HB 1067 2025 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1067-00 Page 1 of 6 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S A bill to be entitled 1 An act relating to portable benefits accounts for 2 independent contractors and sole proprietors; creating 3 part III of ch. 448, F.S., entitled "Voluntary 4 Portable Benefits Act"; creating s. 448.31, F.S.; 5 providing a short title; creating s. 448.32, F.S.; 6 providing definitions; creating s. 448.33, F.S.; 7 authorizing certain parties to make voluntary 8 contributions to portable benefits accounts for 9 independent contractors and sole proprietors; 10 providing requirements for such contributions; 11 providing an effective date. 12 13 Be It Enacted by the Legislature o f the State of Florida: 14 15 Section 1. Part III of chapter 448, Florida Statutes, 16 consisting of ss. 448.31, 448.32, and 448.33, Florida Statutes, 17 is created and entitled the "Voluntary Portable Benefits Act." 18 Section 2. Section 448.31, Florida Statute s, is created to 19 read: 20 448.31 Short title. —This part may be cited as the 21 "Voluntary Portable Benefits Act." 22 Section 3. Section 448.32, Florida Statutes, is created to 23 read: 24 448.32 Definitions. —As used in this part, the term: 25 HB 1067 2025 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1067-00 Page 2 of 6 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S (1) "Hiring party" me ans a person who hires or enters into 26 a contract with an independent contractor or sole proprietor. 27 (2)(a) "Independent contractor" means a person who meets 28 four of the following criteria: 29 1. Maintains a separate business with his or her own work 30 facility, truck, equipment, materials, or similar 31 accommodations. 32 2. Holds or has applied for a federal employer 33 identification number, unless the person is a sole proprietor 34 who is not required to obtain a federal employer identification 35 number under state o r federal regulations. 36 3. Receives compensation for services rendered or work 37 performed and such compensation is paid to a business rather 38 than to an individual. 39 4. Holds one or more bank accounts in the name of the 40 business entity for purposes of payi ng business expenses or 41 other expenses related to services rendered or work performed 42 for compensation. 43 5. Performs work or is able to perform work for any entity 44 in addition to or besides the hiring party at his or her own 45 election without the necessity of completing an employment 46 application or process. 47 6. Receives compensation for work or services rendered on 48 a competitive-bid basis or completion of a task or a set of 49 tasks as defined by a contractual agreement, unless such 50 HB 1067 2025 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1067-00 Page 3 of 6 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S contractual agreement expr essly states that an employment 51 relationship exists. 52 (b) If a person does not meet four of the criteria 53 pursuant to paragraph (a), a person may still be presumed to be 54 an independent contractor and not an employee based on full 55 consideration of the natur e of the person's situation with 56 regard to whether the person meets any of the following 57 conditions: 58 1. Performs or agrees to perform specific services or work 59 for a specific amount of money and controls the means of 60 performing the services or work. 61 2. Incurs the principal expenses related to the service or 62 work that he or she performs or agrees to perform. 63 3. Is responsible for the satisfactory completion of the 64 work or services that he or she performs or agrees to perform. 65 4. Receives compensation for work or services performed 66 for a commission or on a per -job basis and not on any other 67 basis. 68 5. May realize a profit or suffer a loss in connection 69 with performing work or services. 70 6. Has continuing or recurring business liabilities or 71 obligations. 72 7. Has success or failure in the person's business which 73 depends on the relationship of business receipts to 74 expenditures. 75 HB 1067 2025 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1067-00 Page 4 of 6 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S (3)(a) "Portable benefits account" means an account that 76 is: 77 1. Opened by an independent contractor or a sole 78 proprietor to fund the purchase of one or more benefit plans and 79 is administered by a third -party portable benefits account 80 provider chosen by the independent contractor or the sole 81 proprietor; and 82 2. Assigned to a beneficiary of one or more benefit plans 83 rather than to a hiring party. 84 (b) As used in paragraph (a), the term "benefit plan" 85 includes, but is not limited to, the following products: 86 1. Health insurance. 87 2. Income replacement insurance. 88 3. Life insurance. 89 4. Retirement benefits. 90 (4) "Portable benefits account provider" means the 91 administrator of a portable benefits account and includes: 92 (a) A bank, as defined in s. 220.62(1). 93 (b) An investment management firm. 94 (c) A technology provider or program manager that offers 95 services through a ban k or investment management firm. 96 (d) Any other person that demonstrates to the satisfaction 97 of the Financial Services Commission that the manner in which 98 the person will administer the portable benefits account will be 99 HB 1067 2025 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1067-00 Page 5 of 6 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S consistent with the portable benefi ts account requirements under 100 s. 448.33. 101 (5) "Sole proprietor" has the same meaning as in s. 102 440.02. 103 Section 4. Section 448.33, Florida Statutes, is created to 104 read: 105 448.33 Voluntary contributions to portable benefits 106 accounts for independent contr actors and sole proprietors. — 107 (1) Any person or entity, including an independent 108 contractor; a sole proprietor; a hiring party, whether a public 109 or private entity; or an Internet -based or application -based 110 company, may voluntarily contribute funds to a p ortable benefits 111 account for an independent contractor or sole proprietor. 112 (2)(a) Contributions to a portable benefits account may 113 not be used as a criterion for determining a worker's employment 114 classification. 115 (b) Contributions to a portable benefits account may be 116 made using: 117 1. The funds of the hiring party; or 118 2. A percentage of funds withheld from compensation owed 119 to the independent contractor or sole proprietor if all the 120 following conditions are met: 121 a. The withholdings are voluntary and expressly agreed to 122 in writing, and the agreement is written in clear and 123 unambiguous language and prominently displayed in the work 124 HB 1067 2025 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1067-00 Page 6 of 6 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S contract or a separate notice. 125 b. The withholdings require the independent contractor or 126 sole proprietor to opt in, and t he independent contractor or 127 sole proprietor may choose to opt out of the withholdings at any 128 time. 129 Section 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025. 130