SB 1172 - Under the act, no owner, employee, shareholder, or independent contractor over whom the Regional Taxicab Commission has oversight, or any person who stands to benefit economically or politically, directly or indirectly, shall be appointed to the Regional Taxicab Commission. Under the current law, four of the eight members of the Regional Taxicab Commission must be representatives of the taxicab industry, and the chairperson may be a taxicab industry representative. Under the act, the eight commission members shall be designated at large and none shall be a representative of the taxicab industry or be the spouse of any such person nor be an individual who has a direct material or financial interest in such industry. The act also establishes an advisory committee composed of 10 representatives of the transportation industry shall be established to advise the commission from time to time. This act is substantially similar to HB 1342 (2006). STEPHEN WITTE