If you followed the news this year, you may have heard that Uber was backing a ballot measure that would have changed what car crash victims in California can recover. It will not be on your November ballot. Here is what happened and what it means for you.
What the ballot measure would have done
In June 2026, the Secretary of State announced that an Uber-backed initiative had qualified for the November 3, 2026 ballot. It would have amended the California Constitution to:
- Cap attorney fees in car accident cases so that victims keep at least 75% of their recovery.
- Make it harder to recover some medical expenses, and limit how much of them could be recovered.
- Ban certain financial arrangements between attorneys and medical providers.
The measure would have applied to every car accident case in California, not just crashes involving Uber or Lyft. Critics, including consumer attorneys, argued that a fee cap would make it harder for injured people to find a lawyer willing to take their case. The Consumer Attorneys of California answered with a competing measure focused on rideshare safety and liability.
What happened instead: SB 623
Rather than fight it out at the ballot box, the two sides negotiated. On June 25, 2026, Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill 623, and both ballot measures were withdrawn. SB 623 is much narrower than the initiative:
- It only covers rideshare crashes. It applies to claims against a rideshare company or its app-based drivers, not to ordinary car accidents.
- It starts January 1, 2027. Crashes before that date are not affected.
- It does not cap attorney fees.
- It changes how some medical bills are valued. If you receive treatment “on a lien” (the provider waits to be paid from your settlement), the medical expenses you can recover are limited to a benchmark of what providers in your area typically bill for the same care.
- It requires more disclosure. If a medical lien is sold to another company, that sale must be disclosed. Lienholders who were not disclosed cannot collect from the settlement.
- It adds rideshare safety rules, including stronger background checks and eligibility requirements for drivers.
What this means for you
Hurt by a regular driver? Nothing in SB 623 changes your case.
Hurt in an Uber or Lyft crash before January 1, 2027? The old rules still apply.
Hurt in a rideshare crash on or after January 1, 2027? How you pay for treatment matters more than before. Talk to a lawyer early, before you agree to treat on a lien.
Questions about your crash?
Personal injury consultations are free, and you pay no attorney's fee unless we recover compensation for you. Call (562) 612-7806 any time or request a consultation.
- Sources: California Secretary of State, June 17, 2026 announcement
- Holland & Knight, “California Enacts SB 623” (July 2026)
This article is general information, not legal advice. Every case is different, and past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.