CA/Rideshare Companies—
By Suzanne Potter, producer, California News Service, a bureau of Public News Service.
A total of 128 members of the U.S. House of Representatives, including more than a dozen female lawmakers from California, are asking House Speaker Mike Johnson to pull an amendment they say would hurt sexual assault victims.
The amendment to the “BUILD America 250 Act,” a federal transportation megabill, would limit the liability of rideshare and delivery companies for harm on their platforms, including sexual assault.
Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., said victims deserve legal recourse.
“There are more than 3,000 sexual assault claims in federal court right now for Uber failing to implement adequate safety protections,” said Lofgren, who represents San Jose, “and Uber’s facing roughly 550 cases for allegedly failing to protect female drivers.”
Rep. Vince Fong, R-Calif, said he introduced the amendment to reduce transportation costs by limiting frivolous lawsuits.
The amendment has also drawn criticism from 285 female state legislators from across the nation, who wrote to Johnson to express their outrage.
Lofgren called the amendment a poison pill.
“They’ve had drivers with a history of sexual assault that they just put on the road,” Lofgren said. “So we think it’s an important measure, and we’re not about to vote for this bill if this provision isn’t taken out.”
The issue has stirred controversy at the state level as well. Both Uber and the Consumer Attorneys of America recently pulled competing ballot measures and agreed to support Senate Bill 623, which would allow women to request female passengers or drivers.
The bill also requires rideshare companies to do annual driver background checks and reject drivers convicted of DUI or certain violent offenses.
