Gov. Polis signs rideshare safety bill into law, 1 year after vetoing similar bill

DENVER, Colo. (KRDO) - The second time was the charm for new rideshare safety legislation in Colorado. House Bill1424 was signed into law Tuesday, in a slate of new laws approved by the governor. Lawmakers say the goal of HB26-1424 is to increase protections for people using rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft.

Governor Jared Polis's signature on the bill comes almost one year after he vetoed a similar bill.

KRDO13 asked the Governor's Office what was different about this year's version.

"Governor Polis worked with all parties to craft a bill that protects riders in a way the state can successfully implement. No one should be fearful when using ridesharing services. This bill keeps riders safe by cracking down on imposter drivers and tightening driver vetting, including more frequent background checks and ensuring that accounts for drivers who are a serious threat to rider safety are removed.” 

While the then-bill was working its way through the statehouse, Rep. Jenny Willford (D) 9News, our Denver news partners, what was different this year.

"Last year's bill had a number of components that the governor simply was not on board with, including banning food and water in a vehicle, providing a private right of action for survivors, and the timelines that we established were, from our understanding, too aggressive," Rep. Willford said.

The bill signed this year is more lenient on food and drink, allowing them to be provided under the condition that they are factory sealed. Another change is that instead of making audio and video recording mandatory, it is optional on the driver's or rider's request.

On the safety front, the law requires rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft to do background checks on their drivers every six months and take steps to prevent imposter drivers, account sharing, and account renting.

There are a couple of timelines for when various aspects of the law will take effect. The first is at the start of 2027. That's the deadline when rideshare companies need to submit "specified data related to incidents involving safety and discrimination."

Read more about the bill here.

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