Governor Murphy has signed “Sami’s Law” which requires ride-sharing companies like Uber and Lyft to put more passenger safety and driver ID measures into effect. The bill is named after New Jersey resident Samantha Josephson who was tragically abducted and killed in after entering a vehicle she misidentified as being her Uber ride. The incident occurred back in March in South Carolina, where Samantha was attending college.

The bill, which was fast-tracked through New Jersey’s legislative chambers, requires ride-sharing vehicles to display an illuminated sign indicating that they are a ride-sharing service, as well as a QR code on both passenger-side windows which could be scanned with a smartphone to confirm the vehicle the passenger entered is the correct one.

At the event held in Robbinsville, Sami’s hometown, Governor Murphy also promoted the “What’s My Name” campaign, which encourages passengers to see if the driver knows their name before going into their vehicle. Murphy thanked Rep. Chris Smith (R-04) for leading the push for an identical bill’s passage at the federal level. “Sami’s Law” bills have been proposed in the US House of Representatives and the US Senate, where Senators Robert Menendez and Cory Booker are co-sponsors on the bill.

Murphy was flanked at the bill signing by his wife, First Lady Tammy Murphy, and members of Samantha Josephson’s family. Marci and Seymour Josephson, Sami’s parents, have been strong advocates of the new measures, and have worked with state and national lawmakers to pass passenger-safety bills.

“Every day, thousands of rideshare passengers entrust drivers to get them to and from home, school, and work safely and without delay,” said Governor Murphy.“Just one unscrupulous mind seeking to take advantage of those passengers is one too many, and it is our responsibility to keep riders safe. Today, I am proud to stand beside the Josephson family and legislative sponsors to enhance protections for New Jersey’s rideshare passengers, and ensure that Samantha Josephson’s tragic death is not in vain.”

“This is a bitter-sweet day for the Josephsons. We want to thank the Assembly and Senate for unanimously passing Sami’s Law,” said Marci, Seymour, and Sydney Josephson. “We appreciate Governor Murphy accommodating us by signing the bill in Robbinsville, Samantha’s hometown. We are proud that New Jersey has taken the lead in making rideshare safer for everyone. We also want to thank our family, friends, and community for supporting us through this tough time.”