Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Rhode Island General Assembly, fetched 2026-07-29. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. The official bill page.
H7365 2026 -- H 7365 ======== LC004321 ======== STATE OF RHODE ISLAND IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026 ____________ A N A C T RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- PORTABLE BENEFIT PLAN Introduced By: Representatives Place, Quattrocchi, Nardone, Hopkins, Fascia, Santucci, Chippendale, and Paplauskas Date Introduced: January 28, 2026 Referred To: House Labor It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: 1 SECTION 1. Title 28 of the General Laws entitled LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS 2 is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter: 3 CHAPTER 61 4 PORTABLE BENEFIT PLAN 5 28-61-1. Definitions. 6 As used in this chapter, the following terms have the meaning ascribed to them in this 7 section, except when the context clearly indicates a different meaning: 8 (1) Hiring party means a person who hires or enters into a contract with an independent 9 contractor. 10 (2) Independent contractor means any person determined to be an independent 11 contractor, pursuant to the provisions of § 28-42-7. 12 (3) Portable benefit plan means a group that offers an insurance product, regulated by 13 title 27 (“insurance”), or chapters 42 through 44 of title 28 (“employment security”) and is assigned 14 to an individual beneficiary and is not associated with a specific employer or hiring party. 15 28-61-2. Administration -- Assignment of benefits -- Portability. 16 (a) A governmental entity or private entity voluntarily may offer a portable benefit plan. 17 (b) Contributions to a portable benefit plan shall be voluntary and may not be used as a 18 criterion for determining a person s employment classification. 19 (c) A portable benefit plan for the benefit of an individual beneficiary shall not be construed 1 as evidence of employer liability, and a court may not construe the contribution as an element of 2 an employment relationship for purposes of employer lability to include, but not be limited to, the 3 provisions of workers’ compensation, employment security or the provisions of title 28. 4 SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. ======== LC004321 ======== LC004321 - Page 2 of 3 EXPLANATION BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF A N A C T RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- PORTABLE BENEFIT PLAN *** 1 This act would establish a voluntary portable benefit plan for independent contractors. 2 This act would take effect upon passage. ======== LC004321 ======== LC004321 - Page 3 of 3
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