The following is a release from the office of Sen. Cyrus Habib:

Ride sharing services like Uber and Lyft will be able to expand operations in Washington state under legislation signed into law today by Gov. Jay Inslee.

SB 5550, authored by Sen. Cyrus Habib, D-Kirkland, will protect the public, passenger and drivers while allowing statewide expansion of ride sharing services.

“We’re seeing tremendously exciting innovation in our transportation sector, including the rapid expansion of services like Uber and Lyft,” Habib said. “As our transportation options modernize, government needs to keep up. This law will ensure that the public, passengers and drivers have the insurance coverage to keep everyone safe and that consumers across the state will have access to these exciting and innovative transportation options.”

The law establishes affordable insurance options for drivers of ride sharing services to provide coverage when driving for a transportation network company, or TNC, including liability and uninsured motorist coverage. The bill also allows ride sharing services to operate statewide.

“As someone who is blind, I rely on ride sharing services to get around, as do many people who are disabled, don’t own cars, or need to avoid driving intoxicated,” Habib said. “This legislation is a responsible step forward for our state, to allow these services to grow while keeping everyone safe. I’m tremendously encouraged that even on complicated issues like these, with many interested parties, companies like Uber and Lyft were able to come together with local governments, taxi drivers and insurance companies to find a solution that worked for everyone.”