Enlarge (credit: Michael M. Santiago / Staff | Getty Images North America )

Days after Minnesota Uber and Lyft drivers celebrated the passing of ridesharing legislation that would have increased their pay and protections, the state's governor, Tim Walz, vetoed the bill. Now Minnesota drivers are outraged, claiming that the governor bowed to "scare tactics." They vowed to keep fighting against alleged abuse to create better worker conditions in the state.

Walz's veto is his first in five sessions as Minnesota's governor and came hours after Uber threatened to pull out of nearly all Minnesota markets and only offer premium products in areas where services remained, The Star Tribune reported . Lyft had also threatened to create "transportation deserts" if the bill became law.

Authored by Minnesota Senator Omar Fateh, the ridesharing legislation would have kicked in July 1, 2024, and forced Uber and Lyft to pay drivers $1.45 per mile and 34 cents per minute in the state's busiest counties. Outside that area, drivers would have received minimum compensation of $1.25 per mile and 34 cents per minute. It also guaranteed a minimum fee of $5 for any transportation provided.

Enlarge / Minnesota's right-to-repair bill is the first to pass in the US that demands broad access to most electronics' repair manuals, tools, and diagnostic software. Game consoles, medical devices, and other specific gear, however, are exempted. (credit: Getty Images)

It doesn't cover video game consoles, medical gear, farm or construction equipment, digital security tools, or cars. But in demanding that manuals, tools, and parts be made available for most electronics and appliances, Minnesota's recently passed right-to-repair bill covers the most ground of any US state yet.

The Digital Right to Repair bill , passed as part of an omnibus legislation and signed by Gov. Tim Walz on Wednesday, "fills in many of the loopholes that watered down the New York Right to Repair legislation," said Nathan Proctor, senior director for the Public Interest Research Group's right-to-repair campaign, in a post .

New York's bill, beset by lobbyists , was signed in modified form by Gov. Kathy Hochul . It also exempted motor vehicles and medical devices, as well as devices sold before July 1, 2023, and all "business-to-business" and "business-to-government" devices. The modified bill also allowed manufacturers to sell "assemblies" of parts—like a whole motherboard instead of an individual component, or the entire top case Apple typically provides instead of a replacement battery or keyboard—if an improper individual part installation "heightens the risk of injury."