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HB1245 Relative to voluntary portable benefits plans for independent contractors.

Other Now Law Auto-scored

Relative to voluntary portable benefits plans for independent contractors.

Impact Score — How Does This Bill Affect You?

6

Overall Impact Score

Mixed

Scale: 1 (harmful) to 10 (beneficial)

6
💰

Your Wallet

Independent contractors gain a voluntary option to accumulate funds for health, retirement, and disability benefits, potentially lowering out-of-pocket costs for those who participate, though participation is entirely voluntary and no new public funds are involved.

5
🏘️

Your Community

The bill has no fiscal impact on state, county, or local budgets and does not directly affect schools or public services.

7
⚖️

Your Freedom

Independent contractors gain expanded flexibility to structure compensation and benefits on their own terms through written agreements with explicit opt-in and opt-out rights, while the bill explicitly protects their legal status from being reclassified based on benefit participation.

Status

Signed by Governor Ayotte 07/02/2026; Chapter 220; eff. 8/31/2026

Voted Yes

185 R + 3 D

Voted No

3 R + 148 D

R Yes D Yes R No D No

Sponsor

Samuel Farrington (R)

The Short Version

This bill creates a voluntary framework allowing independent contractors to set up portable benefit accounts funded by optional contributions from hiring parties, without changing their legal worker classification. The bill has no fiscal impact on state budgets and primarily affects how gig workers and contractors can accumulate benefits.

Who's Behind This Bill?

Who Benefits

  • ▲ Independent contractors who want to accumulate portable benefits without losing independent contractor status
  • ▲ Hiring parties seeking to offer benefits to contractors as a competitive or voluntary measure
  • ▲ Gig economy workers and freelancers who lack traditional employer-sponsored benefits

Who Pays the Price

  • ▼ No identified direct costs to specific NH resident groups; no fiscal impact to state

Roll Call Detail (1 vote)

Every recorded floor vote on this bill, with each legislator's individual vote. Click a name to see that rep's full record.

Who actually supports this bill?

Across the 1 recorded vote on this bill — counting each legislator's net direction and treating kill motions as opposing the bill — Republicans supported it ( 185 for , 3 against ) , and Democrats opposed it ( 3 for , 148 against ) .

"Supporting" means voting for passage OR voting against a kill motion. "Opposing" is the inverse. Concurs and amendment-only votes don't count.

Ought to Pass with Amendment 2026-03-12
Passed

YES = Pass the bill with the attached amendment. NO = Reject the bill (as amended).

185R + 3D
Voted to Pass (188)
3R + 148D
Voted Against (151)
21
Absent
32
Not voting
Show all 392 individual votes

Voted Yea (188)

Republicans (185)
Democrats (3)

Voted Nay (151)

Republicans (3)
Democrats (148)
Absent (21)

Dale Swanson (D) , Gaby Grossman (D) , Geoff Smith (D) , Jaci Grote (D) , James Spillane (R) , Jay Markell (R) , Jeanine Notter (R) , Jennifer Rhodes (R) , John Janigian (R) , Jonathan Smith (R) , Joseph Hamblen (R) , Kevin Verville (R) , Linda Haskins (D) , Mark Warden (R) , Mary Ford (R) , Matthew Hicks (D) , Peter Lovett (D) , Peter Varney (R) , Robert Harb (R) , Stephen Pearson (R) , Thomas Buco (D)

Read the Actual Bill → See All Bills

Bill statuses as of October 7, 2026. Check LegiScan or NH General Court for the latest.

This bill was auto-scored using AI analysis of the bill text and legislative data. Scores may be refined as we review more bills.