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Committee conforms portable‑benefit bill to Senate version, says independent contractors need not be offered workers’ comp
Summary
House Bill 142, creating portable‑benefit accounts for gig workers, was amended to conform to the Senate version; the amendment clarifies that workers’ compensation is not required for independent contractors and the bill received a favorable report.
House Bill 142, which would establish portable‑benefit accounts to allow platform companies and gig workers to contribute to shared benefits, was amended in committee to match the Senate version and was given a favorable report.
Representative Rafferty, the bill sponsor, explained the proposal would create an account employers or platforms could deposit into and optionally match contributions made by an independent contractor to provide benefits similar to traditional employment packages. Representative Ellis offered a substitute amendment to conform the House text to the Senate version. Ellis said the amendment clarifies that workers’ compensation “does not have to be offered to an independent contractor and is not expected.”
The committee approved the amendment and then voted to give the bill a favorable report; Representative Collins moved the favorable report and Representative Lawrence seconded it.
No final fiscal note was discussed in the committee transcript. The bill’s authors said the amendment was intended only to make the House and Senate versions identical so the measure can proceed without further conforming changes on the floor.
