The Sunshine State could soon have uniform regulations for home and ride sharing services.
A bill being discussed by the Florida House's Careers & Competition Subcommittee Tuesday morning would deal with vacation rentals and properties listed on sites like AirBNB. That law would overrule all local ordinances involving the home-sharing sites dating back to 2011.
A Senate committee is also working on a second, proposed legislation regarding Uber and Lyft which would create minimum insurance requirements and other standards for drivers and their vehicles. The proposal has the backing of both ride-share companies, but local governments and the groups representing them are less than pleased.
When it comes to local stance, a recent survey from Mason-Dixon Polling & Research shows 41 percent of Floridians believe online platforms like Airbnb, HomeAway, Uber and Lyft help Florida’s economy. Likewise, 55 percent of 18- to 34-year-olds say they think this technology is helpful to Florida’s economy.
Furthermore, the survey found 93 percent of Floridians said tourists should be able to rent accommodations other than hotels during their trips to Florida, stating things like "efficiency" and "intimate experience of the city" as positives of home-sharing.
The Senate bill will be discussed when Judiciary Committee meets at 3 p.m. Tuesday, while the House proposal will get its first hearing on the House floor on Thursday.