SB265INTRODUCED Page 0 SB265 XGH9EZZ-1 By Senator Elliott RFD: Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development First Read: 19-Mar-25 1 2 3 4 5 XGH9EZZ-1 12/10/2024 CMH (L)bm 2024-2900 Page 1 First Read: 19-Mar-25 SYNOPSIS: This bill would authorize peer-to-peer car sharing programs, which are business platforms that connect vehicle owners with drivers, to enable the sharing of vehicles for financial consideration in this state. This bill would also provide requirements for the operation of a peer-to-peer car sharing program, including insurance requirements, notification requirements, tax requirements, recordkeeping and reporting requirements, liability requirements, consumer protection disclosure requirements, and safety recall requirements. A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT Relating to motor vehicles; to establish the Peer-to-Peer Car Sharing Program Act; to provide requirements for the operation of peer-to-peer car sharing programs; and to amend Section 40-12-222, Code of Alabama 1975, to provide for the taxation of peer-to-peer car sharing programs under certain conditions. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 SB265 INTRODUCED Page 2 certain conditions. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA: Section 1. Sections 1 through 14 of this act shall be known and may be cited as the Peer-to-Peer Car Sharing Program Act. Section 2. As used in Sections 1 through 14 of this act, the following words have the following meanings: (1) CAR SHARING DELIVERY PERIOD. The period of time during which a shared vehicle is being delivered to the location of the car sharing start time, if applicable, as documented by the governing peer-to-peer car sharing program agreement. (2) CAR SHARING PERIOD. The period of time that commences with the peer-to-peer car sharing delivery period or, if there is no car sharing delivery period, that commences with the car sharing start time and, in either case, ends at the car sharing termination time. (3) CAR SHARING START TIME. The time when the shared vehicle becomes subject to the control of the shared vehicle driver at or after the time the reservation of a shared vehicle is scheduled to begin, as documented in the records of a peer-to-peer car sharing program. (4) CAR SHARING TERMINATION TIME. The earliest of the following events: a. The expiration of the agreed-upon period of time established for the use of a shared vehicle according to the terms of the peer-to-peer car sharing agreement, if the shared vehicle is delivered to the agreed upon location in the agreement. 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 SB265 INTRODUCED Page 3 agreement. b. When the shared vehicle is returned to a location as alternatively agreed upon by the shared vehicle owner and the shared vehicle driver as communicated through a peer-to-peer car sharing program, if the alternatively agreed upon location is incorporated into the peer-to-peer car sharing program agreement. c. When the shared vehicle owner, or the shared vehicle owner's authorized designee, takes possession and control of the shared vehicle. (5) PEER-TO-PEER CAR SHARING. The authorized use of a vehicle by an individual other than the vehicle's owner through a peer-to-peer car sharing program. The term does not include any of the following: a. A rental or leasing transaction of tangible personal property which is subject to Article 4 of Chapter 12 of Title 40, Code of Alabama 1975, except as provided by Section 40-12-222(a)(2), Code of Alabama 1975. b. Hiring, leasing, or renting a motor vehicle under a rental agreement governed by Section 32-15-6, Code of Alabama 1975. (6) PEER-TO-PEER CAR SHARING PROGRAM. A business entity that uses a digital platform to connect vehicle owners with drivers to enable the sharing of vehicles for financial consideration. The term does not include any of the following: a. A person engaging or continuing within this state in the business of leasing or renting any automotive vehicle or truck trailer, semitrailer, or house trailer that is subject to Article 4 of Chapter 12 of Title 40, Code of Alabama 1975. 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 SB265 INTRODUCED Page 4 to Article 4 of Chapter 12 of Title 40, Code of Alabama 1975. b. A person facilitating a rental transaction of tangible personal property which is subject to Article 4 of Chapter 12 of Title 40, Code of Alabama 1975, except as provided by Section 40-12-222(a)(2), Code of Alabama 1975. c. A motor vehicle rental company licensed pursuant to Section 27-7-5.1, Code of Alabama 1975. d. A person facilitating rental transactions as described in Section 40-2-11(a)(7)c., Code of Alabama 1975. e. A car rental service provider solely providing hardware or software as a service to a person or entity that is not effectuating payment of financial consideration for the use of a shared vehicle. (7) PEER-TO-PEER CAR SHARING PROGRAM AGREEMENT. The terms and conditions applicable to a shared vehicle owner and a shared vehicle driver that govern the use of a shared vehicle through a peer-to-peer car sharing program. The term does not include any of the following: a. A motor vehicle rental agreement governed by Section 32-15-6, Code of Alabama 1975. b. A rental agreement with a motor vehicle rental company licensed pursuant to Section 27-7-5.1, Code of Alabama 1975. (8) SHARED VEHICLE. A vehicle that is available for sharing through a peer-to-peer car sharing program. The term does not include an automotive vehicle or a truck trailer, semitrailer, or house trailer that is subject to Article 4 of Chapter 12 of Title 40, Code of Alabama 1975, except as provided by Section 40-12-222(a)(2), Code of Alabama 1975. 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 SB265 INTRODUCED Page 5 provided by Section 40-12-222(a)(2), Code of Alabama 1975. (9) SHARED VEHICLE DRIVER. An individual who has been authorized to drive a shared vehicle by the shared vehicle owner under a peer-to-peer car sharing program agreement. The term does not include a person hiring, leasing, or renting a motor vehicle under a rental agreement with a motor vehicle rental company licensed pursuant to Section 27-7-5.1, Code of Alabama 1975, or under a rental agreement governed by Section 32-15-6, Code of Alabama 1975. (10) SHARED VEHICLE OWNER. The registered owner, or a person or entity designated by the registered owner, of a vehicle made available for sharing to shared vehicle drivers through a peer-to-peer car sharing program. The term does not include any of the following: a. A lessor that is subject to Article 4 of Chapter 12 of Title 40, Code of Alabama 1975, except as provided by Section 40-12-222(a)(2), Code of Alabama 1975. b. A motor vehicle rental company licensed pursuant to Section 27-7-5.1, Code of Alabama 1975. Section 3. (a) Except as provided in subsection (b), a peer-to-peer car sharing program shall assume liability of a shared vehicle owner for bodily injury or property damage to third parties during the car sharing period in an amount stated in the peer-to-peer car sharing program agreement. The amount shall not be less than the proof of financial responsibility required under Chapter 7 of Title 32, Code of Alabama 1975. (b) The assumption of liability under subsection (a) does not apply to any shared vehicle owner under either of the 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 SB265 INTRODUCED Page 6 does not apply to any shared vehicle owner under either of the following circumstances: (1) When a shared vehicle owner makes an intentional or fraudulent material misrepresentation or omission to the peer-to-peer car sharing program before the car sharing period in which the loss occurred. (2) When a shared vehicle owner acts in concert with a shared vehicle driver who fails to return the shared vehicle pursuant to the terms of the peer-to-peer car sharing program agreement. (c) The assumption of liability under subsection (a) applies to bodily injury or property damage to third parties as required under Chapter 7 of Title 32, Code of Alabama 1975. (d) A peer-to-peer car sharing program shall ensure that during each car sharing period the shared vehicle owner and the shared vehicle driver are insured under a motor vehicle liability insurance policy that does all of the following: (1) Provides insurance coverage in amounts no less than the minimum amounts required for proof of financial responsibility described under Section 32-7-2, Code of Alabama 1975. (2) Does either of the following: a. Recognizes that the shared vehicle insured under the policy is made available and used through a peer-to-peer car sharing program. b. Does not exclude the use of a shared vehicle by a shared vehicle driver. (e) The insurance required under subsection (d) may be 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 SB265 INTRODUCED Page 7 (e) The insurance required under subsection (d) may be purchased by any of the following: (1) A shared vehicle owner. (2) A shared vehicle driver. (3) A peer-to-peer car sharing program. (4) Any combination of a shared vehicle owner, a shared vehicle driver, or a peer-to-peer car sharing program. (f) The insurance required in subsection (d) shall be primary during each car sharing period. If a claim occurs in another state with minimum financial responsibility limits higher than those described in Section 32-7-2, Code of Alabama 1975, during the car sharing period, the insurance maintained by a peer-to-peer car sharing program pursuant to subsection (h) shall satisfy the difference in minimum coverage amounts, up to the applicable policy limits. (g) The insurer, insurers, or peer-to-peer car sharing program providing coverage purchased under subsection (e) shall assume primary liability for a claim when either of the following occurs: (1) A dispute exists as to who was in control of the shared vehicle at the time of the loss and the peer-to-peer car sharing program does not have available, did not retain, or fails to provide the information required by Section 6. (2) A dispute exists as to whether the shared vehicle was returned to the alternatively agreed upon location, if the alternatively agreed upon location is incorporated into the car sharing program agreement. (h) If insurance purchase by a shared vehicle owner or shared vehicle driver pursuant to subsection (e) has lapsed or 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 SB265 INTRODUCED Page 8 shared vehicle driver pursuant to subsection (e) has lapsed or does not provide the required coverage, insurance maintained by a peer-to-peer car sharing program shall provide the coverage required by subsection (d) beginning with the first dollar of a claim and shall have the duty to defend the claim except under circumstances as set forth in subsection (b). (i) Coverage under an automobile insurance policy maintained by the peer-to-peer car sharing program may not be dependent on another automobile insurer first denying a claim and may not require another automobile insurance policy to first deny a claim. (j) Nothing in this section does either of the following: (1) Limits the liability of a peer-to-peer car sharing program for any act or omission of the peer-to-peer car sharing program which results in injury to any person as a result of the use of a shared vehicle through a peer-to-peer car sharing program. (2) Limits the ability of the peer-to-peer car sharing program to seek indemnification, by contract, from the shared vehicle owner or the shared vehicle driver for economic loss sustained by the peer-to-peer car sharing program resulting from a breach of the terms and conditions of the peer-to-peer car sharing program agreement. Section 4. When the owner of a vehicle registers as a shared vehicle owner on a peer-to-peer car sharing program, and before the owner makes a vehicle available for peer-to-peer car sharing on the peer-to-peer car sharing program, the peer-to-peer car sharing program shall notify the 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 SB265 INTRODUCED Page 9 program, the peer-to-peer car sharing program shall notify the owner that, if the vehicle has a lien against the vehicle, the use of the vehicle through the peer-to-peer car sharing program, including use without physical damage coverage, may violate the terms of the contract with the lienholder. Section 5. (a) An authorized insurer that writes motor vehicle liability insurance in this state may exclude any and all coverage and the duty to defend or indemnify for any claim afforded under a shared vehicle owner's motor vehicle liability insurance policy, including, but not limited to, all of the following: (1) Liability coverage for bodily injury and property damage. (2) Personal injury protection coverage. (3) Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. (4) Medical payments coverage. (5) Comprehensive physical damage coverage. (6) Collision physical damage coverage. (b) Nothing in Sections 1 through 14 of this act invalidates, limits, or restricts any of the following: (1) An exclusion contained in a motor vehicle liability insurance policy, including any insurance policy in use or approved for use, which excludes coverage for motor vehicles made available for rent, sharing, hire, or for any business use. (2) An insurer's ability under existing law to underwrite any insurance policy. (3) An insurer's ability under existing law to cancel and nonrenew policies. 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 SB265 INTRODUCED Page 10 and nonrenew policies. Section 6. (a) A peer-to-peer car sharing program shall collect and verify records pertaining to the use of all shared vehicles used in a peer-to-peer car sharing program, including, but not limited to, all of the following: (1) The number of times the shared vehicle is used. (2) Car sharing period pick up and drop off locations. (3) Fees paid by the shared vehicle driver. (4) Revenues received by the shared vehicle owner. (b) To facilitate a claim coverage investigation, settlement, negotiation, or litigation, the peer-to-peer car sharing program, upon request, shall provide the records collected under subsection (a) to the shared vehicle owner, the shared vehicle owner's insurer, or the shared vehicle driver's insurer. (c) The peer-to-peer car sharing program shall retain the records for a time period not less than the applicable personal injury statute of limitations. Section 7. A peer-to-peer car sharing program and a shared vehicle owner shall not be liable, vicariously or otherwise, by reason of making a shared vehicle available for use through the peer-to-peer car sharing program or by being the owner of a shared vehicle, for harm to persons or property that occurs during the car sharing period. Section 8. A motor vehicle insurer that defends or indemnifies a claim against a shared vehicle that is excluded under the terms of its policy shall have the right to seek contribution from the motor vehicle insurer of the peer-to-peer car sharing program if the claim is both of the 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 SB265 INTRODUCED Page 11 peer-to-peer car sharing program if the claim is both of the following: (1) Made against the shared vehicle owner or the shared vehicle driver for loss or injury that occurs during the car sharing period. (2) Excluded under the terms of its policy. Section 9. (a) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, a peer-to-peer car sharing program shall have an insurable interest in a shared vehicle during the car sharing period. (b) Nothing in this section shall create liability on a peer-to-peer car sharing program to maintain the coverage mandated by Section 3. (c) A peer-to-peer car sharing program may own and maintain as the named insured one or more policies of motor vehicle liability insurance that provide coverage for any of the following: (1) Liabilities assumed by the peer-to-peer car sharing program under a peer-to-peer car sharing program agreement. (2) Any liability of the shared vehicle owner. (3) Damage or loss to the shared motor vehicle. (4) Any liability of the shared vehicle driver. Section 10. Each peer-to-peer car sharing program agreement made in this state shall disclose to the shared vehicle owner and the shared vehicle driver all of the following: (1) Any right of the peer-to-peer car sharing program to seek indemnification from the shared vehicle owner or the shared vehicle driver for economic loss sustained by the peer-to-peer car sharing program resulting from a breach of 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300 301 302 303 304 305 306 307 308 SB265 INTRODUCED Page 12 peer-to-peer car sharing program resulting from a breach of the terms and conditions of the peer-to-peer car sharing program agreement. (2) That a motor vehicle liability insurance policy issued to the shared vehicle owner for the shared vehicle or to the shared vehicle driver does not provide a defense or indemnification for any claim asserted by the peer-to-peer car sharing program. (3) That the peer-to-peer car sharing program's insurance coverage on the shared vehicle owner and the shared vehicle driver is in effect only during each car sharing period and that, for any use of the shared vehicle by the shared vehicle driver after the car sharing termination time, the shared vehicle driver and the shared vehicle owner may not have insurance coverage. (4) The daily rate, fees, and, if applicable, any insurance or protection package costs that are charged to the shared vehicle owner or the shared vehicle driver. (5) That the shared vehicle owner's motor vehicle liability insurance may not provide coverage for a shared vehicle. (6) An emergency telephone number to personnel capable of fielding roadside assistance and other customer service inquiries. (7) Whether there are conditions under which a shared vehicle driver must maintain a personal automobile insurance policy with certain applicable coverage limits on a primary basis in order to book a shared motor vehicle. Section 11. (a) A peer-to-peer car sharing program may 309 310 311 312 313 314 315 316 317 318 319 320 321 322 323 324 325 326 327 328 329 330 331 332 333 334 335 336 SB265 INTRODUCED Page 13 Section 11. (a) A peer-to-peer car sharing program may not enter into a peer-to-peer car sharing program agreement with an individual who will operate a shared vehicle unless the individual meets any of the following requirements: (1) Holds a driver license issued under Section 32-6-1, Code of Alabama 1975, which authorizes him or her to operate vehicles of the class of the shared vehicle. (2) Is a nonresident who meets both of the following requirements: a. Has a driver license issued by the state or country of his or her residence which authorizes him or her to drive vehicles of the class of the shared vehicle. b. Is 16 years of age or older. (3) Is specifically authorized by Section 32-6-2, Code of Alabama 1975, to drive vehicles of the class of the shared vehicle. (b) A peer-to-peer car sharing program shall keep a record of all of the following: (1) The name and address of the shared vehicle driver. (2) A copy of the driver license of the shared vehicle driver and each other person, if any, who will operate the shared vehicle. (3) The state of issuance of the driver license. Section 12. (a) A peer-to-peer car sharing program shall have sole responsibility for any equipment, including a Global Positioning System or other special equipment, that is placed in or on the shared vehicle to monitor or facilitate the car sharing transaction. (b) A peer-to-peer car sharing program shall indemnify 337 338 339 340 341 342 343 344 345 346 347 348 349 350 351 352 353 354 355 356 357 358 359 360 361 362 363 364 SB265 INTRODUCED Page 14 (b) A peer-to-peer car sharing program shall indemnify and hold harmless the shared vehicle owner for any damage to or theft of such equipment during the peer-to-peer car sharing period not caused by the shared vehicle owner. (c) A peer-to-peer car sharing program may seek indemnity from the shared vehicle driver for any loss or damage to such equipment that occurs during the peer-to-peer car sharing period. Section 13. (a) When a vehicle owner registers as a shared vehicle owner on a peer-to-peer car sharing program, and before a shared vehicle owner makes a shared vehicle available for peer-to-peer car sharing on the peer-to-peer car sharing program, the peer-to-peer car sharing program shall do both of the following: (1) Verify that the shared vehicle does not have any safety recalls on the vehicle for which the repairs have not been made. (2) Notify the shared vehicle owner of the requirements under subsection (b). (b)(1) If a shared vehicle owner has received an actual notice of a safety recall on a shared vehicle, the shared vehicle owner may not make the vehicle available as a shared vehicle on a peer-to-peer car sharing program until the safety recall repair has been made. (2) If a shared vehicle owner receives an actual notice of a safety recall on a shared vehicle while the shared vehicle is made available on the peer-to-peer car sharing program, the shared vehicle owner shall change the status of the vehicle to unavailable as soon as practicably possible. 365 366 367 368 369 370 371 372 373 374 375 376 377 378 379 380 381 382 383 384 385 386 387 388 389 390 391 392 SB265 INTRODUCED Page 15 the vehicle to unavailable as soon as practicably possible. The shared vehicle may not be listed as available until the safety recall repair has been made. (3) If a shared vehicle owner receives an actual notice of a safety recall on a shared vehicle while the shared vehicle is in the possession of a shared vehicle driver and engaged in peer-to-peer car sharing during a peer-to-peer car sharing period, the shared vehicle owner shall notify the peer-to-peer car sharing program about the safety recall as soon as practicably possible after receiving the notice of the safety recall. The shared vehicle may not be listed as available until the safety recall repair has been made. Section 14. Nothing in Sections 1 through 14 of this act shall expand or restrict in any manner the respective rights, obligations, or limitations of motor vehicle manufacturers and licensed new motor vehicle dealers as set forth in Chapter 20 of Title 8, Code of Alabama 1975. Section 15. Section 40-12-222, Code of Alabama 1975, is amended to read as follows: "ยง40-12-222 (a)(1) In addition to all other taxes now imposed by law, there is hereby levied and shall be collected a privilege or license tax on each person engaging or continuing within this state in the business of leasing or renting tangible personal property at the rate of four percent of the gross proceeds derived by the lessor from the lease or rental of tangible personal property. (2) Thea. Except as provided in paragraph b., the privilege or license tax on each person engaging or continuing 393 394 395 396 397 398 399 400 401 402 403 404 405 406 407 408 409 410 411 412 413 414 415 416 417 418 419 420 SB265 INTRODUCED Page 16 privilege or license tax on each person engaging or continuing within this state in the business of leasing or renting any automotive vehicle or truck trailer, semitrailer, or house trailer shall be at the rate of one and one-half percent of the gross proceeds derived by the lessor from the lease or rental of such automotive vehicle or truck trailer, semitrailer, or house trailer. b.1. For purposes of paragraph a. only, the business of leasing or renting an automotive vehicle includes peer-to-peer car sharing as defined in Section 2 of the act amending this section. The gross proceeds collected by a peer-to-peer car sharing program as the leasing facilitator under Sections 1 through 14 of the act amending this section shall be subject to the tax set forth in paragraph a. only for those transactions where the shared vehicle was not subject to the applicable sales and use taxes upon purchase in the jurisdiction in which the shared vehicle owner purchased the vehicle or if sales and use taxes were not paid at the time of initial titling and registration in this state. 2. The Department of Revenue shall report annually to the Chair of the House Ways and Means General Fund Committee, the Chair of the Senate Finance and Taxation General Fund Committee, and the Legislative Fiscal Officer a summary of any decreases in the privilege or license tax on gross proceeds of vehicle rental or leasing attributable to peer-to-peer car sharing programs. (3) The tax levied in this article shall not apply to any leasing or rental, as lessor, by the state, or any municipality or county in the state, or any public corporation 421 422 423 424 425 426 427 428 429 430 431 432 433 434 435 436 437 438 439 440 441 442 443 444 445 446 447 448 SB265 INTRODUCED Page 17 municipality or county in the state, or any public corporation organized under the laws of the state, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any corporation organized under the provisions of Sections 11-54-80 through 11-54-101Division 1 of Article 4 of Chapter 54 of Title 11 . (4) The privilege or license tax on each person or firm engaging or continuing within this state in the business of the leasing and rental of linens and garments shall be at the rate of two percent of the gross proceeds derived by the lessor from the lease or rental of the linens and garments. (b) Notwithstanding subsection (a), nothing shall prohibit a lessor subject to a state or local privilege or license tax from passing the amounts on to a lessee by adding the taxes to the leasing price or otherwise; provided, however, that all amounts passed on to the lessee shall be includable in the gross proceeds derived from the lease of tangible personal property which shall be subject to the privilege or license tax owed by the lessor. (c) The state and applicable local privilege or license taxes applicable to a lease or rental transaction to which a lessor is subject shall be determined as follows: (1) Except for automotive vehicles as provided in subdivision (2), the following shall apply: a. When tangible personal property is delivered to the lessee by the lessor or his or her agent, the privilege or license tax levy shall be determined based on where the property is delivered. b. When tangible personal property is picked up at the lessor's rental location by the lessee or his or her agent, 449 450 451 452 453 454 455 456 457 458 459 460 461 462 463 464 465 466 467 468 469 470 471 472 473 474 475 476 SB265 INTRODUCED Page 18 lessor's rental location by the lessee or his or her agent, the privilege or license tax levy shall be determined based on the rental location. (2) For automotive vehicles required to be registered pursuant to Section 32-6-61, each lease payment is considered a separate lease transaction and occurs in the location as provided below and the following rules shall apply: a. The privilege or license tax levy on any nonrecurring gross proceeds due at the inception of the lease to a new motor vehicle dealer or a used motor vehicle dealer licensed pursuant to Section 40-12-391, including any capitalized cost reduction or other fee that is retained by the dealer in connection with its initiation of the lease, shall be determined based on the location of the dealer where the lease was initiated. b. The privilege or license tax levy on gross proceeds other than those described in paragraph a., including the initial lease or rental payment and all subsequent lease or rental payments, shall be determined based on the garage address of the lessee as provided to the county licensing official. The lessor is considered to be engaging or continuing within this state in the business of leasing or renting tangible personal property when its lessee has a garage address within this state." Section 16. This act shall become effective on October 1, 2025. 477 478 479 480 481 482 483 484 485 486 487 488 489 490 491 492 493 494 495 496 497 498 499 500 501