Uber threatens to leave state if new legislation passes: Here's what to know
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Ninth annual 'Uber Lost & Found' list released
Divorce papers and live animals like rabbits and lobsters are among the bizarre items on Uber's 2025 "Lost & Found" list.
Uber said it will pull out of Colorado if a bill aimed at improving rideshare safety becomes law.
House Bill 25-1291, spearheaded by state Rep. Jenny Willford, D-Northglenn, looks to require rideshare drivers to make audio and video recordings of trips and prohibiting drivers from offering passengers drinks and snacks. The bill would also require companies to conduct more thorough background checks on drivers and track and report violent incidents.
The bill was introduced into the legislature in January 2025 after Willford filed a lawsuit against Lyft alleging she was sexually assaulted by a man pretending to be a rideshare driver in February 2024, according to reporting from KMGH-TV, an ABC affiliate in Denver.
In an emailed statement obtained by USA TODAY Friday, Uber called the bill "a deeply flawed proposal, which if implemented would leave us no choice but cease operations in Colorado."
Uber claims HB25-1291 "threatens user privacy by requiring every trip to be recorded, imposes major technical and financial burdens, and offers no clear safety benefit in return. We support real, evidence-based safety policy - not legislation that checks a box but fails to deliver," Uber said in the statement. "As written, this bill not only misses the mark, it risks doing more harm than good."
Willford called Uber threatening to leave Colorado a "cynical and disheartening move by a multi-billion dollar company to turn their back on survivors rather than implement real safety measures" in a statement posted to her Instagram account Thursday.
"We have worked with Uber in good faith for months and accepted many of their amendment requests - including a full rewrite of the bill," the statement continued. "For years, Uber has checked the box on safety, but time after time failed to deliver for victims."
"It's clear Uber won't stand up for safety so they can continue to maximize profits rather than address the horrible incidents that change the lives of riders and drivers forever," Willford concluded in her statement.
In its emailed statement, Uber said it has "led the industry on safety from day one - backed by technology, transparency, and real accountability." Uber points to features like the audio and video recording, RideCheck, and Emergency Button as examples of safety features contained within its app.
Uber said its Record My Ride feature in the app enables drivers to record video using the front-facing camera on their smartphone, similar to a dashcam. The feature has been live in the US since last year, Uber said. Audio recording is also available for both riders and drivers during a trip in the Uber app.
When a driver or rider uses the Emergency Button within the Uber app, the car's make and model, license plate, and GPS location are made available to 911 dispatchers, according to Uber's website.
The Colorado Sun reports the bill passed the House by a 59-6 vote earlier this month and currently awaits a hearing on the Senate floor. The legislative session ends May 7.
Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at Gdhauari@gannett.com.
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