Latest news with #HouseBill1291
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Uber restates threat to leave Colorado unless Polis vetoes rideshare bill
Uber is still threatening to leave Colorado if a bill creating new rideshare regulations is signed into law, despite significant amendments before it passed the state's legislature on the final day of its session. The version of HB 1291 sent to Gov. Jared Polis on May 7, the last day of the General Assembly's legislative session, removed provisions requiring audio and video recording of all rides, reduced circumstances under which passengers could sue a transportation network company (TNC) such as Uber or Lyft and otherwise softened some of the bill's most stringent provisions to boost passenger safety. But the scramble in the final days of the session was not enough to back Uber down from its threat to cease operations in Colorado. 'We urge Governor Polis to veto HB25-1291, a bill developed behind closed doors and driven by the financial interests of billboard attorneys — not the needs of Coloradans,' Uber said in a statement provided to the Coloradoan by spokesperson Stefanie Sass. Shelby Wieman, Polis's press secretary, said the governor would review the final version of the bill before making a decision. 'Governor Polis is committed to making Colorado safer for everyone, including making sure ride-sharing companies are keeping riders and drivers safe,' Wieman said in an email. 'He has shared concerns about privacy, conflicts with federal and existing state law, and the ability of the bill to be successfully implemented and the ability for TNCs to successfully comply.' Another popular rideshare company, Lyft, has not made the same explicit threats to leave Colorado, but a spokesperson said the changes by legislators at the end of the session in some ways made the bill worse. 'While safety on our platform is paramount, the bill that passed fails to address fundamental flaws in the original version and in crucial ways made the legislation worse,' Lyft spokesperson CJ Macklin said in an email. 'Multiple provisions were added last-minute without consideration for the long-term consequences they could impose upon both riders and drivers. There are better ways to improve safety in Colorado, and we remain committed to working toward a more productive solution." The Uber logo is shown on the building in Los Angeles, California, U.S., February 14, 2024. What changed in HB 1291? The regulations enshrined in the original version of House Bill 1291 included: Audio and video recording of all trips with the rideshare companies providing the equipment for drivers A ban on drivers offering or providing snacks or water to passengers Mandatory safety screenings of drivers every six months More stringent verification that the person behind the wheel is actually the person the account belongs to Changes made in amendments during the final days of the session include: Video and audio recording would be optional Passengers could only bring a civil suit against a driver or rider in instances of sexual assault, kidnapping, personal injury and death, with other issues going to arbitration A driver would need to notify a rideshare company within 48 hours of a guilty plea for an offense that would disqualify them from driving, and the company would not be liable if the driver did not report the plea Specifying that the water and food ban would be enforced through random compliance checks Companies could remove driver ratings and reviews they believed were bias-motivated Why is Uber threatening to leave Colorado? In an April 23 email to riders, Uber said the conditions would make it impossible to operate in the state. Specifically it called the recording requirements an invasion of riders' privacy, said the prohibition on food and drink would create 'unworkable conditions' with 'impractical requirements" and predicted the whole package would lead to 'frivolous lawsuits" that would drive up costs. 'We believe there's a better way to ensure safety and accessibility without sacrificing your privacy or forcing Uber out of the state, and we're ready to find a middle ground,' the email said. Why are new safety rules for Uber, Lyft and other rideshare companies being proposed in Colorado? State Rep. Jenny Willford, a Northglenn Democrat who introduced the bill in January, has said rideshare companies need to do more to protect passengers. She sued Lyft in January, alleging she was sexually assaulted by a driver using someone else's account in 2024, according to Colorado Newsline. In a statement posted to her Instagram account on April 24, Willford called Uber's threat 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.' Willford said legislators have 'worked with Uber in good faith for months and accepted many of their amendment requests - including a full rewrite of the bill.' Has Uber threatened to stop its service in other areas? Yes, multiple times and all were eventually resolved. In 2024, Uber and Lyft both said they would stop serving riders in in and around Minneapolis after its city council tried to impose higher wages for drivers. State legislators eventually passed a bill overriding the city's ordinance and the services never left. In 2016, Uber and Lyft did shut down in Austin, Texas, over a city ordinance that imposed several restrictions on working conditions, driver verification and pay. It returned in 2017 after a state law stripped local government of the ability to regulate rideshare companies. Other disputes including ones in California, Seattle, Phoenix and Chicago that led Uber to threaten to cut service were resolved without services ending. Nate Trela covers trending news in Colorado and Utah for the USA TODAY Network. This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Uber reiterates threat to leave Colorado unless new bill is vetoed
CBS News
02-05-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Rideshare bill sparks support, concerns from Coloradans while Uber suggests ending services
Uber says legislation at Colorado State Capitol could result in departure from the state Uber says legislation at Colorado State Capitol could result in departure from the state Uber says legislation at Colorado State Capitol could result in departure from the state Rideshare company Uber is threatening to withdraw service from the state if a rideshare bill passes at the Colorado State Capitol. For some time, rideshare drivers like David Krouse said they are happy feel happy providing a vital service to the Denver community despite some minor inconveniences they may face with riders. Serene Lee/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images "It's been mostly fine, I've had a few people who are paranoid or at times disruptive or problematic," said Krouse. Even during the times when riders may become problematic during his rides, he feels as though applications like Uber and Lyft have the resources to make sure he and his drivers feel safe. "As a driver, what you can do is call ADT," said Krouse. "They literally put a live person on the phone, and they ask, 'Do you need medical or emergency, do you need the police?'" However, the feeling of safety when getting behind the wheel of a rideshare vehicle has not been the same experience for everyone. "I was sexually assaulted last February," said Rep. Jenny Wilford, who serves District 34. "Before you get into a rideshare, you should always make sure you check that the vehicle matches the vehicle in the app, and the person looks relatively similar to the person in the vehicle, and I did those things. Upon being assaulted, I have learned that the driver who was driving me didn't actually have the app. he was a part of a group of people that share passwords and share access and logins to the app." Since that experience, Wilford has learned she's not the only one in Colorado who faced something similar. "I've heard from so many people across our state, including people outside of our state, sharing horrific stories of incidents that happened to them, both as riders and drivers," said Wilford. "It became really clear there was an issue here to be solved." Rideshare driver David Krouse CBS She thinks the solution to safety is House Bill 1291, which she introduced with bipartisan support in this year's legislative session. The measure will require, among a number of things, more safeguards for rideshare vehicles, including continuous audio and video recording during rides. "A background check every six months," added Wilford. "Additionally, there is a prohibition on offering food and beverages. We've heard a lot of cases of people being offered a bottle of water that was drugged and having no knowledge of the fact that it was drugged till it was too late." Some rideshare users believe this is a step in the right direction. "My partner, when I'm not riding with her, I want her to feel safe and secure," said resident Dave S. "The more security that they have, the more comfortable you feel to use it," said Greg Brito, who was visiting Denver from Mexico this week. Yet, as a driver, Krouse sees this bill differently. "We're not comfortable being treated like this," said David Krouse, a rideshare driver. "It's such a massive overreach and it's very invasive." He says recording rides breaches privacy and worries about how the data will be used outside of helping victims. "You don't know who's going to be snooping, and not everyone is comfortable being filmed," said Krouse. "I have a phone. I can record what's going on if something comes up, but it's very weird that the government now wants to mandate that a major corporation is recording us." Wilford says parameters for how the data will be used will be established by the Public Utilities Commission if the bill becomes law. "We've asked the public utilities commission, which is the primary regulator for ride share companies in Colorado, to take the lead on establishing rules on data retention, who can access it, when they can access it, how long the data should be stored, etc," she said. Uber has already taken a stance against the bill. This month, they began rolling out a petition within their rideshare app stating that if House Bill 1291 is implemented, it would leave them no choice but to cease operations in Colorado. CBS A spokesperson with Uber shared the following statement regarding their concerns: "Uber has led the industry on safety from day one—backed by technology, transparency, and real accountability. We don't just talk about safety; we build it into the core of our platform with robust background checks and features like Audio and Video Recording, an Emergency Button, PIN verification, and RideCheck. HB25-1291 is a deeply flawed proposal, which if implemented could leave us no choice but cease operations in Colorado. It 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. As written, this bill not only misses the mark, it risks doing more harm than good." Uber has pulled out of other states in response to similar legislation, and Krouse thinks this time will not be any different. "I think they will pull out. I don't think that's a bluff," he said. Wilford says it's disappointing to hear Uber's response to the legislation. "We spent months negotiating with them on taking their concerns, rewriting the legislation, and they completely blindsided us," she said. "That to me is really disappointing because when you are working with human beings and you're transporting human beings, you shouldn't be treating human beings like business decisions. While Krouse worries about what this could mean for people's access to rides and the thousands of people who work for Uber in the state, people like Wilford believe other services will step up and adopt these changes. "They may not love at the end of the day, but they understand and it's workable," said Wilford. While Lyft has not said they would cease operations in Colorado, they did release a statement saying they also have some concerns with the legislation: "We believe there is a compromise that can be reached that would be beneficial for both riders and drivers, but there are still several aspects of the bill that would make implementation extremely problematic. At the very least, it would have a drastic, negative impact on those who use the platform in a way that does not help achieve the goal of the legislation. We encourage Senate officials to collaborate with us on a bill that addresses these realities and avoids the unintended consequences the current version creates." The bill is currently moving through the legislature, and is expected to be heard before the Senate this week before heading back to the House.
Newsweek
25-04-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
Uber Threatens to Leave One State Over New Bill
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Uber says it may shut down operations in Colorado if the state passes new rideshare safety legislation, a move that would mark one of its most aggressive responses to state-level regulation in years. Why It Matters The proposed law, House Bill 1291, would create one of the strictest oversight regimes in the country for ride-hailing platforms. Uber's threat reflects the growing tension between local governments seeking tighter safety standards and tech companies warning of stifling overregulation. The outcome in Colorado could influence how other states regulate app-based labor models. What To Know HB-1291, introduced by Representative Jenny Willford, passed the Colorado House 59-6 and recently advanced in the Senate. The legislation mandates regular background checks for drivers, requires all rides to be recorded, and bans the exchange of food and drinks between riders and drivers, among other measures. Willford, a Democrat, cited her own experience of being sexually assaulted by a rideshare driver. Uber claims it already conducts background checks and offers a safety button, as well as other safety measures, but says the bill's provisions go too far, particularly with continuous recordings and restrictions on driver-passenger interactions. "HB25-1291 is a deeply flawed proposal, which if implemented would leave us no choice but cease operations in Colorado," an Uber spokesperson told Newsweek. "It 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. As written, this bill not only misses the mark, it risks doing more harm than good." A stock photo of rideshare apps on a phone screen. A stock photo of rideshare apps on a phone screen. 5./15 WEST/Getty Uber's threat to exit Colorado echoes its previous confrontations with regulators. In 2016, it pulled out of Austin, Texas, after the city enacted stricter background checks, but returned only after the Texas Legislature overrode local rules. The company also threatened to leave Minneapolis in 2024 due to wage regulations, but a last-minute compromise kept them in place. For Colorado, this isn't the first high-profile conflict with Uber. In 2017, the company was fined $8.9 million by the state for allowing individuals with serious criminal convictions or suspended licenses to drive for the platform. At the time, Uber blamed an error in background screenings, but now touts "robust" background checks of its drivers. Meanwhile, Lyft hasn't threatened to leave the state if the bill becomes law. A spokesperson told Newsweek the company believes a compromise can be reached between legislators and rideshare companies. What People Are Saying An Uber spokesperson told Newsweek in a statement: "Uber has led the industry on safety from day one—backed by technology, transparency, and real accountability. We don't just talk about safety; we build it into the core of our platform with robust background checks and features like Audio and Video Recording, an Emergency Button, PIN verification, and RideCheck." Representative Jenny Willford told Newsweek in a statement: "The bottom line is one sexual assault is one too many, but for Uber, 8,900 aren't enough to take action. This is a cynical and disheartening move by a multi-billion dollar company to turn their back on survivors rather than implement real safety measures. We have worked with Uber in good faith for months and accepted many of their amendment requests - including a full rewrite of the bill. "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." A Lyft spokesperson told Newsweek in a statement: "We believe there is a compromise that can be reached that would be beneficial for both riders and drivers, but there are still several aspects of the bill that would make implementation extremely problematic. At the very least, it would have a drastic, negative impact on those who use the platform in a way that does not help achieve the goal of the legislation. We encourage Senate officials to collaborate with us on a bill that addresses these realities and avoids the unintended consequences the current version creates." What Happens Next The Senate is now considering the bill. If passed, it will head to Governor Jared Polis's desk for a signature—and potentially push Uber to follow through on its threat to leave the state.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Uber warns it may leave Colorado if rideshare safety bill passes
DENVER (KDVR) — A bill moving through Colorado's legislature could force major changes to how rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft operate — and Uber says if it passes, it may have to shut down service in the state. House Bill 1291 would require stricter safety measures for rideshare drivers, including mandatory dash cameras, audio recordings of rides, and a ban on driving after using marijuana. The proposal also includes increased driver accountability standards. Colorado legislator sues Lyft after reporting sexual assault; alleges systemic issues Uber officials say they support improved safety but argue that the bill, as written, is impossible to enforce. 'Our problem with this bill is not about safety — it's that it would be impossible for us to comply with,' said Adam Blinick, a spokesperson for Uber. 'That could mean tens of thousands of Coloradans lose a valuable earning opportunity, and hundreds of thousands lose access to a safe ride.' Blinick also raised concerns about legal liability, saying the bill could make the company responsible for even minor driver actions, such as offering a passenger a water bottle. Legal experts say Uber's concerns center on potential lawsuits. 'This bill imposes significant obligations on rideshare companies, and with that comes liability,' said FOX31 legal analyst Christopher Decker. 'Uber sees this as too costly and risky.' The bill's sponsor, Rep. Jenny Willford, introduced the legislation after she says she was sexually assaulted by a Lyft driver last year. 2 facing charges connected to murder, setting body on fire and I-25 crash near Mead 'This legislation is personal to me,' Willford said. 'After sharing my story, I heard from many other survivors who had similar experiences. Uber and Lyft have a pervasive safety problem and haven't been held accountable.' Willford said lawmakers made revisions to address company concerns but were 'blindsided' by Uber's announcement that they might leave Colorado. Riders themselves are split on the proposal — some say additional safety measures would provide peace of mind, while others worry about losing convenient transportation options. House Bill 1291 is about halfway through the legislative process, with two weeks left in the current session. Lyft also issued a statement saying it supports safety improvements but believes implementing the bill as it stands would be challenging. Lawmakers are expected to hold another vote on the bill in the coming days. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Axios
23-04-2025
- Business
- Axios
Uber threatens to cease operations in Colorado
The popular ride-sharing app Uber is threatening to leave Colorado if legislation imposing new regulations is signed into law. Why it matters: The company's exit would make it harder — and possibly more expensive — for hundreds of thousands of riders to find transportation and potentially put its 30,000 drivers out of business. Driving the news: Uber warned riders and drivers about the potential impacts of House Bill 1291 via email Wednesday, asking them to contact the bill's sponsors about their concerns. Zoom in: In its current form, the legislation would impose "impractical requirements" and violate rider's privacy, the company says. The new regulations would: Require continuous audio and video recording of all rides with no opt out provision. Prohibit drivers from offering riders water or other snacks. Mandate criminal history checks every six months. What they're saying:"We support real, evidence-based safety policy: not legislation that checks a box but fails to deliver. As written, this bill not only misses the mark — it risks doing more harm than good," Adam Blinick, senior director of U.S. and Canada policy and communications, said in a statement.
