>> THIS IS SOMETHING EMBEDDED IN OUR DNA.

>> A CENTURY OLD FAMILY RECIPE FROM MEXICO THAT'S PERFECT FOR WINTER DAYS IN CHICAGO .

>> TO THE TOP STORY TONIGHT, LAWMAKERS PROPOSING TO GET EVEN TOUGHER WITH REGULATIONS ON RIDESHARE COMPANIES.

UBER AND LYFT ARE EXEMPT FROM THE COMMON CARRIER STANDARD THAT APPLIES TO OTHER FORMS OF TRANSPORTATION LIKE RAILROADS AND AIRLINES .

THEY SAY IT'S A HUGE PUBLIC SAFETY NEED AND THIS MOVE HAS DRAWN PUSHBACK FROM LOCAL BUSINESS GROUPS, UBER, AND LYFT.

>> WHEN YOU GET ON THE PLANE OR YOU GET INTO A TAXICAB YOU AREN'T IN CHARGE OF HOW THE DRIVE OR THE PILOT BEHAVES WHICH IS WHY UNDER ILLINOIS LAW THOSE FORMS OF GETTING AROUND AND OTHERS LIKE WHAT YOU MENTIONED ARE CONSIDERED COMMON CARRIERS WHICH MEANS ENTITIES MOVING TRAVELERS FROM ONE POINT TO THE OTHER ARE HELD TO A HIGH STANDARD OF KEEPING PASSENGERS SAFE FROM HARM .

>> YOU ARE TURNING OVER YOUR SAFETY TO THE PERSON THAT'S BEHIND THE WHEEL .

THAT IS THE RATIONALE FOR THE HEIGHTENED STANDARDS FOR THE COMMON CARRIER .

SIMILARLY, THIS IS DONE IN SUPPORT OF CONTINUED EXEMPTION FROM THE STANDARD OF CARE FOR UBER AND LYFT.

>> THAT'S WHY THEY ARE SPONSORING A BILL TO TAKE AWAY RIDESHARE COMPANIES EXEMPTION FROM THE COMMON CARRIER STANDARD.

HOW DID THEY GET THE EXEMPTION TO BEGIN WITH?

>> THEY SAID WHEN LAWMAKERS FIRST MOVED TO REGULATE RIDESHARE COMPANIES THERE WERE THESE SCRAPPY UPSTARTS AND THE IDEA WAS TO ENCOURAGE COMPETITION BUT GIVEN THEIR UBIQUITY NOW, THE EXEMPTION NO LONGER MAKES SENSE AND IT'S HOLDING THEM TO A HIGHER STANDARD.

>> IT'S PRETTY MUCH THE ONLY GAME IN TOWN.

WHAT SORT OF RESPONSE DO THEY HAVE WITH THIS BILL?

>> AS YOU'VE PROBABLY EXPECTED THEY ARE CLOSE TO IT WITH TESTIMONY FILED WITH THE HOUSE COMMUNITY THAT HEARD THE BILL, SINCE DAY ONE WE BUILD SAFETY INTO EVERY PART OF THE LYFT EXPERIENCE AND ARGUES WHILE A COMMON CARRIER COMPANY COULD EMPLOY A FEW DOZEN CHAUFFEURS, RIDESHARE NETWORKS RELY ON INDEPENDENT DRIVERS .

THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ECHOING THAT SAYING THAT TAKING AN UBER OR LYFT IS AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE DRIVER AND WRITER RIDE HER RIDER.

>> HE ONLY HAS 2 1/2 OR THREE STARS.

WILLING TO TAKE THAT.

IN LIEU OF WRITING WITH SOMEONE I DON'T REALLY KNOW IF THEY ARE SAFE.

>> FORTS PART, AN UBER PERSON SAYS THAT THE PROPOSAL WOULD MAKE ILLINOIS BE THE ONLY STATE CENTURIES RIDESHARING IMPACTING THE DRIVERS ABILITY TO EARN MONEY.

OTHER STATES HOLD RIDESHARING COMPANIES TO THOSE STANDARDS THOUGH THESE MEASURES HAVE NOT BEEN PASSED BY LAWMAKERS THEY SAY THERE'S CHALLENGES ARE MORE LIMITED.

A CHARACTER OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OPPOSED TO THE BILL, SAYING STATE LAW REQUIRES UBER AND LYFT TO CARRY WHEN MILLION-DOLLAR INSURANCE POLICIES IN CASE PASSENGERS ARE INJURED OR EVEN KILLED AND REQUIRE ADDITIONAL REGULATIONS AND CAUSING THEM TO LEAVE THE STATE MAKING IT HARDER FOR WORKERS TO GET AROUND.

>> MOST IMPORTANTLY THIS IS A HUGE PUBLIC SAFETY TOOL WHICH KEEPS TENS OF THOUSANDS OF POTENTIAL DRUNK DRIVERS OFF OF THE ROADS EACH YEAR AND MAKES US SAFER AS WE GET AROUND TO TRAVEL SAFELY ON THE ROADWAYS.

>> THEY SAY IT'S NOT THE ONLY SAFETY CONSIDERATION WITH DRIVERS HAVING BEEN ACCUSED OF PHYSICALLY AND SEXUALLY ASSAULTING PASSENGERS AND ARGUES THE COMPANIES ARE DOING JUST FINE AND PLACES WHERE THEY FACE TIGHTER RESTRICTIONS.

>> WE SIMPLY CANNOT CONTINUE TO EXEMPT UBER AND LYFT FROM THE SAME STANDARDS OF CARE THAT WOULD APPLY TO ANY OTHER TAXI, TRAIN, COMMON CARRIER, ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES POINTED OUT ANOTHER COMMON CARRIER IN ILLINOIS.

THEY ARE COMMON CARRIERS AND SHOULD BE TREATED AS SUCH.

>> THE BILL HAS PASSED THE HOUSE JUDICIARY CIVIL