Lyft, Uber pressure Polis to veto rideshare safety bill as survivors push for signature

DENVER — On Tuesday, Lyft sent Governor Jared Polis a letter, asking him to veto a Colorado bill that aims to regulate rideshare companies. The same day, women who were attacked by a man pretending to be a rideshare driver called on the governor to sign the legislation into law.

The sponsors of House Bill 25-1291 said they worked hard to ensure flexibility for rideshare companies and the future implementation of the bill, while respecting consumer choice.

The legislation has a number of requirements, including regular background checks and banning drivers from distributing food or drink to their passengers. Originally, the bill outlined mandatory audio and video recordings of trips. Now, it is an option for passengers and drivers who consent to recording the ride.

After passing through the state legislature, the bill now awaits either a signature or veto from Polis.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the governor said, "Governor Polis is committed to making Colorado safer for everyone, including making sure ride-sharing companies are keeping riders and drivers safe. He has shared concerns about privacy, conflicts with federal and existing state law, and the ability of the bill to be successfully implemented, as well as the ability for TNCs to successfully comply. He wants TNC companies to continue to operate in Colorado supporting nearly 50,000 jobs. He will review the final version of the bill.”

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In April, Uber announced it would have "no choice" but to end operations in Colorado if the bill becomes law. When users open the app now, there is a message that claims a "veto is key to saving rideshare" within the state, prompting individuals to fill out a form encouraging a veto.

In a statement, Uber said the bill "undermines proven safety practices, clashes with federal law, and adds costly burdens without making Colorado riders or drivers safer."

On Tuesday, Lyft wrote a letter to Polis formally requesting a veto, stating the legislation leaves "the future of Lyft's operations in Colorado uncertain." The letter states there is language in the legislation that would actually make it easier for "individuals with recent DUIs" to drive on the platforms. Ultimately, Lyft asserts HB25-1291 "harms those it seeks to protect."

Also on Tuesday, 10 of the 12 identified survivors who were attacked by a man pretending to be a rideshare driver in Denver wrote to the governor, urging him to sign the bill into law.

In March, John Pastor-Mendoza was sentenced to 290 years in prison after he was convicted of 30 counts related to the kidnapping, assault and attempted assault of a dozen women. According to the Denver District Attorney's Office, Pastor-Mendoza falsely responded as a rideshare driver between 2018 and 2022.

"We have both tried to be advocates for this bill and step forward to say this is the right move," Erika Rinnert told Denver7, while standing alongside fellow survivor Katie. "I realize that no industry ever wants to be regulated, and every industry that has gone through this pushes back. But that doesn't mean that we shouldn't do it. Safety should never be a question."

In the letter sent to Polis' office, the survivors said that they do not want to force rideshare companies out of Colorado. Instead, they claim "a ride home should have to live up to its promises and enact basic safety measures with accountability when those measures fail."

The survivors ended the letter by pleading with Polis to "put politics aside — just long enough to do what is right."

Denver7 asked Rinnert and Katie if they believe Uber would actually leave Colorado if the bill became law.

"I am kind of torn, but I don't think they will. I think they're just bluffing," Katie said. "Even if they do leave, I think that Colorado's economy is resilient and we can handle it. So, they want to leave because they can't enforce safety measures? That's pretty pathetic on their part."

One of the sponsors of the legislation, State Representative Jenny Willford (D - District 34), said the companies urging the veto are "terrified of accountability."

Willford introduced into the legislature a little more than a month after she spoke publicly about her alleged sexual assault by a man pretending to be a Lyft driver. The state representative filed a lawsuit against Lyft, alleging that the company is aware of a "systemic problem of sexual assault on passengers."

On Tuesday, the 17th Judicial District Attorney’s Office announced it was filing a felony charge against Mukhammadali Mukadyrov, 42, related to the allegations.

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A handful of Republicans voted against the bill while it was working its way through the legislature, including State Representative Max Brooks (R - District 45).

"For me, it was something I needed to look at separately from the very obvious, emotional piece that came with it, and look at what it meant for an overall kind of umbrella impact on a business community," Brooks said. "Colorado, right now, is the sixth most regulated state in the nation. This put additional regulations that went just a little bit too far for me to feel like it was the right thing to do from a pure business perspective."

Specifically, Brooks said the background check requirements every six months would be burdensome on the businesses.

Polis has vetoed two bills this year: Senate Bill 77, which would have changed the state’s open records law, and Senate Bill 86, which would have imposed more regulations on social media companies.

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