The companies' agreement with Governor Charlie Baker's administration requires a state-run check in addition to the usual check through an independent contractor. Fingerprinting, however, will not be required.

Massachusetts is increasing the pressure on Uber and Lyft to hire dependably safe drivers. Adam Vaccaro writes, "The popular on-demand ride services already require their drivers to pass background checks conducted by third-party vendors before they can get on the road. But a law passed over the summer brought the state into the fold, requiring drivers to both pass the company check and one from the state." Current drivers must pass the new checks by April 3, 2017.
"The state will conduct Criminal Offender Record Information and Sex Offender Registry Information background checks and consult Registry of Motor Vehicles records to determine drivers' suitability. The state will also know whether applicants face any arrest warrants in Massachusetts, which Uber and Lyft cannot determine."
The agreement provides that "one past incident of violent crime, sexual assault, driving under the influence, reckless driving, or driver's license suspension could be grounds for denying an applicant." In a compromise, the state will not require driver fingerprinting.
Under the Massachusetts system, "Different offenses will draw different levels of scrutiny. For example, officials will search for reckless driving convictions within the last seven years, but the 'look-back period' for a sex offense is unlimited. Drivers with more than four traffic violations or at-fault accidents on their record over a three-year period will be denied."
FULL STORY: Uber, Lyft drivers to face background checks sooner than expected

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

Cleveland to Boost Bike Safety With New Bike Lanes, School Programs
The program, using curriculum created by Cleveland Bikes, is part of a broader effort to improve safety along school routes.

Florida Home Insurers Disproportionately Dropping Low-Income Households
Non-renewal rates are highest in inland counties, not the coastal areas most immediately vulnerable to storms.

Half of Post-Fire Altadena Home Sales Were to Corporations
Large investors are quietly buying up dozens of properties in Altadena, California, where a devastating wildfire destroyed more than 6,000 homes in January.
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