Gov. Gavin Newsom signed companion bills on Friday, Oct. 3, allowing hundreds of thousands of rideshare drivers to unionize while lowering their insurance threshold.

The union-backed Assembly Bill 1340, sponsored by Assemblymembers Buffy Wicks, D-Oakland, and Marc Berman, D-Menlo Park, establishes the framework for more than 800,000 rideshare drivers to unionize and negotiate for higher wages, health benefits and workplace rights.

Lyft- and Uber-backed Senate Bill 371, authored by State Sen. Christopher Cabaldon, D-Santa Rosa, lowers the cost of rideshare services by reducing the insurance requirement that drivers carry $1 million in coverage for accidents caused by other drivers who are uninsured or underinsured. The agreement lowers that threshold to $60,000 in uninsured motorist cov

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