ST. PAUL, Minn. – Governor Tim Walz vetoed a bill that would have mandated higher pay and job security for Uber and Lyft drivers in Minnesota. The bill, Walz said the bill wasn’t ready to become law. The veto was the first for Walz in his five years as governor. Ride-hailing drivers are classified as independent contractors in their arrangements with Uber and Lyft, thus not covered by minimum wage laws and all the while buying their own cars and payig for their own gas. Drivers favored the legislation. But not the companies Uber and Lyft, which threatened to offer only premium-priced service in the Twin Cutis and to end service elsewhere in the state. In announcing his veto, Walz said he would create a study about the working conditions of ride-hail drivers.
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Walz: “Rideshare drivers deserve fair wages and safe working conditions. I am committed to finding solutions that balance the interests of all parties, including drivers and riders. This is not the right bill to achieve these goals. This bill could make Minnesota one of the most expensive states in the country for rideshare, potentially putting us on par with the cost of rides in New York City and Seattle — cities with dramatically higher costs of living than Minnesota.”