Texas Senate defies Austin, OKs statewide ride-hailing rules

AUSTIN (AP) — The Texas Senate has preliminarily voted to create statewide regulations for ride-hailing companies, potentially voiding a local Austin ordinance that caused Uber and Lyft to stop operating in the state capital.
Approved 20-10 on Wednesday, the bill brings ride-hailing companies under Texas regulatory control and imposes fees. Final Senate passage is expected Thursday.
The bill previously cleared the House, which included tea party-backed language defining “sex” a