But ride-hailing companies, which would be overseen by the Department of Public Utilities, would be mandated to provide a tipping option on their apps (Lyft already has such a feature; Uber does not).

Drivers could continue to pick up passengers at Logan International Airport and the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center and would not be subject to state-conducted background checks or fingerprinting, according to a senator briefed on the bill and a summary of legislation obtained by The Boston Globe.

In an apparent victory for the ride-for-hire industry and defeat for taxi drivers, the Senate will unveil legislation Thursday that would broadly maintain the status quo for companies such as Uber and Lyft and their passengers.


And those companies would be forced to pay what the Senate is calling an “assessment” of 10 cents per ride to the cities and towns where the rides originated. Companies would be prohibited from passing that fee onto consumers, and the money would have to be used by municipalities for transportation-related spending. Cities could use the money for everything from road repairs to compensation for taxi owners whose required medallions have lost value.

Uber and Lyft had decried a version of the bill already passed by the House — which prohibited some pickups at Logan and convention center properties and required state certification and background checks for each driver — as overly bureaucratic and too burdensome.

The senator briefed on the bill said it was fair to characterize the new legislation as a “pro-Uber approach.”

“The red flags raised by [ride-hailing companies] on everything from fingerprints, duplication of background checks done both privately and by the state, to where they can pick up — none of those provisions are in this bill,” the senator said.

Asked about the new proposed “assessment,” which opponents might describe as an Uber tax, the senator said it is a common-sense measure.​


The senator said there are a lot of vehicles using ride-for-hire apps that create wear and tear on the road. So the proposal would help cities and towns pay “for everything from funding transportation infrastructure to, if they wish, compensation for medallion owners” who have seen their medallions lose value.

“But that’s a choice municipalities will make,” the senator said. “The only requirement is that it is transportation-related spending.”

The bill also includes requirements for insurance, but largely at the levels that ride-for-hire companies say they already provide for their drivers.

Under the new legislation, oversight would be handled by a division in the Department of Public Utilities, and companies would issue decals for drivers to mark their cars when they are picking up passengers. Companies would need to keep a roster of their drivers, which could be handed to law enforcement upon request.

It’s unclear exactly how the bill would deal with restrictions on some ride-for-hire drivers at Logan International Airport. Currently, only Uber drivers with commercial plates and MassPort certification are allowed to pick up passengers there.

Taxi industry supporters will likely push back against the bill, arguing that the state is allowing ride-for-hire companies to operate with unfair advantages. Like the House’s legislation, the bill would also stop short of requiring fingerprints for background checks that the taxi industry have pushed for.

Advocates for the taxi industry slammed the Senate bill as leaving residents “vulnerable and unprotected,” and said they intend to push for changes as lawmakers debate the legislation.


“They are jeopardizing jobs, taxes, and the very livelihoods of an entire industry,” said Scott Solombrino, the spokesman for Ride Safe MA, a coalition of taxi and livery industry supporters urging the state to approve more ride-for-hire regulations. “To cast a blind eye to the taxi and livery industry and allow [companies such as Uber and Lyft] to operate with impunity borders on neglect.”

Reached late Wednesday night, Tim Buckley, a senior adviser for Governor Charlie Baker, said “the administration looks forward to reviewing the bill.”

Spokesmen for Speaker Robert A. DeLeo and Senate President Stanley C. Rosenberg did not immediately offer comment. Nor did a spokeswoman for Uber.

Lyft spokeswoman Chelsea Wilson did not respond directly to the details of the Senate bill Wednesday but panned the House version of the bill in a statement.

“The legislation passed by the House limits consumer choice, restricts competition, and doesn’t serve the best interests of people across the Commonwealth,” Wilson said. “We hope the Senate will propose a reasonable bill that allows Lyft to provide safe, affordable rides at Logan Airport and the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.”

Senators are expected to engage in a contentious debate over the bill next week. Should they pass it, the legislation would have to be reconciled with the House’s version.

Governor Charlie Baker earlier released a ride-hailing regulation bill mostly lauded by ride-hailing companies.

Nicole Dungca can be reached at nicole.dungca@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @ndungca. Joshua Miller can be reached at joshua.miller@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @jm_bos.