Southern California voters will have a chance in November to weigh in on a proposed measure that would expand rideshare company liability and impose new safety requirements aimed at preventing sexual misconduct.
Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber announced Wednesday that a proposed statewide ballot measure has gathered enough valid signatures to qualify for the Nov. 3, 2026, general election ballot.
The initiative would classify rideshare companies as common carriers under California law, placing them in the same category as taxis, buses and trains and requiring them to meet a heightened standard of care to protect passengers from harm.
Under the proposal, rideshare companies would be held legally responsible for sexual misconduct, including sexual assault, committed against riders or drivers, regardless of whether the driver is classified as an independent contractor.
The measure would also require rideshare companies to publish monthly reports detailing incidents of sexual misconduct, notify riders of known risks associated with matched drivers and conduct annual fingerprint-based background checks on drivers.
According to the Secretary of State's office, the initiative needed 546,651 valid petition signatures to qualify. State election officials determined the measure exceeded the threshold through a random sampling process.
The measure is scheduled to be certified for the ballot on June 25 unless it is withdrawn by its proponent before then.
A fiscal analysis prepared by the Legislative Analyst's Office and Department of Finance estimated the proposal could result in increased state costs ranging from the low tens of millions of dollars to the mid-tens of millions annually for driver fingerprint background checks, along with additional court and regulatory expenses.
The measure's proponent is Sacramento attorney James C. Harrison.
