Colorado governor vetoes popular ridesharing regulation bill

CBS News

24-05-2025

Ahead of the Memorial Day weekend, Gov. Jared Polis signed a bevy of bills, including a school funding bill and a post-secondary and workforce program bill. But he also vetoed a couple of bills, including one to add regulations to the so-called transportation network companies including rideshare companies (House Bill 25-1291).
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"This legislation goes beyond a narrowly tailored public safety focus and includes a number of concerning provisions," said Polis in a letter about the veto from his office.
Polis listed troubles with what he views as unclear language in regulations, calling for audio/video recording options, a prohibition on arbitration and claims that the bill would mean reductions and higher prices that would create economic hardship on riders and potentially add more drunk drivers to the roads.
Work on the bill involved negotiations with the ridesharing companies. But Uber warned it could mean it would have to leave the state.
"And at the end of the day, the threat to leave the state was more important than what we feel is safety," said state Congresswoman Meg Froelich (D-Englewood) who was a bill sponsor.
Froelich pointed to the strong bipartisan vote for the bill in the House, where HB 25-1291 received a vote of 59-6. She accused Polis of handing the veto pen to tech companies.
"Survivors came out in force," Froelich said. "And drivers came out to say they didn't feel safe, and big tech came out with money and lobbyists, and it's discouraging that they won the day."
Among the bill's advocates was Erika Rinnert. She was kidnapped by rideshare driver John Pastor Mendoza, who was sentenced to 290 years in prison in March for sexual assaults and kidnappings involving a dozen victims. Rinnert, who was picked up in downtown Denver, said she was drugged, then had to fight her way free from Pastor Mendoza, escaping a home in Aurora where she was brought.
Rinnert was staggered by the veto of the bill. Rinnert said she and some bill sponsors were already talking about changes to help the bill pass when they hope to bring it back next legislative session.
"Disappointment doesn't totally cover it," Rinnert said. "I feel like I've been re-victimized in a lot of ways."
As to Polis' objections to the bill, she said, "None of these regulations would stop Uber or Lyft from operating," Rinnert said, believing that, if there is a chance to stop bad actors, it should be acted upon. "If you can stop a few of them why should you not?" she said.