As Introduced
136th General Assembly
Regular Session H. B. No. 980
2025-2026
Representatives Grim, Baker
Cosponsors: Representatives Synenberg, Lett, Brownlee, Somani, Brennan
To amend sections 4925.02, 4925.03, 4925.04, and 4925.07 and to enact sections 4925.11, 4925.12, and 4925.99 of the Revised Code to revise the law governing transportation network companies and to name this act the Rideshare Sexual Assault Prevention Act.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
Section 1. That sections 4925.02, 4925.03, 4925.04, and 4925.07 be amended and sections 4925.11, 4925.12, and 4925.99 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:
Sec. 4925.02. (A) The public utilities commission shall issue a transportation network company permit to any entity that does all of the following:
(1) Applies for a permit issued in accordance with rules adopted under this section;
(2)
Affirms that the entity will maintain compliance with the applicable
requirements established under sections 4925.03 to 4925.08
4925.12
of
the Revised Code and with rules adopted under this section;
(3) Submits along with an application for a permit a permit fee of five thousand dollars.
Any permit issued under this section is effective for one year commencing on the date of issuance.
(B)
Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prohibit the issuance
of a transportation network company permit to an entity that is also
engaged in providing taxicab services, so long as the entity complies
with division (A) of this section, all applicable requirements
established under sections 4925.03 to 4925.08
4925.12
of
the Revised Code, and rules adopted by the public utilities
commission under division (C) of this section.
(C) The public utilities commission may adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code for purposes of issuing permits to transportation network companies and implementing the requirements of this chapter.
(D)
No entity shall operate a transportation network company without a
valid permit issued under this section or without complying with
rules adopted by the public utilities commission under this section
or the applicable requirements of sections 4925.03 to 4925.08
4925.12
of
the Revised Code.
Sec. 4925.03. A transportation network company shall do all of the following:
(A) Disclose its fare calculation method on its digital network;
(B) Provide transportation network company riders or potential riders with the applicable rates charged by the transportation network company;
(C) Allow a transportation network company rider or potential rider to request and receive an estimated fare before the rider or potential rider receives transportation network company services;
(D) Ensure that for each transportation network company service request one of the following conditions is met:
(1) The transportation network company's digital network provides a photograph of the transportation network company driver and the license plate number of the motor vehicle that will provide the transportation network company service before the transportation network company rider enters the vehicle;
(2) The name of the transportation network company is prominently displayed on the vehicle that will provide the transportation network company service.
(E) Establish a process by which the transportation network company may accept payments for transportation network company services through the company's digital network;
(F) Within a reasonable period of time after the completion of transportation network services, transmit an electronic receipt to the transportation network company rider that includes the origin and destination of the trip, the distance of the trip, the total time during which transportation network company services were provided, an itemization of the total fare charged, and, if applicable, that the rider made a cash payment to the driver;
(G) Designate an agent located within this state who is authorized to receive service of process;
(H) Comply with the requirements established under sections 3942.02 to 3942.04 of the Revised Code;
(I)
Conduct an
annual background
check
checks
on
each authorized transportation network company driver before
authorizing the driver to provide transportation network company
services and
terminate
every
six months thereafter, unless otherwise specified in this chapter;
(J)
Terminate the
authorization of any transportation
network company driver
that does not meet the initial authorization requirements of division
(B) of section 4525.04
4925.04
of
the Revised Code;
(J)(K)
Comply with the reporting requirements under section 4925.12 of the
Revised Code;
(L) Comply with any other requirements established by the public utilities commission.
Sec. 4925.04. (A) Prior to authorizing a person to act as a transportation network company driver, a transportation network company shall do all of the following:
(1) Require the person to submit an application to the transportation network company that includes at least all of the following:
(a) The person's address;
(b) The person's age;
(c) The person's driver's license number and information on the person's driving history;
(d) A copy of the certificate of motor vehicle registration for the vehicle the person will use to provide transportation network company services;
(e) Proof of automobile insurance.
(2) Conduct a background check, the expenses of which shall be paid by the transportation network company, on each applicant, including both of the following:
(a) A search of a multi-state/multi-jurisdiction criminal records database, or a similar nationwide criminal records database, and validation of any records through a primary source search;
(b) A search of the United States department of justice national sex offender public web site;
(3) Obtain and review a driving history report with regard to each applicant.
(B) A transportation network company shall not authorize a person to act as a transportation network company driver if any of the following apply to the person:
(1) The person does not possess a valid driver's license.
(2) The person does not possess a valid certification of motor vehicle registration for the motor vehicle that the person intends to use to provide transportation network company services.
(3) The person does not possess automobile liability insurance for the vehicle that the person intends to use to provide transportation network company services that meets the requirements of section 3942.02 of the Revised Code unless the transportation network company provides such insurance on behalf of the driver.
(4) The person has not attained the age of nineteen.
(5) Within the past three years, the person has been convicted of, or pleaded guilty to, more than three violations of section 4511.194, 4511.204, 4511.21, 4511.211, 4511.251, 4511.29, 4511.30, 4511.39, 4511.46, 4511.47, 4511.711, or 4511.75 of the Revised Code or an existing or former municipal ordinance or law of this or any other state, or of the United States, that is substantially equivalent to any offense listed in division (B)(5) of this section.
(6) Within the past three years, the person has been convicted of, or pleaded guilty to, any serious vehicle-related offense, including a violation of division (B) of section 2921.331 of the Revised Code or a violation of section 4510.11, 4510.111, 4510.12, 4510.14, 4510.16, 4510.18, 4511.20, or 4511.201 of the Revised Code or an existing or former municipal ordinance or law of this or any other state, or of the United States, that is substantially equivalent to any offense listed in division (B)(6) of this section.
(7) Within the past seven years, the person has been convicted of, or pleaded guilty to, any of the following:
(a) Operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, a drug of abuse, or a combination of both, in violation of section 4511.19 of the Revised Code;
(b) The commission of any felony offense while operating, or being a passenger in, a motor vehicle;
(c) A theft or fraud offense in violation of section 2911.01 or 2911.02 of the Revised Code or any provision of Chapter 2913. of the Revised Code;
(d) A property damage offense in violation of section 2909.02, 2909.03, 2909.05, 2909.06, 2909.07, 2909.09, 2909.10, or 2909.101 of the Revised Code;
(e) A sex offense in violation of any provision of Chapter 2907. of the Revised Code;
(f) An offense of violence as defined in section 2901.01 of the Revised Code;
(g) An act of terrorism as defined in section 2909.21 of the Revised Code;
(h) A violation of an existing or former municipal ordinance or law of this or any other state, or of the United States, that is substantially equivalent to any offense listed in division (B)(7) of this section.
(8) A search of the United States department of justice national sex offender public web site indicates that the person is identified as a sex offender.
(C)
(C)(1)
A
transportation network company shall terminate the authorization of a
person to act as a transportation network company driver on behalf of
the company if any of the conditions specified in division (B) of
this section apply to that person according to any
of that
person's annual
background
check
checks
conducted
in accordance with section 4925.03 of the Revised Code.
(2) A transportation network company shall establish a process to temporarily deactivate or suspend a transportation network company driver from providing transportation network company services if the transportation network company receives a report or complaint alleging that any of the conditions specified in division (B) of this section apply to the driver. As part of that process, the transportation network company shall ensure all of the following:
(a) The process allows the transportation network company driver to challenge the temporary deactivation or suspension.
(b) The transportation network company allows the transportation network company driver to return to providing transportation network company services if the driver can demonstrate that the report or complaint is unfounded, false, or plausibly motivated by fraud or bias.
(c) The process requires a natural person to review any submitted reports or complaints and any information provided by the transportation network company driver to challenge a temporary deactivation or suspension.
(3) The public utilities commission shall facilitate the sharing of information between transportation network companies related to whether a transportation network company driver has been temporarily deactivated or suspended or has had the authorization to provide transportation network company services terminated.
(D) A transportation network company shall provide an electronic or physical copy of the results of each background check conducted on an applicant or a transportation network company driver who is subject to a background check under this section and section 4925.03 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 4925.07. (A) A transportation network company shall maintain records of both of the following:
(A)(1)
All transportation network company drivers for not less than two
years after the date each driver last provided transportation network
company services;
(B)(2)
Each instance in which transportation network company services are
provided for not less than two years after the services are provided.
(B)(1) The public utilities commission shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code not later than June 1, 2028, establishing requirements for the use of audio and video recordings of each prearranged ride and the integration of such audio and video into the transportation network company's digital network. The rules adopted by the commission shall include policies regarding access to, ownership of, storage of, notifications about, and deadlines for the implementation of the audio and video recordings.
(2) The commission shall ensure that a transportation network company driver and a transportation network company rider have the option of allowing for audio and video recordings during a prearranged ride. If the rider and the driver do not agree on whether audio and video recordings should be allowed for a prearranged ride, the choice of the rider shall be honored for that ride.
Sec. 4925.11. (A) As used in this section, "biometric data" or "biometric identifiers" means a measurable physical characteristic or personal behavioral trait used to recognize the identity, or verify the claimed identity, of a person. Biometric data or biometric identifiers include depictions, images, descriptions, or recordings of an individual's facial features, iris or retina, finger or hand print, voice, genetics, or characteristic movements or gestures. Biometric data or biometric identifiers also include data derived from depictions, images, descriptions, or recordings, to the extent that it would be reasonably possible to identify the person from whose information the data had been derived.
(B) No transportation network company shall do any of the following:
(1) Except as provided in division (D) of this section, alter the rating a transportation network company rider assigned to a transportation network company driver or the rating a driver assigned to a rider on a transportation network company's digital network;
(2) Assign an automatic or default transportation network company driver rating that the transportation network company rider did not assign;
(3) Assign an automatic or default transportation network company rider rating that the transportation network company driver did not assign;
(4) Collect or use biometric data or biometric identifiers from a transportation network company driver or transportation network company rider without first obtaining the consent of the driver or rider;
(5) Allow transportation network company drivers to offer, sell, or provide food or beverages to transportation network company riders unless the food or beverage is factory-sealed;
(6) Authorize the transport of an unaccompanied juvenile who is not more than fifteen years old unless the juvenile is part of an authorized family account on which the juvenile's parent or legal guardian is the account holder and permission from that parent or legal guardian is obtained for a prearranged ride;
(7) Charge a fee or increase the cost of a prearranged ride solely on the basis of a transportation network company rider choosing to use audio and video recordings of the prearranged ride.
(C) A transportation network company that has obtained a valid permit under section 4925.02 of the Revised Code shall develop policies that do all of the following:
(1) Prevent unauthorized drivers from providing transportation network company services;
(2) Prevent unauthorized account sharing and account renting, unless otherwise authorized by a transportation network company;
(3) Prevent sexual assault, physical assault, and homicide against or committed by a transportation network company driver;
(4) Allow a transportation network company driver to refuse a prearranged ride to an individual who is not authorized to use the account if that individual requests a prearranged ride;
(5) Notify all transportation network company drivers and transportation network company riders of any updates to transportation network company safety policies and ensure each driver receives training related to those updates;
(6) Require a transportation network company driver to report information concerning a criminal conviction or a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to the transportation network company provided that such conviction or plea relates to one of the disqualifying offenses specified in division (B) of section 4925.04 of the Revised Code.
(D)(1) A transportation network company may delete ratings or reviews from its digital network that are plausibly motivated by fraud or bias.
(2) A transportation network company shall not consider negative ratings or reviews that are plausibly motivated by fraud or bias for purposes of a temporary deactivation, suspension, or complete termination of an individual's authorization to operate as a transportation network company driver.
Sec. 4925.12. (A) As used in this section:
(1) "Incidents involving safety" means any report involving a transportation network company driver, a transportation network company rider, or any other person using transportation network company services, in which one person's physical, emotional, or psychological security is put at risk by another person.
(2) "Incidents involving discrimination" means any report involving the unfair or prejudicial treatment of an individual or group based on personal characteristics as described by that individual's or group's protected class.
(3) "Incidents involving accidents" means any report of a collision involving the motor vehicle of a transportation network company driver and another motor vehicle, a pedestrian, or the property of another person.
(4) "Protected class" means an individual's race, color, religion, sex, military status, national origin, disability, age, or ancestry, as those terms are used in section 4112.02 of the Revised Code.
(B) Not later than the first day of January that occurs after the effective date of this section, and every first day of January thereafter, a transportation network company shall compile and submit to the public utilities commission every report that the transportation network company has received from the prior year involving any of the following:
(1) Incidents involving safety;
(2) Incidents involving discrimination;
(3) Incidents involving accidents.
(C) Not later than the first day of February that occurs after the effective date of this section, and every first day of February thereafter, the commission shall submit a consolidated summary of the reports it receives from each transportation network company to the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, and the minority leaders of both the house of representatives and the senate.
Sec. 4925.99. The public utilities commission shall fine a transportation network company one thousand five hundred dollars for each instance in which the company fails to comply with division (I), (J), or (K) of section 4925.03 of the Revised Code, division (C) or (D) of section 4925.04 of the Revised Code, or section 4925.11 or 4925.12 of the Revised Code.
Section 2. That existing sections 4925.02, 4925.03, 4925.04, and 4925.07 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.
Section 3. This act shall be known as the Rideshare Sexual Assault Prevention Act.