Signatures submitted for California initiative to require background checks and sexual assault reporting by rideshare co
Signatures were submitted for a California initiative that would require rideshare companies to conduct background checks and investigations related to sexual assault. If enough signatures are validated, voters will decide on the initiative on Nov. 3, 2026.
The campaign supporting the initiative, Alliance Against Corporate Abuse, submitted approximately 1,100,000 signatures on April 23, 2026. In order to qualify for the California ballot, the initiative will need 546,651 valid signatures—equal to 5% of votes cast in the last gubernatorial election. The secretary of state will verify the signatures, and if enough are found valid, the initiative will make the ballot.
The initiative would require rideshare companies, such as Uber or Lyft, to conduct state and federal fingerprint-based background checks for all rideshare drivers. It would require investigations when the company receives sexual assault or misconduct allegations against a driver, as well as requiring rideshare companies to publish monthly reports of sexual misconduct incidents. It would require disclosure to passengers of internal risk assessments or hazard ratings related to a driver’s likelihood of sexual misconduct, and classify rideshare companies as common carriers, subjecting them to a higher legal scrutiny, similar to bus and taxi services.
Currently, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) regulates rideshare companies as transportation network companies (TNCs). TNCs are companies that "provide prearranged transportation services for compensation using an online-enabled application or platform (such as smartphone apps) to connect drivers using their personal vehicles with passengers." CPUC currently requires background checks but not fingerprints on drivers, as well as accessibility accommodations, safety reporting, and insurance requirements.
https://news.ballotpedia.org/2026/04/24/signatures-submitted-for-california-initiative-to-require-background-checks-and-sexual-assault-reporting-by-rideshare-companies/