Sep 3, 2021 - Economy

Lyft, Uber to pay legal fees for drivers sued under Texas abortion ban

Kierra Frazier

The Uber and Lyft pick up and drop off areas at Logan Int. Airport on August 17, 2021 in , Boston, MA. — A sign at an Uber and Lyft pickup location. Photo: Stuart Cahill/MediaNewGroup/Boston Herald

Lyft and Uber will cover all legal fees for drivers sued under a new Texas law that imposed a ban on abortions after six weeks.

Why it matters: The law is one of the most restrictive abortion bans in the U.S., and prohibits the practice after a fetal heartbeat is detected — before many people know they are pregnant, Axios' Oriana Gonzalez writes.

The big picture: Lyft was the first rideshare company to announce that it would cover 100% of legal fees incurred by drivers due to the law. The company will also donate $1 million to Planned Parenthood.

Uber made an announcement to cover fees for drivers shortly after Lyft's announcement.
The ban allows anyone to sue a person suspected of helping a woman obtain an abortion.

What they're saying: “Drivers are never responsible for monitoring where their riders go or why. Imagine being a driver and not knowing if you are breaking the law by giving someone a ride,” Lyft said in a release.

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi tweeted in response to Lyft's announcement that Uber would cover drivers' legal fees in the same way, thanking Lyft CEO Logan Green for taking the initiative.

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Lyft, Uber to pay legal fees for drivers sued under Texas abortion ban

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