Ohio rideshare companies would follow safety and trip recording rules

Rideshare companies would have to set safety policies, review complaints about drivers, and report certain incidents to the state. The policies apply to rideshare companies with a valid state permit and their drivers. The annual reports cover incidents involving rideshare services, including reports about safety, discrimination, and accidents. Policies would address preventing unauthorized drivers and accounts, preventing assault and homicide, training drivers on policy updates, and reporting certain disqualifying convictions. After a report alleging a driver has a disqualifying condition, the company would need a process for temporary suspension that lets the driver challenge it; a person must review the report and challenge information. The company must let the driver return if the report is shown to be unfounded, false, or plausibly driven by fraud or bias. Companies would report safety, discrimination, and accident reports to the commission each year. The commission would send lawmakers a combined summary. Companies would submit reports by January 1 each year, starting with the first January 1 after the reporting section takes effect. The commission would send lawmakers a combined summary by February 1 each year.

Companies would have to give drivers and riders the option to record a prearranged ride and would need consent to collect or use their biometric information. The recording option would apply to prearranged rides. The consent rule would cover biometric information collected or used from rideshare drivers and riders. If the driver and rider disagree about recording, the rider’s choice would control for that ride. A company could not charge more solely because a rider chooses recording. Biometric information includes identifying details or data from a person’s face, eyes, fingerprints, voice, genes, or movements. The commission would have to adopt rules for ride recordings by June 1, 2028.

Companies would be barred from certain rating practices and could not allow specified rides or services. These limits cover rideshare company ratings, driver offerings, and unaccompanied passengers age 15 or younger. Companies could remove reviews plausibly motivated by fraud or bias, but could not use such negative reviews to suspend or end a driver's authorization. They could not change a rating or assign a default rating that the driver or rider did not give. A company could not authorize an unaccompanied passenger age 15 or younger to ride unless the passenger is on an approved family account and a parent or guardian permits the ride. Drivers could offer food or drinks only if factory sealed.