Uber Threatens to Exit Colorado Over Proposed Ride-Share Safety Regulations
Uber is threatening to shut down operations across Colorado if a new state bill aimed at increasing ride-share safety is signed into law. The legislation, known as House Bill 1291, is currently under consideration in the state legislature and contains provisions the company says are both impractical and invasive.
What’s in the Bill:
If passed, HB1291 would impose a set of new safety mandates on ride-share companies like Uber and Lyft, including:
-
Mandatory continuous audio and video recording of all rides, with no opt-out option for riders or drivers. The burden of equipment costs would fall on the company.
-
A ban on drivers offering water or snacks to passengers.
-
Semiannual criminal background checks for all drivers.
-
Disqualification of drivers with past convictions involving assault, harassment, or domestic violence.
-
Legal liability for companies, enabling lawsuits if any provisions are not followed, which Uber argues would increase rider costs and create legal vulnerabilities.
Uber’s Response:
Uber responded forcefully, sending emails to both drivers and riders this week urging them to contact lawmakers and oppose the bill. The company warned that if the legislation becomes law, it may be forced to cease operations in Colorado entirely, citing both financial strain and legal risk.
“We support real, evidence-based safety policy—not legislation that checks a box but fails to deliver,” said Adam Blinick, Uber’s Senior Director of Policy and Communications for the U.S. and Canada. “As written, this bill not only misses the mark—it risks doing more harm than good.”
The company also claims the bill would violate user privacy and create an environment that makes it too costly or risky to continue serving the state’s hundreds of thousands of riders and over 30,000 drivers.
Lawmakers Push Back:
Supporters of the bill, including state Sen. Faith Winter and state Rep. Jenny Willford (D-Northglenn), argue that the bill is designed to address ongoing safety failures by ride-share companies.
Willford, who is herself suing Lyft over an alleged sexual assault by a driver, says the companies have failed to properly protect riders and are resisting meaningful reforms in the name of profit.
“It’s clear Uber won’t stand up for safety so they can continue to maximize profits rather than address the horrible incidents that change the lives of riders and drivers forever,” Willford said.
Winter added, “The amount of assaults that happen are unacceptable, and for [Uber and Lyft] to take this stance of not wanting to increase safety is disappointing.”
What’s Next:
With just two weeks remaining in the current legislative session, the bill is expected to be debated in the Senate in the coming days before returning to the House for a final vote. If passed, it could reshape the future of ride-sharing in Colorado—and potentially force one of its biggest players to pull out of the market altogether.
