Uber, Lyft To Pay Fees For Driver's Sued Under Texas Abortion Law

AUSTIN, TX — Under the state's new abortion law, a person in Texas who drives a woman to a medical facility for an abortion can be sued for up to $10,000 by any plaintiff. However, rideshare companies Lyft and Uber announced they will cover those fees if any of their drivers are sued, according to the Austin American-Statesman.

The law, Senate Bill 8, is the most restrictive abortion law in the country, prohibiting abortions as early as the sixth week of pregnancy. The Supreme Court upheld the bill Wednesday. It allows any person to file a civil lawsuit against anyone who provides an abortion or "aids and abets" an abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected, which can occur at six weeks.

"A new Texas law, SB8, threatens to punish drivers for getting people where they need to go — specifically, women exercising their right to choose and to access the healthcare they need," Lyft said in a statement. "This law is incompatible with people’s basic rights to privacy, our community guidelines, the spirit of rideshare, and our values as a company."

Read more about Lyft and Uber's policy on the Texas abortion law, as it pertains to their drivers, in the Austin American-Statesman.