City and County of San Francisco: local tax: transportation network companies: autonomous vehicles.

Existing law authorizes counties, cities, and other local agencies to impose various taxes and fees in connection with activity or property within those jurisdictions. The California Constitution also authorizes a charter city to levy local taxes to raise revenues for local purposes, subject to restrictions imposed by that city's charter or preemption in matters of statewide concern. The Passenger Charter-party Carriers' Act authorizes the Public Utilities Commission to regulate charter-party carriers in California, including transportation network companies that provide prearranged transportation services for compensation using an online-enabled application or platform to connect passengers with drivers. For purposes of provisions applicable to transportation network companies, the act also defines a participating driver or driver as any person who uses a vehicle in connection with a transportation network company's online-enabled application or platform to connect with passengers. This bill would authorize the City and County of San Francisco, subject to applicable voter approval requirements, to impose a tax on each ride originating in the City and County of San Francisco provided by an autonomous vehicle, whether facilitated by a transportation network company or any other person, or by a participating driver in an amount not to exceed 3.25% of net rider fares, as defined, for a ride and 1.5% of net rider fares for a shared ride, as specified. The bill would also authorize the City and County of San Francisco to set a lower tax rate for net rider fares for a ride provided by a zero-emission vehicle. The bill would require moneys collected by the City and County of San Francisco from this tax to be dedicated to fund transportation operations and infrastructure within the City and County of San Francisco. The bill would require a tax imposed pursuant to this authority to expire no later than November 5, 2045. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the City and County of San Francisco.