(a) Each county and municipal corporation may require the owner or operator of a taxicab to obtain a certificate of public necessity and convenience or medallion in order to operate such taxicab within the unincorporated areas of the county or within the corporate limits of the municipal corporation, respectively, and may exercise its authority under Code Section 48-13-9 to require such owners or operators to pay a regulatory fee to the county or municipal corporation. The General Assembly finds and declares that any county or municipality exercising the powers granted in this Code section is legitimately concerned with the qualifications and records of drivers of taxicabs; with the location, accessibility, and insured state of companies operating taxicabs; and with the safety and comfort of taxicabs. Without limitation, each such county or municipality may exercise the powers granted in this Code section by ordinance to the same extent as the ordinances reviewed by the Georgia Court of Appeals in the case of Hadley v. City of Atlanta, 232 Ga. App. 871, 875 (1998), and each certificate of public convenience and necessity issued under those ordinances shall remain in full force and effect.

(b) Each certificate of public necessity and convenience or medallion issued at any time by a county or municipal corporation shall be fully transferable pursuant to a purchase, gift, bequest, or acquisition of the stock or assets of a corporation to any person otherwise meeting the requirements of the applicable local ordinance. Each such certificate of public necessity and convenience or medallion may be used as collateral to secure a loan and each lending institution making such a loan shall have all rights of secured parties with respect to such loan.

(c) Counties and municipalities which have adopted and have valid ordinances as of July 1, 2014, requiring taxicabs to have certificates of public necessity and convenience or medallions to operate within each such county or municipality may continue to require such certificates or medallions. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, no county or municipality shall enact, adopt, or enforce any ordinance or regulation which requires taxicabs to have certificates of public necessity and convenience or medallions to operate within such county or municipality.

(d) No person shall operate a taxicab for the purpose of carrying or transporting passengers for hire unless such person has a for-hire license endorsement or private background check certification pursuant to Code Section 40-5-39. Counties and municipalities shall not impose further licensing requirements or background checks on such persons to operate taxicabs in their jurisdictions.

(e) As used in this subsection, the term "stage" means to stop, park, or otherwise place a vehicle for hire, other than a taxicab, in the loading or curbside area of any business for the purpose of soliciting a fare when such vehicle is not engaged in a prearranged round-trip or prearranged one-way fare. It shall be illegal to stage limousine carriers, as defined in paragraph (5) of Code Section 40-1-151, or ride share drivers, as defined in paragraph (3) of Code Section 40-1-190. A person who violates this subsection shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

(f) No person shall operate a taxicab for the purpose of carrying or transporting passengers for hire unless such person maintains insurance from an insurance company licensed under Title 33, through a surplus line broker licensed under Title 33, or is qualified as a self-insurer pursuant to Code Section 33-34-5.1.