Colorado lawmakers will once again consider whether to enact new safety requirements for ride-hailing companies like Uber and Lyft to protect passengers from drivers lying about their identity, one year after Governor Jared Polis vetoed similar legislation.

House Bill 26-1424 passed its first committee hearing Thursday. 

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“These companies move human beings around every single day,” bill sponsor Representative Jenny Willford, a Northglenn Democrat, said. “We regulate taxis. We regulate buses. We regulate airlines — not because we want to be punitive or punish those industries, but because when people get into a vehicle or they get on a plane, they should be able to trust that there are basic, enforceable safety standards in place.”

Willford also sponsored last year’s bill after publicly sharing her story of surviving a sexual assault during a Lyft ride in 2024. The man accused in the case used another driver’s account and vehicle, in violation of Lyft’s policies, according to the the prosecutors who charged him last year with a felony count of unlawful sexual contact. Both of Willford’s bills focus on driver vetting, curbing imposter driving, and allowing audio and video recording during rides.

The bill last year cleared the Legislature with wide support, but Polis vetoed it over implementability concerns and amid a threat from Uber that it would cease operations in Colorado if the bill became law.

“This year, we have been assured that we will get a signature and not a veto, although of course we will make sure that that remains the case as we continue to have the bill go through the system,” said bill sponsor Representative Meg Froelich, an Englewood Democrat who also sponsored last year’s version. 

Fines for violations

HB-1424 would require large ride-hailing companies, also referred to as “rideshares,” to conduct background checks on drivers every six months and bar drivers convicted of assault, harassment or domestic violence. They would need to comply with search warrants and subpoenas within three days. If a driver is caught sharing an account, they would be unable to drive for the first company and another company. Companies would need to create an enforceable policy against account sharing and imposter drivers. 

The aim is for riders to be sure that the driver picking them up is the same one shown on the app, who has gone through vetting by the company.

There are also provisions for safety during the ride itself. The bill would create an opt-in policy for audio and visual recording during rides. Food and drinks in a car that the driver offers to riders would need to be factory sealed. Additionally, the bill would prohibit rides of people younger than 15 in most cases. The state’s Public Utilities Commission would be able to fine companies up to up to $1,500 per violation.

“I have told my daughters not to take Uber and Lyft and to go back to the old days of a designated driver,” Froelich said. “I don’t feel it’s safe. I would like to  know that they can go out into Denver and go to a basketball game and have a few drinks and get home safely.”

Uber works with bill sponsors

Last year, a Denver judge sentenced former Lyft driver John Pastor-Mendoza to 290 years in prison for abducting and sexually assaulting women. Prosecutors said he waited outside bars and targeted women who appeared drunk, convincing them he was the driver they were waiting for. 

“For years, he was able to continue victimizing women in our Denver community because of the accessibility, convenience and trust that we place in ride-share companies,” said Holly Snead, Denver deputy district attorney. “This bill sends a necessary and clear message to sexual assault victims that rideshare companies will take action to protect them. It ensures that there are safeguards in place so that predators like Mr. Pastor-Mendoza cannot continue to abuse our community’s reliance and trust in ride-share companies to perpetrate their crimes.”

Court records show that over 400,000 Uber trips between 2017 and 2022 resulted in reports of sexual misconduct, according to a New York Times investigation. That ranges from uninvited flirting or use of explicitly language to alleged rape. Uber previously reported about 12,500 reports during the same time period, using different parameters. 

Stefanie Sass, the manager of public affairs at Uber, told lawmakers Thursday that most of the safety concepts in the bill are measures the company already implements, or plans to implement, including background checks twice per year. She said the company is working with sponsors to “refine the language to ensure the final requirements are operationally feasible.”

“We are committed to continuing working on the bill with the sponsors and the committee, and our goal is to get to a place where we can fully comply while continuing to provide safe, reliable transportation for people across Colorado,” she said. 

Sass said the company is working on amendment suggestions about the recording provision and a piece of the bill about rider deactivation and suspension policy. 

The bill now heads to the entire House of Representatives for consideration. The legislative session ends on May 13.