(a) Notwithstanding Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 5351) of Division 2 of the Public Utilities Code, the City and County of San Francisco shall protect the public health, safety, and welfare by adopting an ordinance or resolution in regard to taxicab transportation service rendered in vehicles designed for carrying not more than eight persons, excluding the driver, which is operated within its jurisdiction.

(b) The City and County of San Francisco shall provide for, but is not limited to providing for, the following:

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(1) A policy for entry into the business of providing taxicab transportation service. The policy shall include, but need not be limited to, all of the following provisions:

(A) Employment, or an offer of employment, as a taxicab driver in the jurisdiction, including compliance with all of the requirements of the program adopted pursuant to paragraph (3), shall be a condition of issuance of a driver’s permit.

(B) The driver’s permit shall become void upon termination of employment.

(C) The driver’s permit shall state the name of the employer.

(D) The employer shall notify the City and County of San Francisco upon termination of employment.

(E) The driver shall return the permit to the City and County of San Francisco upon termination of employment.

(2) The establishment or registration of rates for the provision of taxicab transportation service.

(3) (A) A mandatory controlled substance and alcohol testing certification program. The program shall include, but need not be limited to, all of the following requirements:

(i) Drivers shall test negative for each of the controlled substances specified in Part 40 (commencing with Section 40.1) of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations, before employment. Drivers shall test negative for these controlled substances and for alcohol as a condition of permit renewal or, if no periodic permit renewals are required, at such other times as the City and County of San Francisco shall designate. As used in this section, a negative test for alcohol means an alcohol screening test showing a breath alcohol concentration of less than 0.02 percent.

(ii) Procedures shall be substantially as in Part 40 (commencing with Section 40.1) of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations, except that the driver shall show a valid California driver’s license at the time and place of testing, and except as provided otherwise in this section. Requirements for rehabilitation and for return-to-duty and followup testing and other requirements, except as provided otherwise in this section, shall be substantially as in Part 382 (commencing with Section 382.101) of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

(iii) A test in one jurisdiction shall be accepted as meeting the same requirement in any other jurisdiction. Any negative test result shall be accepted for one year as meeting a requirement for periodic permit renewal testing or any other periodic testing in that jurisdiction or any other jurisdiction, if the driver has not tested positive subsequent to a negative result. However, an earlier negative result shall not be accepted as meeting the preemployment testing requirement for any subsequent employment, or any testing requirements under the program other than periodic testing.

(iv) In the case of a self-employed independent driver, the test results shall be reported directly to the city or county, which shall notify the taxicab leasing company of record, if any, of positive results. In all other cases, the results shall be reported directly to the employing transportation operator, who may be required to notify the City and County of San Francisco of positive results.

(v) All test results are confidential and shall not be released without the consent of the driver, except as authorized or required by law.

(vi) Self-employed independent drivers shall be responsible for compliance with, and shall pay all costs of, this program with regard to themselves. Employing transportation operators shall be responsible for compliance with, and shall pay all costs of, this program with respect to their employees and potential employees, except that an operator may require employees who test positive to pay the costs of rehabilitation and of return-to-duty and followup testing.

(vii) Upon the request of a driver applying for a permit, the City and County of San Francisco shall give the driver a list of the consortia certified pursuant to Part 382 (commencing with Section 382.101) of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations that the city or county knows offer tests in or near the jurisdiction.

(B) No evidence derived from a positive test result pursuant to the program shall be admissible in a criminal prosecution concerning unlawful possession, sale, or distribution of controlled substances.

(c) The City and County of San Francisco may levy service charges, fees, or assessments in an amount sufficient to pay for the costs of carrying out an ordinance or resolution adopted in regard to taxicab transportation services pursuant to this section.

(d) Nothing in this section prohibits the City and County of San Francisco from adopting additional requirements for a taxicab to operate in its jurisdiction.

(e) For purposes of this section, “employment” includes self-employment as an independent driver.

(f) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2019.

(Added by Stats. 2017, Ch. 753, Sec. 6. (AB 1069) Effective January 1, 2018. Section operative January 1, 2019, by its own provisions.)