Georgia legislation · 2025-2026 Regular Session
Georgia HB987: Voluntary Portable Benefit Plan Act; enact
Status: Signed into law, May 11, 2026
A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 8 of Title 34 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to employment security, so as to provide for portable benefit plans and portable benefit accounts for independent contractors; to provide for definitions; to provide for voluntary contributions; to provide for independent contractors to opt in to withholdings; to provide for independent contractors to opt out at any time; to exclude voluntary contributions from establishing the classification of employer or employment; to provide for related matters; to provide for a short title; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
What the bill says
To amend Chapter 8 of Title 34 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to employment security, so as to provide for portable benefit plans and portable benefit accounts for independent contractors; to provide for definitions; to provide for voluntary contributions; to provide for independent contractors to opt in to withholdings; to provide for independent contractors to opt out at any time; to exclude voluntary contributions from establishing the classification of employer or employment; to provide for related matters; to provide for a short title…
From the introduced text:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED To amend Chapter 8 of Title 34 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to employment security, so as to provide for portable benefit plans and portable benefit accounts for independent contractors; to provide for definitions; to provide for voluntary contributions; to provide for independent contractors to opt in to withholdings; to provide for independent contractors to opt out at any time; to exclude voluntary contributions from establishing the classification of employer or employment; to provide for related matters; to provide for a short title; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA: SECTION 1. This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Voluntary Portable Benefit Plan Act." SECTION 2. Chapter 8 of Title 34 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to employment security, is amended in Article 2, relating to definitions, by adding a new Code section to read as follows: H. B. LC 52 0908 "34-8-43.1. (a) As used in this chapter, the term: (1) 'Hiring party' means a person or entity that hires or enters into a contract for the performance of services by an independent contractor. (2) 'Independent contractor' means an individual who performs services for a hiring party in exchange for compensation but is free …