shall be treated as 
a violation of a rule defining an unfair or deceptive act 
or practice prescribed under section 18(a)(1)(B) of the 
Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 57a(a)(1)(B)). 
The Federal Trade Commission shall enforce this Act in 
the same manner, by the same means, and with the same 
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jurisdiction, powers, and duties as though all applicable 
terms and provisions of the Federal Trade Commission 
Act (15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.) were incorporated into and 
made a part of this Act. Any person who violates section 
3 or section 4 shall be subject to the penalties and entitled 
to the privileges and immunities provided in the Federal 
Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.). 
SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS. 
For purposes of this Act— 
(1) the term ‘‘machine-readable code or image’’ 
means a machine-readable optical label that is 
unique to each TNC driver and the vehicle of such 
TNC driver and can be scanned using a personal 
mobile device with a built-in camera; 
(2) the term ‘‘non-visually accessible’’ refers to 
digital content that meets the success criteria of the 
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, 
Level AA, including the Web Accessibility Initiative– 
Accessible Rich Internet Applications (WAI–ARIA), 
and any successor to or revision of such guidelines; 
(3) the term ‘‘personal mobile device’’ means 
any mobile device that an individual uses to connect 
to a TNC platform; 
(4) the term ‘‘QR code’’ means a machine-read-
able code or image also known as a quick response 
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code and consists of a matrix or two-dimensional 
barcode; 
(5) the term ‘‘TNC driver’’ means an individual 
who is employed or contracted by a transportation 
network company to provide transportation services 
to the public through a TNC platform; 
(6) the term ‘‘TNC platform’’ means an online- 
enabled application or digital network used to con-
nect riders to TNC drivers for the purpose of pro-
viding prearranged transportation services; 
(7) the term ‘‘TNC vehicle’’ means a vehicle 
owned, leased, or otherwise authorized for use by 
TNC driver that the TNC driver uses to provide pre-
arranged transportation services, also known as a 
ride-hailing vehicle; and 
(8) the term ‘‘transportation network com-
pany’’— 
(A) means a corporation, partnership, sole 
proprietorship, or other entity, that uses a dig-
ital network to connect riders to drivers affili-
ated with the entity in order for the driver to 
transport the rider using a vehicle owned, 
leased, or otherwise authorized for use by the 
driver to a point chosen by the rider; and 
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(B) does not include a shared-expense car-
pool or vanpool arrangement that is not in-
tended to generate profit for the driver. 
SEC. 7. G.A.O. STUDY ON THE INCIDENCE OF ASSAULT AND 
ABUSE OF RIDE-HAILING RIDERS AND DRIV-
ERS. 
The Comptroller General of the United States shall 
conduct a study on the incidence of assault and abuse per-
petrated on drivers by riders using ride-hailing vehicles, 
and on such riders by drivers of ride-hailing vehicles, and 
shall submit a report to Congress not later than one year 
after the date of enactment of this Act. The report shall 
also examine— 
(1) the nature and specifics of any background 
checks conducted by ride-haling companies on poten-
tial drivers, including any State laws which may re-
quire such background checks; 
(2) incidences where individuals who are not 
ride-hailing drivers try to pose as ride-hailing driv-
ers; 
(3) incidences of ride-hailing passengers enter-
ing the wrong vehicle, whether or not the vehicle was 
a ride-hailing vehicle; and 
(4) efforts by ride-hailing companies to imple-
ment additional safety measures and practices and 
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of State and local governments requiring such meas-
ures, and the efficacy of those efforts, practices, and 
requirements. 
Æ 
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