The Texas Senate passed a law that overruled the city?s ride-hailing regulations The country?s two ride-hailing giants, Uber and Lyft, will be returning to Austin after the Texas state senate passed HB 100, which creates a statewide system of ride-hailing regulations that, in effect, overrules the city?s own standards.
The law?s passage ends a unique era in Austin transportation, which saw a group of ride-hailing startups fill the gap left when Uber and Lyft vacated the market last spring in protest over Austin?s laws governing the transportation network companies (or TNCs), including a rule that drivers needed to be fingerprinted by a third-party service as a security measure.
"I?m disappointed that the legislature chose to nullify the bedrock principles of self-governance and limited government by imposing regulations on our city over the objection of Austin voters,? Austin Mayor Steve Adler said in a statement. ?Our city should be proud of how we filled the gap created when Uber and Lyft left, and we now must hope that they return ready to compete in a way that reflects Austin?s values." The law, which was already passed in the Texas House of Representatives, will now be sent to the desk of Governor Greg Abbott. Since it passed with a two-thirds majority in both chambers of the legislature, according to state law, it can go into effect as soon as Gov. Abbott signs the bill.

Buckle up. Coming soon. https://t.co/AF34IVISL2? Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX...