As anybody with even a slight familiarity with Uber and Lyft knows, this argument about criminal checks vs fingerprinting is really about illegals trying to earn a living.
Illegal immigrants and people on student and tourist visas with no U.S. work permit go to Uber, undergo a "criminal check"and drive for a living. A criminal check finds nothing because the person has no record at all. A fingerprint check to NCIS would show the person doesn't match the ID or is a visa-overstayer.
None of these companies use the Federal secure ID system to see if the prospective "contractor" has a right to work in the U.S. They already know the answer. Cheap illegal labor is at the core of the Uber business model.
Either the Texas legislature is full of really dumb people or they are the usual country club Republicans who want cheap, docile servants. I live in Texas. They may be lazy but they aren't dumb. Illegal are dirt cheap and don't talk back like American Blacks do.
If Uber had to depend on American drivers they would be so short of drivers they would have to raise driver payments and prices- which would drive them out of business in short order..
For the record I know people working for Uber on the "sign up new drivers" end and they live on bonuses and commissions. They know the score and that the drivers are not legally allowed to contract with Uber. This is just like the Wells Fargo scandal- employees are given financial incentives to get results and management looks the other way.
Also the number of Uber "drivers" who seem to be working 23 hours/day would suggest they are "hot bunking" the cars and IDs- three guys using one car and one ID.
This is a scam. Yo, Justice Department; subpoena the "criminal check" records from Uber in one city as a test and see how many of the drivers are using real names and are here working legally. Then use the usual conspiracy charges to work your way up the Uber chain to see how far the scam goes.