By Marianne Goodland | Denver Gazette
Gov. Jared Polis on Friday vetoed House Bill 1291, a bill that would have put more teeth in regulating rideshare companies.
Sponsors heavily criticized the veto, saying his claims that he cares about victims fell short and that he didn’t engage with the sponsors on the bill until three days before the end of the session.
House Bill 1291 was intended to beef up consumer protections for those who use ride share companies, such as Lyft and Uber. The bill would have required rideshare companies to conduct criminal background checks on drivers at least once every six months and review drivers who have had complaints filed against them by riders. If the company determined that the allegation is “more than likely to have occurred,” it would have had to deactivate the driver’s profile.
The bill included a number of other provisions, including requiring rideshare companies to respond to subpoenas and search warrants within 48 hours, allowing drivers to opt in to audio and video recordings of rides, and prohibiting drivers from sharing with or renting accounts to individuals not registered with the app.
Uber threatened to leave Colorado if the bill became law, and Polis addressed that in his veto letter.
The bill “would impose unworkable regulations on Transportation Network Companies and potentially jeopardize their continued operation in Colorado. I want to make sure that Uber, Lyft, and others will be able to continue to operate in Colorado, but are far more accountable for the safety of riders and drivers. These services go beyond convenience by providing essential means of travel for many Coloradans and improve public safety primarily by reducing driving under the influence.”
It’s been more than a decade since Colorado began regulating rideshare companies under the Public Utilities Commission, but “it is reasonable to revisit our regulatory structure and ensure agencies have appropriate authority to safeguard health and safety,” Polis wrote in his veto letter.