Legislative Update and Watch List
Disclaimer: This legislative update was provided by SCI as a resource for CLDA members. The views and information presented are solely those of the author and do not represent an endorsement or official position of the CLDA or its leadership. This information is provided for educational purposes and does not constitute legal advice.
SCI Legislative Monitoring Report — April 27, 2026
SCI Legislative Monitoring Report — April 20, 2026
SCI Legislative Monitoring Report — March 31, 2026
What's Happening Lately (8 bill(s) with recent activity)
The most urgent item on your radar is Virginia HB238, which was signed into law on April 22nd after both chambers concurred in the Governor's recommendations. This is no longer a bill to watch — it is law. Effective immediately, Virginia presumes an employment relationship exists unless your business can affirmatively prove independent contractor status under IRS guidelines, and violations now expose you to triple damages, liquidated damages, and attorney fees simultaneously across misclassification, minimum wage, and overtime statutes. A single disputed owner-operator relationship in Virginia could become an extraordinarily costly legal event. Review your Virginia carrier contracts and documentation practices now. Close behind in urgency are the two companion Maryland bills, SB60 and HB299, both of which cleared committee on April 13th and are on a credible path to enactment. Together they would raise misclassification penalties to $10,000 per worker with treble damages available, expand the Attorney General's independent enforcement authority, and — most concerning for brokers — establish joint and several liability frameworks regardless of direct contractual privity, a structural theory that could migrate from construction into freight brokerage contexts. California SB1444 and Minnesota SF2373 represent a second tier of active risk. SB1444 moved to the Appropriations Committee on April 23rd, keeping it alive in a legislative session where California misclassification bills have a strong track record of advancing. The operative change — allowing individual workers to directly sue for $5,000 to $15,000 per violation under Labor Code Section 226.8 — would dramatically expand the plaintiff pool targeting independent contractor arrangements in California, well beyond what the Labor Commissioner alone could pursue. In Minnesota, SF2373 is an omnibus bill that has been re-referred to Finance, meaning the $351,000 to $356,000 misclassification enforcement funding lines remain intact and active. That appropriation directly funds the state's auditing and reclassification capacity, and owner-operator arrangements are precisely the kind of relationship Minnesota's Department of Labor and Industry tends to scrutinize. On the more favorable side of the ledger, Missouri HB2375 passed the House in February and cleared a Senate committee vote on April 15th, putting it within reach of final passage. The bill's explicit statutory carve-out for owner-operators of motor vehicles operating under DOT or MoDOT authority is a meaningful protection worth supporting through the finish line. Alaska SB35 passed the Senate 17-3 and has been transmitted to the House, where it was referred to the Labor and Commerce Committee on April 14th. While the courier definition caps applicability at vehicles under 6,000 pounds — limiting direct relevance to standard freight equipment — the bill's "for all purposes" independent contractor language and its four-factor safe harbor framework set useful precedent for the broader platform-based contractor model. The overall legislative environment remains decidedly hostile to independent contractor arrangements, with enforcement mechanisms growing more aggressive and plaintiff-accessible across multiple states simultaneously. The pattern is consistent: states are raising penalty ceilings, adding multipliers, expanding who can sue, and in some cases shifting the burden of proof onto hiring parties. Brokerages that have not recently audited their carrier contract language, classification documentation, and compliance protocols in Virginia, Maryland, California, and Minnesota should treat that review as an immediate operational priority rather than a deferred compliance task.
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Executive Summary — Legislative Watch List
Sorted by recent activity, then relevance score. Bills updated within 30 days are prioritized as action items.
Score: 8-10 = high (green) · 5-7 = moderate (amber) · 1-4 = low (red) · ◄ = updated within 30 days (action item) · Bill numbers link to LegiScan · Titles link to detail below
Alaska (AK) — 1 bill
SB35 RECENT ACTIVITY
Last action: Apr 14, 2026 (13 days ago)
7/10 SCORESUPPORT
Transportation/delivery Network Companies
An Act relating to transportation network companies and delivery network companies; and relating to occupational accident insurance.
Status: H: READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS / L&C / REFERRED TO LABOR & COMMERCE (Apr 14, 2026) · S: READ THE THIRD TIME CSSB 35(L&C) / RETURN TO SECOND FOR AM 1 UC / AM NO 1 ADOPTED UC / AUTOMATICALLY IN THIRD READING / PASSED Y17 N3 / TRANSMITTED TO (H) / VERSION: CSSB 35(L&C) AM (Apr 13, 2026)
Assessment: This Alaska bill extends the existing TNC driver IC safe harbor to delivery network company couriers, explicitly stating they are independent contractors 'for all purposes' and not employees under wage, unemployment, or workers' comp statutes — provided the company meets four specific conditions around scheduling autonomy, multi-apping, and written agreements. The workers' comp exclusion in Section 1(13) and the employment status shield in Section 2 reduce reclassification exposure for platform-based freight and delivery arrangements in Alaska. Note that the courier definition excludes vehicles over 6,000 pounds, limiting direct applicability to owner-operators running standard freight equipment, but the IC framework and precedent are relevant to your broader contractor relationships.
Recommended action: Brokers operating last-mile or delivery network arrangements in Alaska should support this bill, as it codifies independent contractor status for delivery couriers and explicitly excludes them from workers' compensation coverage.
California (CA) — 1 bill
SB1444 RECENT ACTIVITY
Last action: Apr 23, 2026 (4 days ago)
6/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Employment.
An act to amend Section 21472 of the Government Code, to amend Sections 98, 98.1, 226.8, 3212, 3212.1, 3212.15, 3212.6, 3212.8, 3212.85, and 3212.9 of the Labor Code, and to amend Sections 832 and 4902 of the Unemployment Insurance Code, relating to employment.
Status: S: Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR. (Apr 23, 2026)
Assessment: The most significant change for your business is the amendment to Labor Code Section 226.8, which expands standing to pursue willful misclassification civil penalties — ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 per violation — so that individual employees (not just the Labor Commissioner or public prosecutors) can directly recover those penalties as damages. This broadens the pool of potential claimants who can target broker-carrier independent contractor arrangements under California's existing misclassification framework. The remainder of the bill addresses procedural changes to Labor Commissioner notice rules, public employee retirement election windows, firefighter workers' comp presumptions, and school employer UI reporting — none of which directly affect your freight contractor relationships.
Recommended action: Monitor this bill for the Section 226.8 amendment that expands who can pursue misclassification penalties, and engage your California legislative contacts if the pattern-or-practice enforcement provisions are strengthened in later versions.
Colorado (CO) — 1 bill
Last action: Feb 26, 2026 (60 days ago)
2/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Protections for Worker Safety
Concerning worker safety protections.
Status: H: House Committee on Business Affairs & Labor Refer Amended to Appropriations (Feb 26, 2026)
Assessment: This bill establishes a state-level general duty workplace safety standard modeled on the federal OSH Act, authorizes civil actions and stop-work orders for safety violations, and creates a workplace health and safety fund — none of which target independent contractor classification or the broker-carrier relationship. The 'employer' obligations created here apply to traditional employment contexts and do not introduce an ABC test, expand joint employer liability, or alter how owner-operators are classified. Your use of independent owner-operators is not implicated by this legislation.
Recommended action: No action is needed — this bill does not affect independent contractor classification, broker-carrier relationships, or any mechanism relevant to your business model.
Connecticut (CT) — 1 bill
HB05003 RECENT ACTIVITY
Last action: Apr 21, 2026 (6 days ago)
2/10 SCORENEUTRAL
An Act Concerning Workforce Development And Working Conditions In The State.
To increase workforce development efforts and improve working conditions in the state.
Status: H: Reported Out of Legislative Commissioners' Office / New File by Committee on Appropriations / Tabled for the Calendar, House / File Number 709 (Apr 21, 2026)
Assessment: This bill addresses workplace assault protections for healthcare and education employees, a task force on disability employment under FLSA Section 14(c), employment promissory note restrictions, and municipal parking violation procedures. None of these provisions touch worker classification, independent contractor status, broker-carrier relationships, or freight transportation. Your business model is entirely unaffected.
Recommended action: No action is needed — this bill has no bearing on your independent contractor relationships or broker operations.
Hawaii (HI) — 1 bill
Last action: Mar 31, 2026 (27 days ago)
5/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Requesting The Department Of Transportation And Public Utilities Commission To Develop A Framework To Regulate Transportation Network Companies Under The Motor Carrier Law.
Requesting The Department Of Transportation And Public Utilities Commission To Develop A Framework To Regulate Transportation Network Companies Under The Motor Carrier Law.
Status: H: The committee(s) on TRN recommend(s) that the measure be deferred. (Mar 31, 2026)
Assessment: This is a non-binding concurrent resolution directing Hawaii's DOT and PUC to study and propose a regulatory framework for transportation network companies under the state's Motor Carrier Law — no reclassification mechanism is enacted yet. However, if the resulting report recommends legislation that applies motor carrier employment or operational standards to platform-based contractor arrangements, it could create compliance burdens or reclassification exposure for brokers using similar contractor models. The 2027 legislative session is when actionable proposals may emerge, making this a developing situation worth tracking now.
Recommended action: Monitor this resolution closely, as any resulting framework that brings TNCs under Motor Carrier Law could set a precedent for how Hawaii regulates independent contractor drivers across the broader freight and logistics space.
Iowa (IA) — 7 bills
HF2385 RECENT ACTIVITY
Last action: Mar 31, 2026 (27 days ago)
8/10 SCOREOPPOSE
A bill for an act prohibiting the misclassification of employees as independent contractors, providing penalties, and including applicability provisions.
A bill for an act prohibiting the misclassification of employees as independent contractors, providing penalties, and including applicability provisions.
Status: H: Motion to invoke Rule 60 to place on Calendar, yeas 92, nays 0. H.J. 769. / Motion prevailed. H.J. 769. / Placed on calendar. H.J. 769. / Rereferred to Labor and Workforce. H.J. 784. (Mar 31, 2026)
Assessment: This bill creates a new Iowa misclassification enforcement regime under Chapter 95, using IRS classification guidelines as the standard — and critically, it shifts the burden of proof onto you as the employer to demonstrate compliance. Penalties escalate from $5,000 per misclassified worker on a first offense up to $10,000 per worker on subsequent offenses, and a willful violation triggers a Class D felony carrying up to five years imprisonment. For logistics brokers relying on independent owner-operators, this creates serious legal exposure if the IRS multi-factor behavioral-control analysis is applied to your carrier relationships, particularly since you must affirmatively prove the IC classification was correct.
Recommended action: Engage Iowa legislative contacts and industry associations to oppose this bill, which imposes felony-level criminal penalties and escalating civil fines on businesses that classify workers as independent contractors.
Last action: Apr 3, 2025 (389 days ago)
8/10 SCORESUPPORT
A bill for an act providing for the regulation of delivery network companies and drivers, making penalties applicable, and including effective date provisions.(Formerly HF 7.)
A bill for an act providing for the regulation of delivery network companies and drivers, making penalties applicable, and including effective date provisions.(Formerly HF 7.)
Status: H: Referred to Commerce. H.J. 895. (Apr 03, 2025)
Assessment: Iowa HF 545 creates a statutory safe harbor for delivery network companies by explicitly declaring in Section 321Q.6 that drivers 'shall be considered an independent contractor and shall not be considered an agent or employee' — directly protecting your business model from misclassification liability. The bill also excludes delivery network companies and drivers from the definition of 'motor carrier' and 'motor carrier of property' under Chapter 325A, reducing your regulatory exposure under Iowa's for-hire carrier rules. If your operations include last-mile or gig-style delivery arrangements in Iowa, this bill locks in favorable IC classification at the state level.
Recommended action: Logistics brokers and carriers operating delivery network platforms in Iowa should actively support this bill, as it explicitly preserves independent contractor status for drivers and shields companies from employee misclassification claims.
Last action: Mar 13, 2025 (410 days ago)
8/10 SCORESUPPORT
A bill for an act prohibiting the consideration of the deployment, implementation, or use of a motor carrier safety improvement when determining a person's employment status.(Formerly HSB 169.)
A bill for an act prohibiting the consideration of the deployment, implementation, or use of a motor carrier safety improvement when determining a person's employment status.(Formerly HSB 169.)
Status: H: SF 377 substituted. H.J. 648. / Withdrawn. H.J. 656. (Mar 13, 2025)
Assessment: This Iowa bill explicitly prohibits safety improvement mandates — such as ELDs, dashcams, training programs, or operational policies — from being used as factors in determining employee versus independent contractor status under any state law. Without this protection, a motor carrier's or broker's requirement that owner-operators use specific safety technology could be cited as evidence of employer control, triggering reclassification liability. This is a targeted safe harbor that preserves your ability to set safety standards in carrier contracts without converting those contractors into employees.
Recommended action: Brokers and carriers operating in Iowa should support this bill and urge its passage, as it directly protects IC arrangements from being undermined by safety compliance requirements.
Last action: Feb 28, 2025 (423 days ago)
8/10 SCORESUPPORT
A bill for an act prohibiting the consideration of the deployment, implementation, or use of a motor carrier safety improvement when determining a person's employment status.(See HF 698.)
A bill for an act prohibiting the consideration of the deployment, implementation, or use of a motor carrier safety improvement when determining a person's employment status.(See HF 698.)
Status: H: Committee report approving bill, renumbered as HF 698. (Feb 28, 2025)
Assessment: This Iowa bill creates a statutory carve-out that explicitly prohibits safety-related requirements — devices, software, training, policies, or operational practices mandated by a motor carrier — from being used as evidence of an employment relationship under any state law, including joint employer determinations. Without this protection, requiring owner-operators to use ELDs, dashcams, or safety compliance programs could be cited as 'control' under a misclassification analysis, threatening your independent contractor model. Passage would give Iowa brokers and carriers a direct legal defense against reclassification claims rooted in contractually required safety improvements.
Recommended action: Brokers and carriers in Iowa should support this bill and urge its passage, as it removes a key risk factor that could be used to reclassify owner-operators as employees simply because safety technology or compliance practices were required under a motor carrier transportation contract.
Last action: Feb 19, 2025 (432 days ago)
8/10 SCORESUPPORT
A bill for an act prohibiting the consideration of the deployment, implementation, or use of a motor carrier safety improvement when determining a person's employment status.(See SF 377.)
A bill for an act prohibiting the consideration of the deployment, implementation, or use of a motor carrier safety improvement when determining a person's employment status.(See SF 377.)
Status: S: Committee report approving bill, renumbered as SF 377. (Feb 19, 2025)
Assessment: This Iowa bill creates a statutory safe harbor specifically for motor carrier safety improvements, barring courts and regulators from treating a carrier's deployment of safety devices, software, training, or operational policies as a factor establishing employment or joint employment under any state law. For your business, this means that requiring owner-operators to use ELDs, safety technology, or compliance programs — common contractual terms — cannot be weaponized to reclassify them as employees or create joint employer exposure. This is a targeted, pro-IC protection that directly addresses one of the most frequently litigated misclassification pressure points in the trucking industry.
Recommended action: Brokers and carriers in Iowa should support this bill, as it directly protects IC arrangements by prohibiting safety compliance measures — such as ELDs, dashcams, telematics, or training programs — from being used as evidence of employment control.
Last action: Feb 12, 2025 (439 days ago)
8/10 SCOREOPPOSE
A bill for an act prohibiting the misclassification of employees as independent contractors, providing penalties, and including applicability provisions.
A bill for an act prohibiting the misclassification of employees as independent contractors, providing penalties, and including applicability provisions.
Status: H: Introduced, referred to Labor and Workforce. H.J. 303. (Feb 12, 2025)
Assessment: This Iowa bill creates a new enforcement chapter (Ch. 95) that prohibits 'willful misclassification' of employees as independent contractors, using IRS regulations as the classification standard, and imposes civil penalties up to $10,000 per misclassified individual plus a class 'D' felony charge — meaning prison time up to five years — for violations. Critically, the burden of proof is reversed: your business must demonstrate by a preponderance of the evidence that your owner-operators are properly classified, not the other way around. If your broker-carrier arrangements are audited under this standard, each owner-operator relationship becomes a potential felony exposure, fundamentally threatening how you contract with independent carriers in Iowa.
Recommended action: Engage Iowa legislators and industry associations to oppose this bill, which imposes felony-level criminal penalties and shifting burden of proof on employers using independent contractors.
Last action: Feb 20, 2025 (431 days ago)
7/10 SCORESUPPORT
A bill for an act providing for the regulation of delivery network companies and drivers, making penalties applicable, and including effective date provisions.(See HF 545.)
A bill for an act providing for the regulation of delivery network companies and drivers, making penalties applicable, and including effective date provisions.(See HF 545.)
Status: H: Committee report approving bill, renumbered as HF 545. (Feb 20, 2025)
Assessment: This Iowa bill creates a new statutory framework for delivery network companies that explicitly provides that a company is not deemed to 'control, direct, or manage' a delivery network driver — language that directly reinforces independent contractor status and insulates companies from the primary factor used in most employment classification tests. The bill also carves delivery network companies and drivers out of Iowa's motor carrier regulatory definitions under Chapter 325A, reducing your compliance obligations under that regime. While the bill focuses on last-mile personal-vehicle delivery (not commercial trucking), brokers operating or contracting with delivery network-style platforms should monitor this as a favorable precedent for IC protections in Iowa.
Recommended action: Brokers and logistics companies operating last-mile or gig-style delivery networks in Iowa should support this bill as it codifies a pro-independent contractor framework by explicitly stating that delivery network companies do not control, direct, or manage drivers except by written contract.
Illinois (IL) — 1 bill
Last action: Mar 21, 2025 (402 days ago)
7/10 SCOREOPPOSE
WORK COMP-SOLE PROPRIETORS
Amends the Workers' Compensation Act. Provides that the provisions of the Act shall apply automatically and without election to all employers and all their employees, including, but not limited to, sole proprietors and general contractors and their subcontractors (currently, all employers and all their employees), engaged in any department enterprises or businesses which are declared to be extra hazardous. Removes a provision that the Act shall not be construed to apply to any sole proprietor or partner or member of a limited liability company who elects not to provide and pay compensation for accidental injuries sustained by himself, arising out of and in the course of the employment according to the provisions of the Act. Provides that the definition of "corporate officer" does not include a sole proprietor.
Status: S: Rule 3-9(a) / Re-referred to Assignments (Mar 21, 2025)
Assessment: This Illinois bill eliminates the opt-out provision that currently allows sole proprietors and LLC members to decline workers' compensation coverage, making coverage automatic and mandatory for those engaged in extra-hazardous industries — a category that explicitly includes 'carriage by land, water or aerial service and loading or unloading,' which directly captures owner-operator truckers. If enacted, independent owner-operators structured as sole proprietors who haul for your brokerage would be required to carry workers' comp on themselves, raising their operating costs and potentially pricing smaller carriers out of the market. While this bill does not directly reclassify contractors as employees, the mandatory coverage mandate blurs the financial line between IC and employee status and could shrink your available carrier base in Illinois.
Recommended action: Brokers should oppose this bill and engage Illinois legislative contacts to highlight how mandatory workers' comp coverage for sole proprietor owner-operators increases their operating costs and may reduce the pool of independent carriers available to your network.
Indiana (IN) — 1 bill
Last action: Jan 6, 2026 (111 days ago)
2/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Wage matters.
Wage matters. Updates or amends certain portions of the definition of "employee". Provides that an employer who knowingly sells merchandise or supplies to an employee for higher than the market price commits a Class C infraction. Provides that an employer must pay each employee at least semimonthly or biweekly the amount due the employee. (Current law gives the employee the choice.) Provides that a wage assignment: (1) is not required to have a revocation provision on or after July 1, 2026; and (2) may benefit the employer under certain circumstances. Specifies that an employee may bring an action under certain wage provisions if an employer makes an improper wage deduction. Reorganizes certain minimum wage and wage claim provisions. Changes the statute of limitations with respect to certain minimum wage and wage claim provisions. Makes technical and conforming changes.
Status: H: Authored by Representative Ireland / First reading: referred to Committee on Employment, Labor and Pensions (Jan 06, 2026)
Assessment: This Indiana bill reorganizes minimum wage and wage claim statutes, adjusts pay frequency requirements, and updates infraction language for improper merchandise sales to employees — none of which touch the independent contractor classification standards that govern your owner-operator relationships. The definition of 'employee' retains its existing exclusion for persons in independently established trades or businesses free from control, preserving the IC framework brokers rely on. This legislation poses no direct threat or benefit to your contracting model.
Recommended action: No action is needed — this bill addresses pay frequency, wage deductions, and infraction definitions for employer-employee relationships and does not affect independent contractor classification or broker-carrier arrangements.
Kentucky (KY) — 1 bill
Last action: Jan 29, 2026 (88 days ago)
9/10 SCOREOPPOSE
AN ACT relating to misclassification of employees.
Create a new section of KRS Chapter 337 to provide a remedy for employees misclassified as independent contractors; amend KRS 337.010 to define "independent contractor" and "misclassified"; repeal KRS 336.137, relating to marketplace contractors.
Status: H: to Economic Development & Workforce Investment (H) (Jan 29, 2026)
Assessment: This bill codifies an ABC test for independent contractor status in Kentucky — a worker is only an IC if they meet all three prongs: free from control, performs work outside the usual course of the hiring entity's business, and is customarily engaged in an independently established trade. For brokers, prong two is the critical threat: owner-operators hauling freight are directly within the usual course of your business, making reclassification as employees nearly automatic. Compounding the risk, the bill repeals KRS 336.137, which currently protects marketplace contractors from employee classification, and creates new private rights of action with double liquidated damages plus attorney's fees for any misclassification claim.
Recommended action: Logistics brokers and carriers operating in Kentucky should actively oppose this bill and engage state legislators to highlight the damage it would cause to the owner-operator model.
Massachusetts (MA) — 6 bills
Last action: Feb 26, 2026 (60 days ago)
9/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Establishing protections and accountability for Delivery Network Company workers, consumers, and communities
For legislation to establish protections and accountability for Delivery Network Company workers, consumers, and communities. Labor and Workforce Development.
Status: H: House concurred (Feb 27, 2025) · S: Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on Senate Ways and Means (Feb 26, 2026)
Assessment: This bill creates a statutory presumption that application-based delivery workers are employees under Massachusetts General Laws, explicitly importing the Chapter 149 Section 148B standard — the same ABC-test-based framework that makes independent contractor status extremely difficult to establish. Beyond reclassification, the bill mandates minimum wage floors for both assigned and standby time, IRS-rate mileage reimbursement at up to 150%, $1M/$3M liability insurance per worker, detailed payroll data reporting to the Attorney General, and treble damages plus attorneys' fees for retaliation claims. If your operation uses app-dispatched couriers in Massachusetts, this bill would force you to treat those workers as employees with full wage, benefits, and liability obligations.
Recommended action: Logistics brokers and freight companies using app-based delivery workers in Massachusetts should actively oppose this bill and engage state legislators before its January 2026 effective date.
Last action: Feb 2, 2026 (84 days ago)
9/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Establishing protections and accountability for DNC workers, consumers, and communities
Relative to protections and accountability for transportation network and delivery network companies workers, consumers, and communities. Financial Services.
Status: H: Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on House Ways and Means (Feb 02, 2026) · S: Senate concurred (Feb 27, 2025)
Assessment: This bill explicitly presumes application-based delivery workers are employees under Massachusetts General Laws (consistent with M.G.L. c. 149 §148B, the state's ABC test), directly threatening your ability to contract with independent couriers and last-mile delivery operators. It imposes minimum wage requirements, overtime, mileage reimbursement, mandatory insurance coverage of $1M/$3M per occurrence, detailed payroll data reporting to the AG and Department of Labor Standards, and triple-damages anti-retaliation liability — creating a sweeping compliance and financial burden for any platform-based delivery operation. If your business relies on app-dispatched delivery contractors in Massachusetts, this bill would force reclassification and fundamentally restructure your labor model.
Recommended action: Logistics brokers and delivery network operators should actively oppose this bill and engage Massachusetts legislators to prevent its passage.
Last action: Dec 18, 2025 (130 days ago)
9/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Preventing wage theft, promoting employer accountability, and enhancing public enforcement
For legislation to prevent wage theft, promote employer accountability, and enhance public enforcement. Labor and Workforce Development.
Status: H: House concurred (Feb 27, 2025) · S: Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on Senate Ways and Means (Dec 18, 2025)
Assessment: This bill creates joint-and-several liability for 'lead contractors' — a definition broad enough to sweep in logistics brokers — making you liable for wage theft violations committed by the carriers or labor subcontractors you engage, even if you had no knowledge of or involvement in the violation. It also grants the Massachusetts Attorney General stop-work order authority that could halt your business operations at a specific location upon a finding of a wage violation anywhere in your contractor supply chain. Massachusetts already applies the aggressive ABC test under Section 148B, and this bill layers on treble damages, expanded AG civil enforcement, and successor liability, compounding the financial and operational exposure your brokerage faces when using owner-operators in the state.
Recommended action: Brokers operating in Massachusetts should actively oppose this bill and engage with the DiDomenico office and the Labor and Workforce Development Committee to highlight the operational harm of joint-and-several liability and stop-work authority on freight brokerage arrangements.
Last action: Mar 26, 2026 (32 days ago)
8/10 SCOREOPPOSE
To prevent wage theft, promote employer accountability, and enhance public enforcement
Relative to wage theft, employer accountability, and public enforcement. Labor and Workforce Development.
Status: H: Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on House Ways and Means (Mar 26, 2026) · S: Senate concurred (Feb 27, 2025)
Assessment: This bill creates joint and several liability between 'lead contractors,' 'labor contractors,' and 'labor subcontractors' for wage theft violations — a structure that could sweep in logistics brokers as lead contractors responsible for labor violations committed by the carriers or owner-operators they engage. It also grants the Massachusetts Attorney General stop-work order authority that could halt your business operations for violations tied to classification under Chapter 149 Section 148B, which uses the ABC test. The combination of joint liability, treble damages, and stop-work authority creates serious financial and operational exposure for brokers who rely on independent owner-operators.
Recommended action: Logistics brokers operating in Massachusetts should engage with state legislators to oppose this bill and seek explicit exemptions for broker-carrier contracting arrangements from its joint liability and stop-work provisions.
Last action: Dec 18, 2025 (130 days ago)
8/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Consolidating multiple definitions of employee to prevent misclassification
For legislation to consolidate multiple definitions of employee. Labor and Workforce Development.
Status: H: House concurred (Feb 27, 2025) · S: Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on Senate Ways and Means (Dec 18, 2025)
Assessment: This bill extends the ABC test from Chapter 149, Section 148B — Massachusetts' three-prong independent contractor classification standard — into workers' compensation law (Chapter 152), meaning the same test used to determine wage liability would now govern whether your owner-operators must be treated as employees for workers' comp purposes. Under the ABC test, a worker is presumed an employee unless you can prove all three prongs: the worker is free from your control, performs work outside your usual course of business, and is engaged in an independently established trade. Failing to satisfy all three prongs under workers' comp could expose your brokerage to significant insurance liability and reclassification risk across your carrier network.
Recommended action: Engage with your state association to oppose this bill, as it would extend Massachusetts' strict ABC test — already applied to wage law — into workers' compensation coverage determinations for your owner-operators.
Last action: Dec 11, 2025 (137 days ago)
7/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Relative to wage theft and due process
For legislation relative to wage theft and due process. Labor and Workforce Development.
Status: H: House concurred (Feb 27, 2025) · S: Accompanied a study order, see S2843 (Dec 11, 2025)
Assessment: This bill creates stop-work order authority under both the AG and the Department of Unemployment Assistance that can halt all business operations at a specific place of employment for wage theft violations — including misclassification under Section 148B, which is Massachusetts' existing independent contractor law. If your carriers or owner-operators are found to be misclassified employees, that determination could trigger a stop-work order against your operations, fines up to $25,000, and civil actions brought by as few as three current or former workers. The successor-entity provision is particularly aggressive, meaning a stop-work order could follow your business through restructuring.
Recommended action: Brokers operating in Massachusetts should monitor this bill and engage with trade associations to push back on the stop-work order authority and expanded civil action mechanisms that could be weaponized against broker-carrier arrangements.
Maryland (MD) — 4 bills
SB60 RECENT ACTIVITY
Last action: Apr 13, 2026 (14 days ago)
7/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Fraud Prevention, Prevailing Wage, and Living Wage - Prohibitions, Penalties, and Enforcement
Prohibiting a person from knowingly making or using, or causing to be made or used, a false record or statement resulting in underpayments of unemployment insurance contributions or payment of unemployment insurance benefits of more than $15,000 in a calendar year; altering the enforcement mechanisms related to workplace fraud laws, living wage laws, and prevailing wage laws, including authorizing the Attorney General to investigate and bring suit in a certain manner; etc.
Status: S: Favorable with Amendments Report by Finance / Favorable with Amendments {943726/1 / Motion Laid Over (Senator Jennings) Adopted (Apr 13, 2026)
Assessment: This bill increases misclassification enforcement pressure in Maryland by raising civil penalties to up to $10,000 per misclassified worker (with treble damages available), directing one-third of penalties directly to affected individuals, and — critically — establishing joint and several liability for general contractors over subcontractors regardless of direct contractual privity, a mechanism that could be extended to broker-carrier relationships. The Attorney General also gains expanded authority to investigate and sue under workplace fraud, prevailing wage, and living wage laws, increasing the risk of coordinated enforcement actions against companies using independent contractors. While the bill is primarily framed around construction and public contracting, the joint liability and misclassification penalty escalations warrant close monitoring by freight brokers operating in Maryland.
Recommended action: Brokers operating in Maryland should monitor this bill and engage with the AG's expanded enforcement authority and the joint-and-several liability provision for general contractors over subcontractors, which could be read to implicate broker-carrier arrangements.
HB299 RECENT ACTIVITY
Last action: Apr 13, 2026 (14 days ago)
7/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Fraud Prevention, Prevailing Wage, and Living Wage - Prohibitions, Penalties, and Enforcement
Prohibiting a person from knowingly making or using, or causing to be made or used, a false record or statement resulting in underpayments of unemployment insurance contributions or payment of unemployment insurance benefits of more than $15,000 in a calendar year; altering the enforcement mechanisms related to workplace fraud laws, living wage laws, and prevailing wage laws, including authorizing the Attorney General to investigate and bring suit in a certain manner; etc.
Status: H: Third Reading Passed (98-36) (Apr 06, 2026) · S: Rereferred to Finance / Favorable with Amendments Report by Finance / Favorable with Amendments {133121/1 / Motion Special Order until Later Today (Senator Ready) Rejected / Committee Amendment {133121/1 Adopted / Favorable with Amendments Adopted / Second Reading Passed with Amendments (Apr 13, 2026)
Assessment: This bill directly expands misclassification enforcement under Maryland's Workplace Fraud Act by increasing civil penalties up to $10,000 per misclassified worker (with treble damages available), strengthening Attorney General investigative authority, and — most critically — establishing joint and several liability for general contractors on construction projects for subcontractor violations regardless of direct contractual privity. While the joint employer provision is framed around construction, the broad language targeting any 'project for construction services contracted by a public body' and the enhanced enforcement mechanisms create meaningful spillover risk for brokers arranging freight on government or logistics facility projects. The Attorney General's new authority to investigate and sue independently, combined with mandatory license revocation for repeat violations, significantly raises the compliance stakes for any business using independent contractors in Maryland.
Recommended action: Logistics brokers and carriers operating in Maryland should monitor this bill and engage with the Maryland legislature to ensure general contractor joint-and-several liability provisions are not interpreted to sweep in broker-carrier relationships.
Last action: Feb 3, 2026 (83 days ago)
7/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Maryland Department of Labor - Investigation of Complaints - Requirements (Worksite Enforcement Act of 2026)
Requiring the Maryland Department of Labor to establish certain procedures for receiving, reviewing, and investigating certain complaints regarding matters under the jurisdiction of the Department; requiring the Department to employ one investigators for each of five regions of the State to investigate complaints; and requiring, beginning fiscal year 2027, the Governor to include in the annual budget bill an appropriation of $500,000 for the hiring of five investigators.
Status: H: Hearing 2/12 at 2:00 p.m. (Feb 03, 2026)
Assessment: This bill mandates that the Maryland Department of Labor establish formal procedures for investigating worker misclassification complaints — explicitly named alongside wage theft — with a 14-day response deadline and authority to conduct site checks and request payroll records and worker classification documentation. Five new regional investigators funded at $500,000 annually will be dedicated to pursuing these complaints statewide, directly increasing enforcement capacity against independent contractor arrangements used by freight brokers and motor carriers. If your business relies on owner-operators in Maryland, this expanded investigative infrastructure raises your exposure to misclassification complaints and documentation demands.
Recommended action: Brokers operating in Maryland should engage with this bill to monitor how the Department's expanded investigative capacity and worker misclassification complaint procedures may be applied to owner-operator arrangements.
Last action: Jan 19, 2026 (98 days ago)
7/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Recipients of Economic Development Assistance or State Contracts - Certification of Compliance With State Labor Laws
Requiring certain persons that receive certain State economic development assistance to make a certification each year that the person was not the subject of a certain final adverse determination and is not currently failing to comply with certain outstanding requirements under a prior final judgment or order; requiring a certain unit of State government to initiate a pause on disbursements or approvals of certain economic development assistance or the award or renewal of certain State contracts; etc.
Status: H: Hearing 2/17 at 1:00 p.m. (Jan 19, 2026)
Assessment: This bill requires companies holding $250,000 or more in Maryland state contracts to annually certify they have not received a final adverse determination for violations of state labor obligations — which explicitly include misclassification findings — or face a pause on new contract awards and renewals. The pause mechanism is directly triggered by a misclassification finding, meaning a single adverse ruling involving your owner-operator relationships could freeze your ability to win or renew state freight contracts. The de minimis exemption under subsection (D) only applies if the relief is under $5,000 and there is no misclassification finding, offering little protection for brokers whose IC arrangements are challenged.
Recommended action: Logistics brokers holding $250,000 or more in aggregate Maryland state contracts should engage with legislators to ensure misclassification findings against owner-operator arrangements cannot trigger a pause on contract awards or renewals.
Michigan (MI) — 2 bills
Last action: Sep 24, 2025 (215 days ago)
9/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Employment security: administration; determination of whether services performed by an individual are employment; modify. Amends sec. 42 of of 1936 (Ex Sess) PA 1 (MCL 421.42).
Employment security: administration; determination of whether services performed by an individual are employment; modify. Amends sec. 42 of of 1936 (Ex Sess) PA 1 (MCL 421.42).
Status: H: Bill Electronically Reproduced 09/18/2025 (Sep 24, 2025)
Assessment: Starting January 1, 2026, this bill replaces Michigan's IRS 20-factor control test with a three-prong ABC test for unemployment insurance purposes — requiring that a worker be classified as an employee unless they are a separate business entity or meet all three criteria: free from control in fact and by contract, performing work outside the hiring entity's usual course of business, and customarily engaged in an independently established trade. The 'outside the usual course of business' prong (Prong B) is the critical threat — owner-operators hauling freight for your brokerage are performing work directly in the usual course of your business, making it extremely difficult to satisfy this test. Misclassification findings under this standard expose you to UI tax liability and potential back assessments retroactive to January 1, 2021 under the bill's enacting section.
Recommended action: Brokers operating in Michigan should actively oppose this bill and engage with industry associations to push back on the ABC test provision taking effect January 1, 2026.
Last action: Apr 17, 2025 (375 days ago)
9/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Labor: hours and wages; penalties and remedies for misclassification of independent contractors; provide for. Amends secs. 1, 13, 15, 18 & 19 of 1978 PA 390 (MCL 408.471 et seq.) & adds secs. 13c & 13d.
Labor: hours and wages; penalties and remedies for misclassification of independent contractors; provide for. Amends secs. 1, 13, 15, 18 & 19 of 1978 PA 390 (MCL 408.471 et seq.) & adds secs. 13c & 13d.
Status: H: Bill Electronically Reproduced 04/16/2025 (Apr 17, 2025)
Assessment: This bill codifies a three-prong ABC test as the definition of 'independent contractor' under Michigan's wage payment law — requiring that a worker perform work outside the payer's usual course of business and be independently established, meaning most owner-operators dispatched through your brokerage would presumptively be reclassified as employees. Critically, the burden of proof is reversed onto you: if a misclassification allegation is made, your business must prove by a preponderance of the evidence that the worker was not an employee. Penalties are severe — exemplary damages up to three times wages and fringe benefits owed, a 100% annual penalty rate on unpaid amounts, civil fines up to $10,000, and potential misdemeanor criminal liability — creating existential financial exposure for brokers relying on independent carrier relationships.
Recommended action: Engage with the Michigan legislature and industry associations to oppose this bill and advocate for a control-based IC test that protects your owner-operator relationships.
Minnesota (MN) — 7 bills
Last action: Mar 10, 2025 (413 days ago)
7/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Annual reports from partnership entities of the Intergovernmental Misclassification Enforcement and Education Partnership required, and money appropriated.
Annual reports from partnership entities of the Intergovernmental Misclassification Enforcement and Education Partnership required, and money appropriated.
Status: H: Introduction and first reading, referred to Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy (Mar 10, 2025)
Assessment: This bill funds and requires annual misclassification fraud analysis by multiple Minnesota agencies — including estimates of misclassification rates by industry, impacts to UI trust funds, workers' comp, and tax collection — which directly signals that trucking and logistics will be identified as enforcement priorities. The data collection mandate under Minn. Stat. § 181.725, Subd. 4b is explicitly designed to guide partnership enforcement priorities, meaning your owner-operator arrangements could be scrutinized under whatever classification standard the Intergovernmental Misclassification Enforcement and Education Partnership applies. While this bill does not itself impose a new test or penalty, it appropriates funds and builds the analytical infrastructure that typically precedes targeted enforcement campaigns against independent contractor use in freight.
Recommended action: Brokers operating in Minnesota should oppose this bill and engage with the Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development committee to prevent misclassification reporting infrastructure from becoming the foundation for expanded enforcement targeting owner-operator arrangements.
SF2373 RECENT ACTIVITY
Last action: Apr 20, 2026 (7 days ago)
6/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Omnibus Labor policy and appropriations
Omnibus Labor policy and appropriations
Status: S: Comm report: To pass as amended and re-refer to Finance (Apr 20, 2026)
Assessment: This omnibus labor appropriations bill includes $351,000 in year one and $356,000 in year two specifically earmarked for 'enforcement, education, and training related to employee misclassification,' which directly funds the state's capacity to audit and reclassify independent contractors — including owner-operators you contract with. The majority of the bill addresses building codes and manufactured housing, making it a low-urgency watch item overall, but the misclassification enforcement funding line is a direct operational risk to your broker-carrier independent contractor model. If Minnesota's Department of Labor and Industry uses these funds to scrutinize owner-operator arrangements, you could face increased audit exposure and potential reclassification liability.
Recommended action: Brokers should monitor this bill closely and engage with the Minnesota legislature to push back on the dedicated misclassification enforcement funding before it becomes law.
Last action: Apr 1, 2025 (391 days ago)
6/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Biennial misclassification fraud impact report requirement and appropriation
Biennial misclassification fraud impact report requirement and appropriation
Status: S: Comm report: To pass as amended and re-refer to Taxes (Apr 01, 2025)
Assessment: This bill requires Minnesota's Intergovernmental Misclassification Enforcement and Education Partnership agencies to produce annual reports estimating misclassification rates by industry, which explicitly guides enforcement priorities — meaning the freight and logistics sector could be flagged as a high-risk industry and face increased audits or investigations. The reporting framework spans multiple agencies including Labor and Industry, Revenue, and Employment and Economic Development, with dedicated appropriations for misclassification fraud analysis, signaling a coordinated, multi-agency enforcement posture. While this bill does not itself change the classification standard or impose new penalties, it is an infrastructure bill that directly feeds enforcement targeting and raises your risk of being prioritized for investigation.
Recommended action: Brokers operating in Minnesota should monitor this bill and engage with the Labor committee to ensure trucking and freight contractor arrangements are not swept into industry-specific enforcement targeting priorities.
Last action: May 13, 2025 (349 days ago)
2/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Omnibus Jobs, Labor Economic Development policy and appropriations
Omnibus Jobs, Labor Economic Development policy and appropriations
Status: H: Senate refuses to concur, conference committee of 6 requested / Senate conferees Champion; McEwen; Mohamed; Hauschild; Oumou Verbeten; Draheim / House accedes, conference committee of 6 to be appointed / House conferees Pinto, Greenman, Frazier, Baker, Zeleznikar, Mekeland (May 12, 2025) · S: House conferees Pinto; Greenman; Frazier; Baker; Zeleznikar; Mekeland (May 13, 2025)
Assessment: This is a biennial appropriations and policy bill for Minnesota's Department of Employment and Economic Development covering workforce grants, child care funding, small business loans, and job training programs. None of the statutory changes or funding allocations touch independent contractor classification, misclassification enforcement, or the broker-carrier relationship. Your operations are unaffected by this legislation.
Recommended action: No action is needed — this bill has no provisions affecting independent contractor classification, broker-carrier relationships, or worker status.
Last action: May 7, 2025 (355 days ago)
2/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Labor and industry finance and policy bill.
Labor and industry finance and policy bill.
Status: H: Committee report, to adopt as amended and re-refer to Ways and Means / Joint rule 2.03, Deadlines, re-referred to Rules and Legislative Administration (May 07, 2025)
Assessment: This is a Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry biennial budget and policy bill covering appropriations, building code definitions, modular/manufactured housing inspection fees, and workers' compensation administration. While it includes a small line item for misclassification enforcement education, there is no ABC test, no new classification standard, no expanded penalty authority targeting independent contractors, and no provisions affecting motor carrier or broker-contractor arrangements. This bill does not threaten your owner-operator model.
Recommended action: No action needed — this bill has no bearing on your contractor relationships or classification exposure.
Last action: Mar 10, 2025 (413 days ago)
2/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Job misclassification prohibition provision
Job misclassification prohibition provision
Status: S: Authors added Johnson Stewart; Latz (Mar 10, 2025)
Assessment: This bill amends Minnesota Statutes section 181.03 to add a fourth prohibited practice: misrepresenting an employee's job classification or title within a formal internal compensation plan. It applies only to the employer-employee relationship and addresses internal payroll fraud, not the independent contractor vs. employee distinction that affects your owner-operator relationships.
Recommended action: No action needed — this bill does not affect independent contractor classification or broker-carrier relationships.
Last action: Feb 24, 2025 (427 days ago)
2/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Commercial transportation provisions modification
Commercial transportation provisions modification
Status: S: Introduction and first reading / Referred to Transportation (Feb 24, 2025)
Assessment: This bill establishes a state-funded CDL training assistance program and modifies third-party road testing procedures — neither provision touches worker classification, IC status, or the broker-carrier relationship. It could modestly expand the pool of licensed commercial drivers available to your carrier network, but creates no compliance obligations or liability exposure for logistics brokers.
Recommended action: No action needed — this bill has no impact on independent contractor status, broker-carrier relationships, or worker classification.
Missouri (MO) — 3 bills
Last action: Feb 11, 2026 (75 days ago)
7/10 SCORESUPPORT
Modifies provisions relating to workers' compensation
Modifies provisions relating to workers' compensation
Status: S: Hearing Conducted S General Laws Committee (Feb 11, 2026)
Assessment: This bill amends Missouri's workers' compensation statute and retains the existing carve-out in §287.020 that excludes owner-operators who own and lease or contract their vehicles to for-hire motor carriers from the definition of 'employee' — directly protecting your broker-carrier independent contractor model from workers' comp coverage mandates. The bill also lowers the causation threshold for compensable injuries from 'prevailing factor' to 'substantial factor,' which could increase claims exposure for any workers you do employ directly. The owner-operator exclusion preservation is the most material provision for your business, and any weakening of that language in amendments would warrant escalated opposition.
Recommended action: Brokers operating in Missouri should support this bill, as it explicitly preserves the exclusion of owner-operators who own and contract their vehicles to for-hire motor carriers from the definition of 'employee' under Missouri workers' compensation law.
HB2375 RECENT ACTIVITY
Last action: Apr 15, 2026 (12 days ago)
6/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Modifies provisions relating to workers' compensation
Modifies provisions relating to workers' compensation
Status: H: Executive Session Completed (H) / Voted Do Pass (H) / Reported Do Pass (H) - AYES: 6 NOES: 2 PRESENT: 0 / Taken Up for Third Reading (H) / Third Read and Passed (H) - AYES: 86 NOES: 62 PRESENT: 1 / Reported to the Senate and First Read (S) (Feb 09, 2026) · S: Executive Session Held (S) / SCS Voted Do Pass (S) (Apr 15, 2026)
Assessment: This Missouri workers' comp bill explicitly excludes owner-operators of leased or contracted motor vehicles operating under DOT or MoDOT authority from the definition of 'employee' under Section 287.020 — a provision that directly protects your use of independent owner-operators from workers' comp liability. The rest of the bill tightens compensability standards (prevailing-factor causation, PTSD for first responders) and adds a maximum medical improvement definition, none of which materially affect broker operations. The owner-operator carve-out is the key provision to watch as this bill moves through the legislative process.
Recommended action: Monitor this bill to confirm the owner-operator exclusion in Section 287.020 is retained in final passage, as it directly protects your broker-carrier contracting model under Missouri workers' comp law.
Last action: Jan 27, 2026 (90 days ago)
6/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Modifies provisions relating to workers' compensation
Modifies provisions relating to workers' compensation
Status: S: Second Read and Referred S General Laws Committee (Jan 27, 2026)
Assessment: This Missouri workers' compensation reform bill explicitly excludes from the definition of 'employee' any owner-operator of a motor vehicle leased or contracted to a for-hire motor carrier operating under USDOT authority — a provision that directly protects your independent contractor model from workers' comp coverage mandates. The bill's primary focus is tightening injury compensability standards (prevailing factor test, traumatic event definition), which reduces employer liability exposure but does not change the IC classification framework. The owner-operator carve-out is favorable for your business, but the bill's broad scope across workers' comp procedures warrants monitoring to ensure no amendments introduce reclassification risk.
Recommended action: Monitor this bill to confirm whether the owner-operator exclusion language in Section 287.020 is preserved or altered as the bill advances through the Missouri legislature.
Nebraska (NE) — 1 bill
Last action: Mar 3, 2026 (55 days ago)
7/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Change provisions relating to marketplace network contractors under the Employment Security Law
Change provisions relating to marketplace network contractors under the Employment Security Law
Assessment: This Nebraska bill amends the Employment Security Law's definition of 'employment' as it applies to marketplace network contractors — a category that can sweep in owner-operators and platform-dispatched drivers depending on how the statutory criteria are drawn. The full amended marketplace contractor language was truncated, so the precise direction of the change (expanding or restricting IC protections for UI purposes) cannot be confirmed. If the bill narrows existing exclusions or tightens the criteria under which a contractor avoids UI coverage, your business could face new payroll tax exposure on owner-operator relationships.
Recommended action: Monitor this bill closely and engage with the Nebraska Legislature to ensure any changes to marketplace network contractor definitions under the UI law preserve independent contractor status for owner-operators.
New Jersey (NJ) — 43 bills
Last action: Jan 13, 2026 (104 days ago)
9/10 SCORESUPPORT
Revises test for employment or independent contractor status under certain State labor laws.
Revises test for employment or independent contractor status under certain State labor laws.
Assessment: This bill amends New Jersey's unemployment compensation law (R.S.43:21-19) to revise the test used to determine whether a worker is an employee or independent contractor — directly impacting whether your owner-operators could be reclassified and trigger UI contribution obligations. New Jersey currently uses the ABC test, which presumes employment and requires businesses to satisfy all three prongs to establish IC status; any revision moving toward a behavioral-control or common law standard would significantly reduce your reclassification exposure under state UI law. Monitor the final amended language closely, as the direction of the revised test will determine whether this bill reduces or expands your compliance burden.
Recommended action: Logistics brokers operating in New Jersey should engage with sponsors and submit comments in support of this bill, as it would replace the restrictive ABC test with a more favorable classification standard under the state unemployment compensation law.
Declares Department of Labor and Workforce Development new rules concerning employment status test for independent contractors inconsistent with legislative intent.
Declares Department of Labor and Workforce Development new rules concerning employment status test for independent contractors inconsistent with legislative intent.
Status: S: Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Labor Committee (Jan 13, 2026)
Assessment: This resolution targets four specific proposed NJ DOLWD rules — N.J.A.C. 12:11-1.3(c)(2)(i)(3), 12:11-1.4(d)(1), 12:11-1.5(f) and (h), and 12:11-1.6(b) — that would have weaponized the ABC test against your independent contractor arrangements by treating standard business tools like digital apps as evidence of employer control, declaring drivers' vehicles a 'place of business' to eliminate a key IC exemption, and stripping weight from hallmarks of IC status such as professional licensure, multi-client work, and 1099 filing. If the DOLWD does not amend or withdraw these rules within 30 days, the Legislature retains authority to invalidate them entirely, which is the outcome your business needs. This is a direct line of defense against rules that would have forced reclassification of your owner-operators as employees under New Jersey unemployment compensation, wage and hour, and tax law.
Recommended action: Logistics brokers operating in New Jersey should actively support this resolution, as it directly blocks NJ DOLWD rule changes that would have made it significantly harder to classify owner-operators as independent contractors under the ABC test.
Last action: Feb 5, 2026 (81 days ago)
7/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Establishes Office of Labor Law Enforcement.
Establishes Office of Labor Law Enforcement.
Status: S: Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Labor Committee (Feb 05, 2026)
Assessment: This bill creates a dedicated Office of Labor Law Enforcement within NJ's Department of Labor with an explicit mandate to prosecute misclassification of employees, backed by co-located deputy attorneys general and a self-funding penalty collection model that incentivizes aggressive enforcement. The office's scope covers wage and hour laws, unemployment compensation, workers' comp, and temporary disability benefits — all areas where owner-operators in your network could be swept into reclassification actions. The self-funding mechanism (fines fund enforcement) creates institutional pressure to pursue high-value misclassification targets, which historically means freight and logistics arrangements involving independent contractors.
Recommended action: Brokers should monitor this bill and engage with NJ legislators to ensure the new enforcement office does not prioritize misclassification audits targeting owner-operator arrangements.
Last action: Jan 13, 2026 (104 days ago)
7/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Revises factors for determining employment or independent contractor status under certain State labor laws.
Revises factors for determining employment or independent contractor status under certain State labor laws.
Status: S: Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Labor Committee (Jan 13, 2026)
Assessment: This bill directly amends R.S.43:21-19, the definition section of New Jersey's Unemployment Compensation Law that governs whether workers are classified as employees or independent contractors for UI purposes — a classification that directly affects your owner-operator relationships. The specific revised factors were not fully visible due to truncation, so the direction of the change (pro-IC or anti-IC) cannot be confirmed from the available language. Given that this targets the exact classification mechanism controlling your exposure to UI contribution liability in New Jersey, your team should obtain the complete amended factor list immediately.
Recommended action: Monitor this bill closely and engage NJ legislative contacts to obtain the full revised factor language before taking a position.
Expands crime of human trafficking and eliminates statute of limitations; establishes human trafficking response teams; expands human trafficking training and education requirements; appropriates $1 million to Commission on Human Trafficking.
Expands crime of human trafficking and eliminates statute of limitations; establishes human trafficking response teams; expands human trafficking training and education requirements; appropriates $1 million to Commission on Human Trafficking.
Status: S: Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee (Mar 16, 2026)
Assessment: This New Jersey bill expands criminal statutes and prosecution procedures related to human trafficking, eliminates the statute of limitations for trafficking offenses, and establishes response teams and training requirements. It contains no provisions affecting worker classification, independent contractor status, broker-carrier relationships, or any employment standard applicable to your business. This legislation is entirely outside the scope of logistics broker compliance concerns.
Recommended action: No action is needed — this bill has no bearing on your contractor relationships or operational model.
S3612 / A4085
Last action: Mar 16, 2026 (42 days ago)
2/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Establishes "Fair Price Protection Act."
Establishes "Fair Price Protection Act."
Status: S: Reported from Senate Committee as a Substitute, 2nd Reading / Referred to Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee (Mar 16, 2026)
Assessment: This New Jersey bill prohibits businesses from using personalized algorithmic pricing or surveillance pricing based on consumers' personal data — it is a consumer protection and pricing regulation measure with no connection to worker classification, independent contractor status, or the broker-carrier relationship. It does not affect how you contract with owner-operators, your liability for carrier labor practices, or any operational element of freight brokerage. This bill is outside the scope of legislative risk for your business.
Recommended action: No action needed — this bill has no bearing on independent contractor classification, broker-carrier relationships, or freight operations.
Requires certain disclosures by providers of commercial financing.
Requires certain disclosures by providers of commercial financing.
Status: S: Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Commerce Committee (Jan 13, 2026)
Assessment: This New Jersey bill governs disclosure requirements for commercial financing products — APR disclosures, finance charges, and repayment terms — and has no connection to worker classification, independent contractor status, or the broker-carrier relationship. The word 'broker' in this bill refers exclusively to financial intermediaries arranging commercial loans, not freight or logistics brokers. This legislation poses no operational or compliance risk to your business model.
Recommended action: No action needed — this bill does not affect your independent contractor arrangements or broker-carrier relationships.
Establishes autonomous vehicle pilot program.
Establishes autonomous vehicle pilot program.
Status: S: Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Transportation Committee (Jan 13, 2026)
Assessment: This bill establishes a pilot program for testing autonomous vehicles on New Jersey roads and sets safety, insurance, and reporting requirements for AV testers and operators. It contains no worker classification provisions, no ABC test, no misclassification penalties, and no expansion of joint employer liability that would affect your broker-carrier or broker-owner-operator relationships. The only tangentially relevant provision — that operators may be employees or independent contractors — is descriptive, not a reclassification mechanism.
Recommended action: No action needed — this bill does not affect your contractor relationships, classification practices, or broker liability.
Provides for licensure of landscape professionals and registration of professional landscaping businesses.
Provides for licensure of landscape professionals and registration of professional landscaping businesses.
Status: S: Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Commerce Committee (Jan 13, 2026)
Assessment: This bill establishes a licensure framework for landscape professionals and professional landscaping businesses in New Jersey, with no provisions affecting transportation, freight brokerage, motor carrier relationships, or worker classification in your industry. It creates a Landscape Professional License Review Committee under the State Board of Architects and sets standards for landscaping activities such as hardscaping, grading, and erosion control — none of which intersect with how you contract with owner-operators or carriers. This legislation poses no risk and offers no benefit to your business.
Recommended action: No action needed — this bill has no bearing on freight broker or carrier operations.
Provides corporation business tax and gross income tax credits for purchase and installation of electric vehicle charging stations and for commercial zero emission vehicle fleet conversions.
Provides corporation business tax and gross income tax credits for purchase and installation of electric vehicle charging stations and for commercial zero emission vehicle fleet conversions.
Status: S: Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Environment and Energy Committee (Jan 13, 2026)
Assessment: This bill creates New Jersey corporation business tax and gross income tax credits for purchasing EV charging stations and converting commercial fleets to zero-emission vehicles — it contains no worker classification provisions, no ABC test, and no employment relationship language. While your business may benefit financially if you purchase qualifying zero-emission commercial vehicles, that is an operational tax planning matter, not a regulatory threat or protection. This legislation does not affect your ability to contract with independent owner-operators in any way.
Recommended action: No action needed — this bill has no bearing on independent contractor classification, broker liability, or carrier relationships.
Modifies provisions concerning licenses for persons who transport, broker, or process solid waste or soil and fill recyclable materials.
Modifies provisions concerning licenses for persons who transport, broker, or process solid waste or soil and fill recyclable materials.
Status: S: Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Environment and Energy Committee / Withdrawn Because Approved P.L.2025, c.330. (Jan 13, 2026)
Assessment: This New Jersey bill modifies licensing and disclosure requirements for businesses that transport, broker, or process solid waste and soil and fill recyclable materials under environmental law — it has no connection to worker classification, independent contractor status, or freight broker-carrier relationships. The 'broker' references here apply exclusively to solid waste and hazardous waste brokering regulated by the DEP and Attorney General, not freight or logistics brokering. Your operations are entirely outside the scope of this legislation.
A3847 / S3548
Last action: Jan 13, 2026 (104 days ago)
2/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Provides license renewal fee relief for businesses and individuals impacted by public highway projects.
Provides license renewal fee relief for businesses and individuals impacted by public highway projects.
Assessment: This bill waives professional and business license renewal fees for small businesses and licensed professionals operating within highway construction zones who demonstrate a significant reduction in income. It has no connection to worker classification, independent contractor status, joint employer liability, or any regulatory framework governing logistics brokers or motor carriers. Your business model and contractor relationships are entirely unaffected.
Recommended action: No action required — this bill has no impact on independent contractor classification, broker-carrier relationships, or freight operations.
Last action: Jan 13, 2026 (104 days ago)
2/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Establishes Main Street Economic Growth Program to encourage business development in small, highly developed municipalities.
Establishes Main Street Economic Growth Program to encourage business development in small, highly developed municipalities.
Assessment: This bill creates a small-municipality economic development program offering loans, tax credits, and technical assistance to qualifying area businesses — it contains no worker classification provisions, no independent contractor tests, and no employment relationship changes. The only IC reference explicitly excludes independent contractors from the definition of 'full-time employee' for tax credit purposes, which does not alter how you engage owner-operators. This legislation poses no threat and offers no material benefit to logistics brokers or freight operations.
Recommended action: No action needed — this bill has no bearing on your contractor relationships or operating model.
"Video Game Marketplace Trafficking Investigation Act," requires Attorney General to investigate misuse of online video game commerce systems for human trafficking activity.
"Video Game Marketplace Trafficking Investigation Act," requires Attorney General to investigate misuse of online video game commerce systems for human trafficking activity.
Status: S: Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee (Mar 12, 2026)
Assessment: This bill directs the New Jersey Attorney General to investigate human trafficking activity conducted through online video game marketplaces and gaming platforms — it has no connection to transportation, logistics, worker classification, or broker-carrier relationships. No mechanism in this bill affects how you contract with owner-operators or motor carriers. This is not relevant to your business operations.
Recommended action: No action needed — this bill has no bearing on freight brokerage, independent contractor classification, or carrier relationships.
"Video Game Marketplace Child Protection and Anti-Trafficking Act," creates new penalties for non-reporting of suspected human trafficking through video game marketplaces.
"Video Game Marketplace Child Protection and Anti-Trafficking Act," creates new penalties for non-reporting of suspected human trafficking through video game marketplaces.
Status: S: Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee (Mar 12, 2026)
Assessment: This New Jersey bill targets human trafficking conducted through video game marketplaces and gaming platforms, creating new criminal penalties and reporting obligations for those industries. It has no provisions related to worker classification, independent contractor status, broker-carrier relationships, or freight transportation. Your operations are entirely unaffected by this legislation.
Recommended action: No action is needed — this bill has no connection to freight brokerage, worker classification, or independent contractor relationships.
Extends deadline for submission of temporary certificate of occupancy for certain qualified residential projects or mixed-use parking projects under Economic Redevelopment and Growth Grant program to June 30, 2032.
Extends deadline for submission of temporary certificate of occupancy for certain qualified residential projects or mixed-use parking projects under Economic Redevelopment and Growth Grant program to June 30, 2032.
Status: S: Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Economic Growth Committee (Jan 13, 2026)
Assessment: This New Jersey bill extends a deadline for submitting temporary certificates of occupancy under the Economic Redevelopment and Growth Grant program for qualified residential and mixed-use parking projects. It contains no provisions related to worker classification, independent contractor status, employment relationships, or transportation industry regulation. Your business is entirely unaffected.
Recommended action: No action needed — this bill has no bearing on logistics broker or carrier operations.
S1759 / A2656
Last action: Mar 5, 2026 (53 days ago)
1/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Increases amount of rental payments defined as rent constituting property taxes for purposes of deduction from gross income for property tax payments; increases property tax credit option for certain individuals.
Increases amount of rental payments defined as rent constituting property taxes for purposes of deduction from gross income for property tax payments; increases property tax credit option for certain individuals.
Status: S: Reported from Senate Committee, 2nd Reading / Referred to Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee (Mar 05, 2026)
Assessment: This New Jersey bill modifies the state's Property Tax Deduction Act by increasing the 'rent constituting property taxes' percentage from 18% to 30% and raising the elective property tax credit from $50 to $250 for qualifying individuals. It contains no worker classification provisions, no changes to independent contractor status, and no employment relationship implications. This bill does not affect logistics broker or motor carrier operations in any way.
Recommended action: No action needed — this bill has no bearing on your contractor relationships or operational model.
Establishes Fusion Energy and Technology Incentive Program in EDA to encourage use of power plants for fusion energy and technology purposes; authorizes funds in Global Warming Solutions Fund to support fusion energy and technology facilities.
Establishes Fusion Energy and Technology Incentive Program in EDA to encourage use of power plants for fusion energy and technology purposes; authorizes funds in Global Warming Solutions Fund to support fusion energy and technology facilities.
Status: S: Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Economic Growth Committee (Feb 19, 2026)
Assessment: This New Jersey bill creates a tax credit program through the EDA to incentivize fusion energy and technology development at power plant sites — it has no connection to worker classification, independent contractor status, or the broker-carrier relationship. There are no provisions affecting how you engage owner-operators, no employment tests, and no new compliance burdens for freight or logistics operations.
Recommended action: No action needed — this bill has no bearing on your contractor relationships or operational model.
Last action: Feb 19, 2026 (67 days ago)
1/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Revises civil remedies for victims of invasion of privacy due to unauthorized recording or disclosure of sexual or intimate images.
Revises civil remedies for victims of invasion of privacy due to unauthorized recording or disclosure of sexual or intimate images.
Assessment: This New Jersey bill revises civil remedies for victims of unauthorized recording or disclosure of sexual or intimate images, including updated liquidated damages caps and liability exceptions. It has no connection to worker classification, independent contractor status, motor carrier relationships, or any operational or compliance area affecting logistics brokers. Your business is not impacted by this legislation.
Recommended action: No action needed — this bill has no bearing on logistics broker or freight carrier operations.
Last action: Feb 19, 2026 (67 days ago)
1/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Provides CBT and GIT credits for undertaking of qualified moderate-income housing projects in certain distressed municipalities.
Provides CBT and GIT credits for undertaking of qualified moderate-income housing projects in certain distressed municipalities.
Assessment: This NJ bill creates Corporation Business Tax and Gross Income Tax credits for developers undertaking moderate-income housing construction projects in distressed municipalities — it has no connection to worker classification, independent contractor status, or the broker-carrier relationship. There is no mechanism in this bill that affects how you engage owner-operators or exposes your business to misclassification liability.
Recommended action: No action needed — this bill has no bearing on your contractor relationships or freight operations.
Last action: Feb 12, 2026 (74 days ago)
1/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Provides CBT and GIT credits for completion of qualified construction projects at abandoned commercial building sites.
Provides CBT and GIT credits for completion of qualified construction projects at abandoned commercial building sites.
Assessment: This New Jersey bill creates corporation business tax and gross income tax credits for demolition, construction, debris removal, and remediation at abandoned commercial building sites — it contains no worker classification provisions, no independent contractor tests, and no employment relationship definitions. It does not affect how you contract with owner-operators or motor carriers in any way. This bill is entirely outside the scope of logistics broker regulatory concerns.
Recommended action: No action needed — this bill has no bearing on your contractor relationships or operational model.
Last action: Jan 13, 2026 (104 days ago)
1/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Expands definition of personal data to include use of reproductive health care services and prohibits collection of reproductive health care prescription drugs from Prescription Monitoring Program.
Expands definition of personal data to include use of reproductive health care services and prohibits collection of reproductive health care prescription drugs from Prescription Monitoring Program.
Assessment: This New Jersey bill expands the definition of personal data and sensitive data under state privacy law to include reproductive health care services, and restricts collection of related prescription data from the Prescription Monitoring Program. It contains no provisions related to worker classification, independent contractor status, broker-carrier relationships, or transportation industry compliance. This legislation does not affect your business model in any way.
Recommended action: No action is needed — this bill has no bearing on your contractor relationships or freight operations.
Last action: Jan 13, 2026 (104 days ago)
1/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Clarifies exception to hearsay rule concerning medical diagnosis or treatment for purposes of providing, continuing, or ending mental health services.
Clarifies exception to hearsay rule concerning medical diagnosis or treatment for purposes of providing, continuing, or ending mental health services.
Status: S: Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee (Jan 13, 2026)
Assessment: This New Jersey joint resolution amends the state Rules of Evidence to clarify that hearsay statements made for purposes of medical diagnosis or treatment explicitly include decisions about the provision, continuation, or cessation of mental health services. It has no connection to worker classification, independent contractor status, broker-carrier relationships, or any other regulatory framework affecting your business.
Recommended action: No action is needed — this bill has no bearing on freight broker or carrier operations.
Last action: Jan 13, 2026 (104 days ago)
1/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Provides CBT and gross income tax credits for replacement of abandoned commercial building with new commercial building.
Provides CBT and gross income tax credits for replacement of abandoned commercial building with new commercial building.
Status: S: Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Economic Growth Committee (Jan 13, 2026)
Assessment: This New Jersey bill creates CBT and gross income tax credits for demolishing and replacing abandoned commercial buildings of at least 100,000 square feet, capped at $500,000 or 25% of costs per taxpayer and $5 million in cumulative credits statewide. It contains no provisions related to worker classification, independent contractor status, joint employer liability, or any other labor or employment issue affecting logistics brokers. This bill is entirely irrelevant to your business operations.
Recommended action: No action needed — this bill has no bearing on your contractor relationships, classification exposure, or operational model.
Last action: Jan 13, 2026 (104 days ago)
1/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Provides tax credits equal to cost of Jersey Fresh products purchased by breweries and wineries to be used in production of beer or wine.
Provides tax credits equal to cost of Jersey Fresh products purchased by breweries and wineries to be used in production of beer or wine.
Status: S: Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Economic Growth Committee (Jan 13, 2026)
Assessment: This bill provides corporation business tax and gross income tax credits of up to $10,000 for breweries and wineries that purchase New Jersey-grown commodities through the Jersey Fresh Quality Grading Program. It contains no worker classification provisions, no changes to independent contractor or employment status tests, and no impact on broker-carrier relationships. This legislation is entirely irrelevant to your business model.
Recommended action: No action needed — this bill has no bearing on logistics broker or carrier operations.
Last action: Jan 13, 2026 (104 days ago)
1/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Provides CBT and GIT tax credits to certain food and drink establishments for purchase of certain local ingredients and products.
Provides CBT and GIT tax credits to certain food and drink establishments for purchase of certain local ingredients and products.
Status: S: Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Economic Growth Committee (Jan 13, 2026)
Assessment: This New Jersey bill creates corporation business tax and gross income tax credits for restaurants, bars, breweries, and wineries that purchase locally grown ingredients and New Jersey-produced beer or wine. It contains no provisions related to worker classification, independent contractor status, joint employer liability, or freight transportation. This bill has no impact on your business.
Recommended action: No action needed — this bill has no bearing on your operations or contractor relationships.
Last action: Jan 13, 2026 (104 days ago)
1/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Restricts phosphorus content and requires labelling thereof for household cleansing products.
Restricts phosphorus content and requires labelling thereof for household cleansing products.
Status: S: Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Environment and Energy Committee (Jan 13, 2026)
Assessment: This New Jersey bill regulates phosphorus content and labeling requirements for household cleansing products such as soaps and detergents — it has no connection to worker classification, independent contractor status, or the broker-carrier relationship. There is no mechanism here that affects how you contract with owner-operators or exposes your business to any new compliance burden. This bill is entirely outside the scope of freight logistics operations.
Recommended action: No action needed — this bill has no bearing on broker or carrier operations.
Last action: Jan 13, 2026 (104 days ago)
1/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Permits certain businesses to complete business registration certificate and annual report together.
Permits certain businesses to complete business registration certificate and annual report together.
Status: S: Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Commerce Committee (Jan 13, 2026)
Assessment: This New Jersey bill allows businesses to file their annual report and business registration certificate simultaneously as an administrative convenience measure. It contains no worker classification provisions, no changes to independent contractor status, and no employment relationship definitions that affect your broker-carrier arrangements.
Recommended action: No action needed — this bill has no impact on broker or carrier operations.
Last action: Jan 13, 2026 (104 days ago)
1/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Prohibits EDA from issuing subsidies for wind energy projects.
Prohibits EDA from issuing subsidies for wind energy projects.
Assessment: This New Jersey bill prohibits the Economic Development Authority from issuing subsidies, grants, tax credits, or other financial assistance for wind energy projects. It contains no worker classification provisions, no ABC test, no misclassification enforcement, and no changes to independent contractor status — making it entirely irrelevant to your operations as a logistics broker.
Recommended action: No action needed — this bill has no bearing on broker-carrier relationships or independent contractor classification.
Last action: Jan 13, 2026 (104 days ago)
1/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Modifies time in which lien claim form for commercial construction may be filed.
Modifies time in which lien claim form for commercial construction may be filed.
Assessment: This bill extends the filing window for commercial construction lien claims from 90 to 240 days under New Jersey's Construction Lien Law — it has nothing to do with worker classification, independent contractor status, or the broker-carrier relationship. It applies exclusively to contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers in the construction industry seeking to secure unpaid balances against real property. Your business is not affected by this legislation.
Recommended action: No action needed — this bill has no bearing on logistics broker or carrier operations.
Last action: Jan 13, 2026 (104 days ago)
1/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Establishes uniform rates for water and sewer services for residential use based exclusively on metered consumption.
Establishes uniform rates for water and sewer services for residential use based exclusively on metered consumption.
Assessment: This New Jersey bill establishes uniform, metered-consumption-based rates for residential water and sewer services and has no connection to worker classification, independent contractor status, or the broker-carrier relationship. It does not affect your ability to contract with owner-operators or impose any compliance burden on logistics brokers or motor carriers.
Recommended action: No action is needed — this bill has no bearing on your contractor relationships or freight operations.
Last action: Jan 13, 2026 (104 days ago)
1/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Provides corporation business and gross income tax credits for acquisition of qualified farming equipment.
Provides corporation business and gross income tax credits for acquisition of qualified farming equipment.
Status: S: Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Economic Growth Committee (Jan 13, 2026)
Assessment: This bill creates a 10% New Jersey corporation business and gross income tax credit for the acquisition of qualified farming equipment used in eligible farming operations — it has no connection to worker classification, independent contractor status, or freight transportation. No provisions affect broker-carrier relationships, owner-operator arrangements, or any compliance obligations relevant to your business.
Recommended action: Take no action — this bill has no bearing on logistics broker or freight carrier operations.
Last action: Jan 13, 2026 (104 days ago)
1/10 SCORENEUTRAL
"Fusion Technology Industry Promotion Act"; establishes program to promote fusion technology industry and attract fusion technology businesses.
"Fusion Technology Industry Promotion Act"; establishes program to promote fusion technology industry and attract fusion technology businesses.
Status: S: Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Economic Growth Committee (Jan 13, 2026)
Assessment: This bill establishes a state program to promote the fusion energy technology industry in New Jersey through the Economic Development Authority, with no connection to transportation, logistics, or worker classification. It contains no provisions affecting independent contractor status, broker-carrier relationships, or any regulatory framework relevant to freight operations. Your business is not affected by this legislation.
Recommended action: No action needed — this bill has no bearing on freight brokerage, carrier contracting, or worker classification.
Last action: Jan 13, 2026 (104 days ago)
1/10 SCORENEUTRAL
"New Jersey Workforce Housing Partnership Act"; incentivizes homebuyer assistance to certain employees, provides tax credits for development of certain workforce housing, and provides certain assistance and affordability protections for middle-income residents; appropriates $55 million.
"New Jersey Workforce Housing Partnership Act"; incentivizes homebuyer assistance to certain employees, provides tax credits for development of certain workforce housing, and provides certain assistance and affordability protections for middle-income residents; appropriates $55 million.
Status: S: Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee (Jan 13, 2026)
Assessment: This bill creates a workforce housing assistance program offering employer-matched down payment grants, low-interest mortgage loans, and tax credits for residential development — it contains no provisions related to worker classification, independent contractor status, or broker-carrier liability. There is no ABC test, employment relationship definition, misclassification penalty, or any other mechanism that affects how your business contracts with owner-operators. This legislation is entirely outside the scope of freight logistics operations.
Recommended action: No action is needed — this bill has no bearing on broker-carrier relationships or independent contractor classification.
Last action: Jan 13, 2026 (104 days ago)
1/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Revises penalties for certain prohibited sales of tobacco and vapor products and smoking in indoor places.
Revises penalties for certain prohibited sales of tobacco and vapor products and smoking in indoor places.
Status: S: Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Health Committee (Jan 13, 2026)
Assessment: This New Jersey bill revises civil penalties for prohibited sales of tobacco and vapor products to minors and regulates smoking in indoor places — it has no connection to worker classification, independent contractor status, or freight broker operations. None of the statutory mechanisms affect how you contract with owner-operators or motor carriers.
Recommended action: No action needed — this bill has no bearing on your broker-carrier relationships or independent contractor classification.
Last action: Jan 13, 2026 (104 days ago)
1/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Provides CBT and GIT credits for completion of qualified residential housing projects at abandoned commercial building sites.
Provides CBT and GIT credits for completion of qualified residential housing projects at abandoned commercial building sites.
Status: S: Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee (Jan 13, 2026)
Assessment: This New Jersey bill creates corporation business tax and gross income tax credits for developers who complete residential housing projects at abandoned commercial building sites, capped at 25% of qualified construction costs or $1,000,000. It contains no provisions related to worker classification, independent contractor status, employment relationships, or freight transportation. Your broker and carrier operations are entirely unaffected.
Recommended action: No action required — this bill has no bearing on logistics broker or carrier operations.
Last action: Jan 13, 2026 (104 days ago)
1/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Revises certain eligibility requirements under NJ Aspire Program; establishes net neutral benefits test for redevelopment projects that incur certain sustainability and resiliency costs.
Revises certain eligibility requirements under NJ Aspire Program; establishes net neutral benefits test for redevelopment projects that incur certain sustainability and resiliency costs.
Status: S: Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Commerce Committee (Jan 13, 2026)
Assessment: This bill revises eligibility requirements for the NJ Aspire Program, a state redevelopment tax credit program focused on real estate projects, sustainability costs, and housing. It contains no provisions related to worker classification, independent contractor status, or broker-carrier relationships. This legislation has no impact on your business.
Recommended action: No action needed — this bill has no bearing on your contractor relationships or operational model.
S95 / A4782
Last action: Jan 13, 2026 (104 days ago)
1/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Clarifies crime of unlawful access concerning certain password protected communications in electronic storage.
Clarifies crime of unlawful access concerning certain password protected communications in electronic storage.
Status: S: Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee (Jan 13, 2026)
Assessment: This bill amends New Jersey's wiretapping statute to clarify criminal liability for unauthorized access to password-protected electronic communications such as email accounts. It has no connection to worker classification, independent contractor status, or the broker-carrier relationship. Your business is unaffected.
Recommended action: No action needed — this bill has no bearing on broker or carrier operations.
A2049 / S434
Last action: Jan 13, 2026 (104 days ago)
1/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Prohibits sale of cats, dogs, or rabbits by pet shops; repeals "Pet Purchase Protection Act."
Prohibits sale of cats, dogs, or rabbits by pet shops; repeals "Pet Purchase Protection Act."
Assessment: This New Jersey bill prohibits pet shops from selling cats, dogs, or rabbits and repeals the Pet Purchase Protection Act — it has no connection to worker classification, independent contractor status, or the broker-carrier relationship. There are no provisions affecting how you engage owner-operators, your liability exposure, or your compliance obligations. This bill is entirely outside the scope of logistics broker regulatory concerns.
Recommended action: No action is needed — this bill has no bearing on your contractor relationships, IC classification, or broker operations.
Clarifies that certain beach owners and lessees have no duty to keep beach safe or to warn of hazards; provides immunity from liability, in certain cases, for injuries occurring on beach or in adjacent waters.
Clarifies that certain beach owners and lessees have no duty to keep beach safe or to warn of hazards; provides immunity from liability, in certain cases, for injuries occurring on beach or in adjacent waters.
Status: S: Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Environment and Energy Committee (Jan 13, 2026)
Assessment: This New Jersey bill establishes liability immunity for private beach owners and lessees regarding injuries to beachgoers on unguarded or guarded beach premises. It contains no worker classification provisions, no independent contractor or employment relationship language, and no trucking or freight industry components. This legislation has zero impact on logistics broker or motor carrier operations.
Recommended action: No action is needed — this bill has no bearing on your operations or contractor relationships.
Establishes certain governance and service standards for developmental disability service providers; appropriates $300,000.
Establishes certain governance and service standards for developmental disability service providers; appropriates $300,000.
Status: S: Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee (Jan 13, 2026)
Assessment: This New Jersey bill establishes governance, financial, and service delivery standards exclusively for developmental disability service providers operating under the Division of Developmental Disabilities. It has no bearing on worker classification, independent contractor status, broker-carrier relationships, or freight transportation in any form. Logistics brokers and freight companies are entirely outside the scope of this legislation.
Recommended action: No action needed — this bill has no impact on logistics broker or motor carrier operations.
Establishes gross income tax credit and corporation business tax credit for student loan payments.
Establishes gross income tax credit and corporation business tax credit for student loan payments.
Status: S: Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Higher Education Committee (Jan 13, 2026)
Assessment: This New Jersey bill creates gross income tax and corporation business tax credits for student loan payments made by individuals and employers — it has no connection to worker classification, independent contractor status, or the broker-carrier relationship. There are no provisions affecting how owner-operators are engaged, no misclassification tests, and no new compliance burdens for freight brokers or motor carriers. This legislation is entirely outside your operational and regulatory concerns.
Recommended action: No action needed — this bill has no bearing on broker-carrier relationships or independent contractor classification.
Establishes tax credits and financial grant related to construction and operation of advanced nuclear energy facilities.
Establishes tax credits and financial grant related to construction and operation of advanced nuclear energy facilities.
Status: S: Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Environment and Energy Committee (Jan 13, 2026)
Assessment: This New Jersey bill establishes tax credits and financial grants for construction and operation of advanced nuclear energy facilities, with no provisions touching worker classification, independent contractor status, or broker-carrier relationships. It is entirely focused on energy infrastructure investment incentives and poses no risk or benefit to logistics brokers or freight operations.
Recommended action: No action needed — this bill has no bearing on your contractor relationships or operational model.
New York (NY) — 6 bills
Last action: Mar 30, 2026 (28 days ago)
9/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Empowers the commissioner of labor to issue stop-work orders against employers for misclassification of employees as independent contractors or for providing false, incomplete, or misleading information to an insurance company on the number of employees of such employer.
Empowers the commissioner of labor to issue stop-work orders against employers for misclassification of employees as independent contractors or for providing false, incomplete, or misleading information to an insurance company on the number of employees of such employer.
Status: S: PASSED SENATE / DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY (Mar 30, 2026)
Assessment: This bill grants New York's Commissioner of Labor authority to issue stop-work orders halting all business operations at every worksite where misclassification is found — a direct operational threat to your carrier relationships and freight movements. Non-compliance carries penalties of $1,000–$5,000 per day, and the stop-work order binds successor entities sharing principals or officers, meaning restructuring to avoid liability is foreclosed. If any of your contracted owner-operators or carriers are deemed misclassified under New York labor law, your freight operations touching New York worksites could be shut down entirely while disputes are resolved.
Recommended action: Brokers and carriers operating in New York should actively oppose this bill and engage with industry associations to lobby against its passage.
Last action: Apr 7, 2026 (20 days ago)
8/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Enacts the "Empowering People in Rights Enforcement (EMPIRE) Worker Protection Act"; relates to the delegation of state enforcement authority to private actors; authorizes an affected employee, whistleblower, representative organization or an organizational deputy to initiate a public enforcement action on behalf of the commissioner for certain provisions of the labor law, or any regulation promulgated thereunder.
Enacts the "Empowering People in Rights Enforcement (EMPIRE) Worker Protection Act"; relates to the delegation of state enforcement authority to private actors; authorizes an affected employee, whistleblower, representative organization or an organizational deputy to initiate a public enforcement action on behalf of the commissioner for certain provisions of the labor law, or any regulation promulgated thereunder.
Status: S: REFERRED TO LABOR (Apr 07, 2026)
Assessment: This bill creates a California PAGA-style private attorneys general mechanism under New York labor law, explicitly allowing any worker who 'claims to be an employee' — including those currently classified as independent contractors — to initiate public enforcement actions against your business for alleged misclassification. The $500-per-employee-per-pay-period civil penalty structure, combined with mandatory attorney fee shifting to prevailing relators, means a single owner-operator reclassification dispute could trigger massive, aggregated penalty exposure across your entire carrier network. Labor organizations can be deputized by the state to sue on behalf of workers, and the catalyst doctrine means plaintiffs can recover fees even without a court judgment, creating strong incentives for strike suits against brokers.
Recommended action: Brokers operating in New York should monitor this bill closely and engage with industry associations to oppose its passage, as it dramatically expands enforcement exposure for labor law violations affecting workers who claim misclassification.
Last action: Mar 30, 2026 (28 days ago)
8/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Authorizes the commissioner of labor and the workers' compensation board to issue stop-work orders; establishes procedure for the issuance of such orders; establishes penalties for failure to comply with such orders.
Authorizes the commissioner of labor and the workers' compensation board to issue stop-work orders; establishes procedure for the issuance of such orders; establishes penalties for failure to comply with such orders.
Status: S: ADVANCED TO THIRD READING (Mar 30, 2026)
Assessment: This bill grants the NY Commissioner of Labor and Workers' Compensation Board authority to issue stop-work orders halting all business operations at every worksite where a wage payment or workers' comp coverage violation is found, with daily penalties of $1,000–$5,000 for non-compliance. For your business, a stop-work order triggered by a wage or coverage dispute — including one tied to how your contracted owner-operators are classified — could shut down carrier operations at every affected terminal or dispatch site within 72 hours. The successor-liability provision means a restructured carrier entity inherits the order, eliminating a common workaround and increasing your exposure when vetting carrier partners.
Recommended action: Logistics brokers and carriers operating in New York should oppose this bill and engage with the NY Senate Labor Committee to highlight the operational risk stop-work authority poses to freight operations.
S00448 / A04278
Last action: Dec 24, 2025 (124 days ago)
8/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Enacts the "Empowering People in Rights Enforcement (EMPIRE) Worker Protection Act"; relates to the delegation of state enforcement authority to private actors; authorizes an affected employee, whistleblower, representative organization or an organizational deputy to initiate a public enforcement action on behalf of the commissioner for certain provisions of the labor law, or any regulation promulgated thereunder.
Enacts the "Empowering People in Rights Enforcement (EMPIRE) Worker Protection Act"; relates to the delegation of state enforcement authority to private actors; authorizes an affected employee, whistleblower, representative organization or an organizational deputy to initiate a public enforcement action on behalf of the commissioner for certain provisions of the labor law, or any regulation promulgated thereunder.
Status: S: AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO LABOR / PRINT NUMBER 448C (Dec 24, 2025)
Assessment: This bill creates a California PAGA-style private attorney general mechanism under New York Labor Law, explicitly including misclassified workers — defined as 'any person who is not classified by a business as an employee but who claims to be an employee' — as eligible relators who can sue on behalf of the state. If enacted, owner-operators or their representatives could file public enforcement actions against your brokerage or carrier partners, collecting civil penalties of $500 per affected worker per pay period per violation, plus mandatory attorney's fees. The qui tam structure and broad definition of 'affected employee' make this a significant litigation exposure for any broker arrangement where contractor classification could be contested.
Recommended action: Brokers operating in New York should monitor this bill closely and engage industry associations to oppose it, as it creates a direct private litigation threat tied to worker misclassification claims.
Last action: Jan 7, 2026 (110 days ago)
6/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Authorizes certain penalties to be assessed against members of a limited liability company and partners of a limited liability partnership or partnership.
Authorizes certain penalties to be assessed against members of a limited liability company and partners of a limited liability partnership or partnership.
Status: S: REFERRED TO LABOR (Jan 07, 2026)
Assessment: This bill amends New York's Workers' Compensation Law to make members of LLCs and partners of LLPs and partnerships personally, jointly, and severally liable for workers' compensation awards when those entities fail to secure coverage — the same liability previously reserved for corporate officers. If your brokerage or any carrier you contract with is structured as an LLC or partnership and lacks proper workers' comp coverage, this bill creates a direct path to personal financial liability for the individual members. While it does not directly address independent contractor classification, it raises the financial stakes for any misclassification-adjacent compliance gap in your business structure.
Recommended action: Brokers operating as LLCs or partnerships in New York should monitor this bill and engage with state trade associations to assess exposure, as it extends personal liability for workers' comp violations to LLC members and partners.
Last action: Feb 3, 2026 (83 days ago)
2/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Requires the workers' compensation board and the department of labor to publish lists of debarred entities as open data; directs the office of general services to maintain and publish such lists on their website.
Requires the workers' compensation board and the department of labor to publish lists of debarred entities as open data; directs the office of general services to maintain and publish such lists on their website.
Status: S: ADVANCED TO THIRD READING (Feb 03, 2026)
Assessment: This bill solely requires the Workers' Compensation Board and Department of Labor to publish debarment lists as open data on state websites — it creates no new classification tests, penalties, or enforcement mechanisms. The only transportation-adjacent provision (Section 5, amending Labor Law §862-d on commercial goods transportation contractors) adds only a public reporting requirement for already-debarred entities, not any new grounds for debarment. Your use of independent owner-operators is entirely unaffected by this transparency measure.
Recommended action: No action needed — this bill does not affect your contractor relationships or classification obligations.
Ohio (OH) — 3 bills
Last action: Feb 4, 2026 (82 days ago)
9/10 SCORESUPPORT
Regards employment under Ohio's overtime and minimum wage laws
To amend sections 4111.03 and 4111.14 and to enact section 4111.20 of the Revised Code regarding the distinction between employees and independent contractors under Ohio's overtime and minimum wage laws.
Status: H: Referred to committee: Commerce and Labor (Feb 04, 2026)
Assessment: Ohio HB 624 enacts a new Section 4111.20 and amends existing wage law to establish a specific, enumerated safe harbor for owner-operators working for motor carriers — covering vehicle ownership, mileage-based compensation, control over means and manner of service, written IC contracts, and responsibility for operating costs and economic risk. If your owner-operators meet all seven listed factors, they are explicitly excluded from the definition of 'employee' under both Ohio's overtime and minimum wage statutes, significantly reducing your misclassification exposure in the state. This is a pro-broker, pro-IC classification standard that strengthens the legal foundation for your existing contractor relationships in Ohio.
Recommended action: Logistics brokers and motor carriers operating in Ohio should actively support this bill, as it codifies a multi-factor safe harbor that explicitly excludes qualifying owner-operators from employee status under Ohio's overtime and minimum wage laws.
Last action: Feb 4, 2026 (82 days ago)
2/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Modify the laws related to transportation network companies
To amend sections 2307.71, 4925.04, and 4925.09 of the Revised Code to modify the laws related to transportation network companies.
Status: H: Referred to committee: Transportation (Feb 04, 2026)
Assessment: This Ohio bill modifies rules for transportation network companies (TNCs) like Uber and Lyft — covering driver background checks, minimum age, vicarious liability shields, and state preemption of local TNC regulation. It does not address freight brokerage, motor carrier contracting, or independent contractor classification standards applicable to your owner-operator relationships. Your business model and IC arrangements are entirely outside the scope of this legislation.
Recommended action: No action needed — this bill governs rideshare platforms and their drivers, not freight brokers or owner-operator carrier relationships.
Last action: Jun 4, 2025 (327 days ago)
2/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Revise Unemployment Compensation Law
To amend sections 4141.01, 4141.09, 4141.13, 4141.23, 4141.231, 4141.24, 4141.25, 4141.26, 4141.27, 4141.36, 4141.39, 5726.31, 5733.121, 5736.081, 5747.12, and 5751.081 and to enact section 4141.252 of the Revised Code to increase the taxable wage base under the Unemployment Compensation Law and require a contributory employer's employees to pay a contribution when the employer has a negative account balance in the Unemployment Compensation Fund.
Status: H: Referred to committee: Public Insurance and Pensions (Jun 04, 2025)
Assessment: This Ohio bill increases the taxable wage base for unemployment compensation and requires employees to contribute when their employer carries a negative UI fund balance — it contains no worker classification test, no misclassification penalty, and no change to independent contractor status. The existing IC exclusion in Ohio's unemployment law (freedom from direction or control) is unchanged, so your use of owner-operators and independent carriers is unaffected. This is a UI funding mechanics bill with no operational impact on logistics brokers.
Recommended action: No action is needed — this bill does not affect independent contractor classification or broker-carrier relationships.
Pennsylvania (PA) — 6 bills
Last action: Apr 9, 2025 (383 days ago)
9/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Providing for criteria for independent contractors and for powers and duties of the Department of Labor and Industry and the Secretary of Labor and Industry; and imposing penalties.
An Act providing for criteria for independent contractors and for powers and duties of the Department of Labor and Industry and the Secretary of Labor and Industry; and imposing penalties.
Status: S: Referred to Labor & Industry (Apr 09, 2025)
Assessment: This bill establishes a multi-factor independent contractor test for all non-construction industries in Pennsylvania, requiring written project-specific contracts, freedom from behavioral control, AND proof of an independently established business with separate location, proprietary interest, and profit/loss risk — all five criteria under Section 3(b) must be met to maintain IC status. If your owner-operators cannot satisfy every prong, they risk reclassification under workers' compensation and unemployment compensation law, triggering back contributions and coverage obligations. The enforcement arsenal is severe: stop-work orders, civil penalties up to $2,500 per worker per violation, criminal felony charges for repeat offenders, private rights of action with treble damages, and — critically — Section 4(e) exposes brokers who contract with carriers knowing misclassification will occur to the same penalties as the employer.
Recommended action: Engage Pennsylvania legislative contacts and industry associations to oppose this bill or seek transportation/broker-specific exemptions before it advances out of committee.
Last action: Jun 24, 2025 (307 days ago)
8/10 SCORESUPPORT
In liability and compensation, providing for registration of status as independent contractor.
An Act amending the act of June 2, 1915 (P.L.736, No.338), known as the Workers' Compensation Act, in liability and compensation, providing for registration of status as independent contractor.
Status: S: Referred to Labor & Industry (Jun 24, 2025)
Assessment: This Pennsylvania bill amends the Workers' Compensation Act to create a voluntary IC registration system: once a contractor files an affidavit confirming their non-employee status (anchored to federal tax classification as an independent contractor), you are explicitly relieved of workers' comp coverage obligations and benefit liability for that individual. This is a direct safe harbor for broker-carrier arrangements — reducing your exposure to workers' comp claims from owner-operators without requiring reclassification. The registration is self-renewing and the bill's carve-out of the Construction Workplace Misclassification Act confirms it applies broadly, including to transportation.
Recommended action: Logistics brokers and carriers operating in Pennsylvania should actively support this bill, as it creates a formal registration mechanism that shields your business from workers' compensation liability when contracting with registered independent owner-operators.
Last action: Jun 18, 2025 (313 days ago)
7/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Providing for interagency cooperation regarding employee misclassification; and establishing the Employee Misclassification Working Group.
An Act providing for interagency cooperation regarding employee misclassification; and establishing the Employee Misclassification Working Group.
Status: H: Re-reported as committed / Third consideration and final passage (108-95) (Jun 11, 2025) · S: Referred to Labor & Industry (Jun 18, 2025)
Assessment: This bill creates a coordinated interagency enforcement infrastructure — linking the Department of Labor and Industry, Department of Revenue, and Office of Attorney General — specifically to investigate misclassification, with data-sharing authority across workers' compensation, unemployment compensation, and labor law compliance bureaus. While it does not establish a new classification test, the working group's mandate to 'coordinate enforcement strategies' and cross-match tax data using federal EINs means your owner-operator relationships could be scrutinized under existing Pennsylvania standards. The practical risk is increased audit exposure and enforcement coordination that could surface misclassification claims against brokers contracting with independent owner-operators.
Recommended action: Engage with Pennsylvania legislators and industry associations to monitor whether this working group leads to expanded enforcement actions or reclassification audits targeting broker-carrier arrangements.
Last action: Dec 17, 2025 (131 days ago)
3/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Providing for employer self-audit program to foster collaboration with employers to voluntarily remedy unpaid wages owed to an affected employee or cure a negligent violation that was the result of an employer inadvertently violating a labor act.
An Act providing for employer self-audit program to foster collaboration with employers to voluntarily remedy unpaid wages owed to an affected employee or cure a negligent violation that was the result of an employer inadvertently violating a labor act.
Status: H: Referred to Labor & Industry (Dec 17, 2025)
Assessment: This Pennsylvania bill creates a voluntary self-audit program allowing employers to self-report and remedy unpaid wage violations under state labor acts in exchange for protection from administrative penalties. It applies to traditional employer-employee relationships and does not alter independent contractor classification standards, introduce an ABC test, or expand joint employer liability. The Construction Workplace Misclassification Act is listed as a covered labor act, but the bill's mechanism — penalty relief for self-reported wage errors — poses no new reclassification risk to your broker-carrier model.
Recommended action: No action needed — this bill does not affect independent contractor classification or broker-carrier relationships.
Last action: Mar 23, 2026 (35 days ago)
2/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Providing for the registration of labor brokers; imposing duties on the Department of Labor and Industry and the Secretary of Labor and Industry; establishing the Labor Broker Registration Account; and imposing penalties.
An Act providing for the registration of labor brokers; imposing duties on the Department of Labor and Industry and the Secretary of Labor and Industry; establishing the Labor Broker Registration Account; and imposing penalties.
Status: H: Reported as amended / First consideration / Laid on the table (Mar 23, 2026)
Assessment: This Pennsylvania bill defines 'labor broker' narrowly as an entity that supplies construction workers to employers for construction projects, explicitly excluding non-construction subcontractors. Your freight brokerage operations — arranging transportation with independent owner-operators and motor carriers — fall entirely outside the scope of this legislation. There is no mechanism here that touches carrier classification, trucking contracts, or broker-carrier relationships in the freight industry.
Recommended action: No action needed — this bill applies exclusively to labor brokers supplying construction workers to construction projects and does not affect freight logistics brokers or owner-operator arrangements.
Last action: Apr 9, 2025 (383 days ago)
2/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Providing for the registration of labor brokers; imposing duties on the Department of Labor and Industry and the Secretary of Labor and Industry; establishing the Labor Broker Registration Account; and imposing penalties.
An Act providing for the registration of labor brokers; imposing duties on the Department of Labor and Industry and the Secretary of Labor and Industry; establishing the Labor Broker Registration Account; and imposing penalties.
Status: S: Referred to Labor & Industry (Apr 09, 2025)
Assessment: This Pennsylvania bill defines a 'labor broker' strictly as an entity that supplies workers for construction projects, and all penalties, registration requirements, and prohibited acts flow from that construction-specific definition. Freight brokers arranging transportation with independent owner-operators and motor carriers fall entirely outside the bill's scope. This legislation poses no threat to your IC contracting model and requires no monitoring.
Recommended action: No action needed — this bill applies exclusively to construction labor brokers and has no bearing on freight brokerage or motor carrier contracting arrangements.
Tennessee (TN) — 2 bills
Last action: Feb 5, 2026 (81 days ago)
7/10 SCOREOPPOSE
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 29 and Title 39, relative to criminal offenses.
As introduced, creates the new criminal offenses of systematic unauthorized employment and aggravated systematic unauthorized employment; establishes the tort of unfair competition. - Amends TCA Title 29 and Title 39.
Status: H: P2C, ref. to Commerce Committee - Judiciary Committee / Assigned to s/c Banking & Consumer Affairs Subcommittee (Feb 05, 2026)
Assessment: This bill creates felony criminal liability for 'misclassifying a worker as an independent contractor rather than an employee with intent to evade employment verification requirements' and makes brokers jointly and severally liable with subcontractors for restitution — including unpaid wages, taxes, and workers' comp premiums — on shared projects. If your business contracts with owner-operators or carriers and any of those parties is later found to have employed unauthorized workers, you could face criminal exposure, license revocation, and civil unfair-competition claims from competitors. The bill is primarily aimed at construction subcontracting and labor trafficking, but its broad definitions of 'employer,' 'independent contractor,' and joint liability extend beyond construction and could ensnare freight brokers who contract with carriers that have unauthorized workers in their fleets.
Recommended action: Brokers operating in Tennessee should monitor this bill and engage with legislators to clarify that legitimate independent contractor arrangements with authorized workers are not swept into the misclassification and joint-and-several liability provisions.
Last action: Feb 5, 2026 (81 days ago)
7/10 SCOREOPPOSE
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 29 and Title 39, relative to criminal offenses.
As introduced, creates the new criminal offenses of systematic unauthorized employment and aggravated systematic unauthorized employment; establishes the tort of unfair competition. - Amends TCA Title 29 and Title 39.
Status: S: Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee (Feb 05, 2026)
Assessment: This bill creates felony criminal liability for anyone who 'misclassifies a worker as an independent contractor rather than an employee with intent to evade employment verification requirements' or who 'knowingly uses or contracts with an independent contractor or subcontractor whose business is substantially reliant on unauthorized labor' — both provisions that could be applied to broker-carrier relationships if a contracted carrier is later found to employ unauthorized workers. The joint and several liability clause makes brokers potentially responsible for restitution, back taxes, workers' comp premiums, and damages to competing businesses arising from a carrier's violations on a shared project. While the bill targets labor trafficking and unauthorized employment rather than IC classification broadly, the misclassification provision and subcontractor liability chain create real exposure for logistics brokers who cannot fully vet every owner-operator's workforce compliance.
Recommended action: Brokers should engage with Tennessee legislators to clarify that legitimate independent contractor arrangements with licensed motor carriers are not swept into the 'misclassification scheme' or 'subcontractor reliance on unauthorized labor' provisions that trigger felony liability.
United States Congress (US) — 10 bills
Last action: Mar 5, 2026 (53 days ago)
9/10 SCORESUPPORT
21st Century Worker Act
A bill to clarify the classification of service provider payees as employees or independent contractors in Federal law.
Status: S: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (Mar 05, 2026)
Assessment: This bill creates a federal
classification framework that is strongly pro-independent contractor: it establishes mandatory IC status for workers who qualify as business entities, bona fide sole proprietors, formal bona fide contractors, or licensed tradespeople — categories that directly describe the owner-operators your business contracts with daily. The mandatory employee classification under Section 104 is tightly defined around a 'substantial economic relationship' requiring the payor to set hours, demand substantially full-time exclusivity for four or more consecutive weeks, and base more than 75% of pay on time worked — a high bar that standard broker-carrier arrangements will not meet. Critically, the bill also applies these standards to the FLSA and NLRA through Title II, which would displace the looser economic-realities tests that regulators have used to challenge IC arrangements in transportation.
Recommended action: Logistics brokers should actively support this bill and urge their representatives to advance it, as it would replace ambiguous multi-factor and ABC-style tests with clear, affirmative IC safe harbors under federal law.
Last action: Feb 20, 2026 (66 days ago)
9/10 SCORESUPPORT
Modern Worker Empowerment Act
To amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 and the National Labor Relations Act to clarify the standard for determining whether an individual is an employee, and for other purposes.
Status: H: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Education and Workforce. H. Rept. 119-505. / Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 431. (Feb 20, 2026)
Assessment: This bill amends the FLSA to establish a two-prong behavioral-control test for IC status — an individual is an independent contractor if the hiring party does not exercise significant control over the details of how work is performed and the individual retains entrepreneurial opportunity and risk. Critically, the bill also enumerates a set of factors that regulators are expressly prohibited from using to find an employment relationship, including insurance requirements, safety standards, and performance deadlines — all conditions commonly found in your carrier contracts. The NLRA is then amended to import this same pro-IC standard, closing the door on the NLRB using a broader economic-realities test to reclassify your owner-operators as employees.
Recommended action: Engage your trade associations and congressional contacts to support passage of H.R. 1319, as it would lock in a pro-IC classification standard under both the FLSA and NLRA that directly protects your owner-operator contracting model.
Last action: Jul 9, 2025 (292 days ago)
9/10 SCORESUPPORT
Modern Worker Empowerment Act
A bill to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to harmonize the definition of employee with the common law.
Status: S: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (Jul 09, 2025)
Assessment: This bill amends the FLSA to replace the current broad 'suffer or permit' employment standard with the common law control test — meaning a worker is only an employee if the hiring party controls the manner and means of the work, which is the most favorable standard for independent contractor arrangements. For logistics brokers, this directly protects your owner-operator relationships from FLSA-based misclassification claims by anchoring the analysis in behavioral control rather than economic dependence. If enacted, DOL enforcement actions and private lawsuits seeking to reclassify your contracted carriers as employees under the FLSA would face a significantly higher bar.
Recommended action: Brokers should actively support this bill and urge their congressional delegations to advance it through the HELP Committee.
HB8218 RECENT ACTIVITY
Last action: Apr 9, 2026 (18 days ago)
8/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Fair Compensation for Truck Crash Victims Act
To increase the minimum levels of financial responsibility for transporting property, and to index future increases to changes in inflation relating to medical care.
Status: H: Introduced in House / Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. (Apr 09, 2026)
Assessment: This bill amends 49 U.S.C. § 31139(b) to raise the minimum financial responsibility requirement for property-carrying motor carriers from $750,000 to $5,000,000 — a 567% increase — with mandatory quinquennial inflation adjustments tied to medical care costs thereafter. For your business, this means the owner-operators and small carriers you rely on will face dramatically higher insurance premiums, forcing many out of the market and tightening your available capacity. The cascading effect is higher rates, fewer carrier options, and increased pressure on your margins as the cost increase ripples through the supply chain.
Recommended action: Brokers should oppose this bill and engage with the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to prevent a nearly 7x increase in mandatory insurance minimums that will drive up carrier costs and shrink your available carrier network.
Last action: Feb 20, 2026 (66 days ago)
8/10 SCORESUPPORT
Modern Worker Security Act
To ensure that the provision of portable benefits to an individual is not considered in determining whether such individual is an employee of a person.
Status: H: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Education and Workforce. H. Rept. 119-506. / Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 432. (Feb 20, 2026)
Assessment: This bill explicitly prohibits portable benefits — including workers' comp contributions, health insurance, paid leave, and retirement savings — from being used as a factor in determining employee status under any federal law. For your business, this means you or your carrier partners can offer owner-operators benefit support without that generosity being weaponized in a misclassification claim. It directly addresses a chilling effect that currently discourages brokers and carriers from improving contractor welfare out of fear of reclassification exposure.
Recommended action: Logistics brokers should support this bill and urge its passage, as it removes a significant legal risk that arises when brokers or carriers offer benefits to owner-operators.
Last action: Jan 3, 2025 (479 days ago)
8/10 SCORESUPPORT
Protect the Gig Economy Act of 2025
To amend Rule 23 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure to protect the "gig economy" and small businesses that operate in large part through contractor services from the threat of costly class action litigation, and for other purposes.
Status: H: Introduced in House / Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. (Jan 03, 2025)
Assessment: This bill amends Rule 23(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure to add a fifth prerequisite for class certification, barring any class action that alleges misclassification of employees as independent contractors. If passed, plaintiffs' attorneys could no longer aggregate misclassification claims against your business into a single class action — forcing each claimant to pursue individual litigation, which dramatically reduces the financial leverage and settlement pressure these suits create. For logistics brokers whose operations depend on independent owner-operators, this is a direct and meaningful liability shield against the type of coordinated, large-scale misclassification suits that have cost other gig-economy companies hundreds of millions of dollars.
Recommended action: Engage with your trade associations and Congressional contacts to support passage of this bill, which would eliminate a major litigation threat to your contractor-based operating model.
Empowering App-Based Workers Act
A bill to promote transparency and accountability in covered digital labor platform work, and for other purposes.
Status: H: Introduced in House / Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce. (Dec 11, 2025) · S: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (Jul 28, 2025)
Assessment: This bill targets 'covered digital labor platform providers' — a definition broad enough to capture digital freight matching and load-board platforms used in trucking — and explicitly frames algorithmic management and automated work assignment as mechanisms that 'hide control and enable misclassification' of independent contractors as employees. It would require disclosure of how automated decision-making systems allocate work and set pay, creating a regulatory record that enforcement agencies could use to establish the behavioral control element in a worker classification challenge against owner-operators. If your dispatch or load-matching operations rely on app-based assignment tools, the transparency and reporting mandates in this bill could expose your IC arrangements to heightened scrutiny under existing misclassification standards.
Recommended action: Logistics brokers and freight platforms should monitor this bill and engage industry groups to oppose provisions that treat algorithmic dispatch and pay-setting as evidence of misclassification or that impose transparency mandates on broker-carrier matching systems.
Last action: Sep 18, 2025 (221 days ago)
3/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Predatory Truck Leasing Prevention Act of 2025
To amend title 49, United States Code, to prohibit the use of predatory commercial motor vehicle lease-purchase programs by certain motor carriers, and for other purposes.
Status: H: Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit. (Sep 18, 2025)
Assessment: This bill directs the DOT Secretary to regulate predatory lease-purchase programs where a motor carrier leases a truck to a driver who also hauls freight for that same carrier — a specific financial arrangement between carriers and their drivers that does not involve logistics brokers. It contains no worker classification test, no reclassification mechanism, no joint employer provision, and no change to IC status rules that would affect your broker-carrier relationships. Your business model of contracting with independent owner-operators who own or independently finance their equipment is outside the scope of this bill entirely.
Recommended action: Logistics brokers do not need to act on this bill, as it targets motor carrier lease-purchase arrangements with drivers, not broker-contractor classification or broker operations.
Last action: Feb 2, 2026 (84 days ago)
1/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Advancing Commonsense Policies Act
To advance commonsense policies.
Status: H: Introduced in House / Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs, Armed Services, Energy and Commerce, Transportation and Infrastructure, Financial Services, Education and Workforce, Oversight and Government Reform, Foreign Affairs, Agriculture, Natural Resources, Small Business, Science, Space, and Technology, the Judiciary, Homeland Security, Intelligence (Permanent Select), House Administration, Rules, Ethics, the Budget, and Appropr (Feb 02, 2026)
Assessment: This bill covers livestock reporting extensions, veteran apprenticeship program websites, and federal civil service retirement benefits for injured law enforcement officers and similar covered positions. None of its provisions touch worker classification, independent contractor status, broker-carrier relationships, or any compliance obligation relevant to freight logistics.
Recommended action: No action needed — this bill has no bearing on your contractor relationships or freight operations.
Last action: Mar 3, 2025 (420 days ago)
1/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Lower Costs for Everyday Americans Act Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act Recycling and Composting Accountability Act SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act of 2025 American Music Tourism Act Deploying American Blockchains Act
To provide for lower costs for everyday Americans, and for other purposes.
Status: H: Introduced in House / Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, the Budget, the Judiciary, and Education and Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. (Mar 03, 2025)
Assessment: This omnibus bill covers recycling infrastructure, consumer product safety, healthcare program extensions, public health preparedness, blockchain policy, and telecommunications — none of which touch worker classification, IC status, joint employer liability, or the broker-carrier contracting model. There is no mechanism in this legislation that affects how you contract with owner-operators or your exposure to misclassification risk. This bill is outside the scope of your regulatory concerns.
Recommended action: No action needed — this bill contains no provisions affecting independent contractor classification, broker-carrier relationships, or freight industry compliance obligations.
Virginia (VA) — 2 bills
HB238 RECENT ACTIVITY
Last action: Apr 22, 2026 (5 days ago)
8/10 SCOREENACTED
Minimum wage and overtime wages; payment, of wages, misclassification of workers, civil actions.
Labor and employment; payment of wages; minimum wage and overtime wages; misclassification of workers; prevailing wage rate; civil actions. Provides that an employer that violates provisions relating to minimum wage, overtime wages provisions, the misclassification of workers, or the prevailing wage rate is subject to civil actions for the applicable remedies, damages, or other relief available in an action brought pursuant to the civil action provisions currently available for the nonpayment of wages. Such provisions currently available provide that an employee may bring an action in a court of competent jurisdiction to recover payment of the wages, and the court is required to award the wages owed, an additional equal amount as liquidated damages, plus prejudgment interest thereon, and reasonable attorney fees and costs. Under current law, if the court finds that the employer knowingly failed to pay wages to an employee, the court is required to award the employee an amount equal to triple the amount of wages due and reasonable attorney fees and costs. The bill also prohibits an employer from taking certain retaliatory actions against an employee because the employee reports any information or allegation in good faith that, if true, amounts to a violation of any federal or state law or regulation to a supervisor, manager, or officer, or to any governmental body or law-enforcement official, including a report made in the ordinary course of the employee's employment, regardless of whether such report refers to a particular law or regulation.
Status: H: House concurred in Governor's recommendation (64-Y 36-N 0-A) / Reenrolled / Reenrolled bill text (HB238ER2) / Signed by Speaker (Apr 22, 2026) · S: Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (21-Y 18-N 0-A) / Signed by President (Apr 22, 2026)
Assessment: This bill significantly increases the financial exposure for misclassification of workers in Virginia by making violators subject to triple damages, liquidated damages, and attorney fees under § 40.1-29(J) — applied across minimum wage, overtime, and misclassification statutes simultaneously. The misclassification provision in § 40.1-28.7:7 presumes an employment relationship exists unless the hiring party proves independent contractor status under IRS guidelines, which, while a relatively broker-friendly standard compared to an ABC test, still shifts the burden of proof onto your business and creates significant litigation risk. The expanded civil action remedies and anti-retaliation whistleblower protections compound that risk, meaning a single owner-operator dispute could expose your brokerage to triple damages plus attorney fees.
Last action: Mar 14, 2026 (44 days ago)
8/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Minimum wage and overtime wages; payment, misclassification of workers, civil actions.
Labor and employment; payment of wages; minimum wage and overtime wages; misclassification of workers; prevailing wage rate; civil actions. Provides that an employer that violates provisions relating to minimum wage, overtime wages provisions, the misclassification of workers, or the prevailing wage rate is liable to the employee for the applicable remedies, damages, or other relief available in an action brought pursuant to the civil action provisions currently available for the nonpayment of wages. Such provisions currently available provide that an employee may bring an action in a court of competent jurisdiction to recover payment of the wages, and the court is required to award the wages owed, an additional equal amount as liquidated damages, plus prejudgment interest thereon, and reasonable attorney fees and costs. Under current law, if the court finds that the employer knowingly failed to pay wages to an employee, the court is required to award the employee an amount equal to triple the amount of wages due and reasonable attorney fees and costs.
Status: H: Conference report agreed to by House (62-Y 35-N 0-A) (Mar 14, 2026) · S: Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (3/14/2026 2:49 pm) / Conference report rejected by Senate (16-Y 21-N 0-A) / No further action taken / Failed to Pass from conference (Mar 14, 2026)
Assessment: This bill significantly increases the financial stakes of worker misclassification in Virginia by making violators liable for liquidated damages equal to double wages owed, plus attorney fees, and triple damages for knowing violations — all now applicable to misclassification claims under § 40.1-28.7:7. The misclassification provision retains the IRS common-law control test as the IC standard, which is relatively favorable, but the dramatically enhanced civil remedies mean any dispute over owner-operator classification now carries compounding financial exposure for your business. The construction-sector joint employer language also sets a precedent for general contractor liability that could influence how courts interpret broker-carrier arrangements in other contexts.
Recommended action: Engage with Virginia legislative contacts to oppose the expanded civil penalties and misclassification liability provisions that increase financial exposure for brokers contracting with owner-operators.
Vermont (VT) — 2 bills
Last action: Feb 25, 2025 (426 days ago)
8/10 SCOREOPPOSE
An act relating to enhancing enforcement of employment laws
An act relating to enhancing enforcement of employment laws
Status: H: Read first time and referred to the Committee on General and Housing (Feb 25, 2025)
Assessment: This bill creates a private right of action — a PAGA-style enforcement mechanism — allowing workers, unions, and whistleblowers to sue employers directly on behalf of the state for violations of Vermont's Title 21 labor statutes, explicitly including misclassification claims where a worker asserts they were wrongly classified as an independent contractor. If an owner-operator or last-mile driver brings a misclassification claim under this mechanism, your brokerage could face civil penalties, attorney's fees, and injunctive relief pursued by a third-party relator — not just a government agency. The bounty structure (30% to relators) creates a strong financial incentive for organized labor and plaintiff attorneys to target broker-carrier arrangements in Vermont.
Recommended action: Engage Vermont legislative contacts to oppose this bill or seek amendments that exclude independent contractor arrangements covered by federal motor carrier law.
Last action: Feb 25, 2025 (426 days ago)
7/10 SCOREOPPOSE
An act relating to expanding coverage of the minimum wage and overtime laws and maintaining the authority of the Attorney General to enforce complaints of employee misclassification
An act relating to expanding coverage of the minimum wage and overtime laws and maintaining the authority of the Attorney General to enforce complaints of employee misclassification
Status: H: Read first time and referred to the Committee on General and Housing (Feb 25, 2025)
Assessment: The most significant provision for your business is Section 4, which removes a scheduled July 1, 2026 repeal of the Vermont Attorney General's authority to investigate and enforce employee misclassification complaints — meaning that enforcement power remains permanently in place against IC arrangements like your owner-operator contracts. The minimum wage increase to $20.00/hour and expanded overtime coverage could also raise costs if any of your carrier relationships are ever scrutinized and reclassified. While the bill does not impose a new ABC test, the sustained AG enforcement authority creates ongoing reclassification exposure for brokers operating in Vermont.
Recommended action: Brokers with Vermont operations should monitor this bill and engage with the Vermont legislature to oppose the preservation of the Attorney General's misclassification enforcement authority, which directly threatens owner-operator arrangements.
Washington (WA) — 3 bills
Last action: Jan 12, 2026 (105 days ago)
8/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Concerning labor standards and the Washington minimum wage act.
Concerning labor standards and the Washington minimum wage act.
Status: H: By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status. (Jan 12, 2026)
Assessment: This bill introduces a stop-work order mechanism under Washington's Minimum Wage Act that allows the Director of Labor and Industries to cease all business operations at any site where a violation is found — including requiring back-pay for hours workers would have been scheduled during the shutdown period, plus penalties up to $5,000 per day for non-compliance with the order. While the bill targets employer-employee wage obligations, brokers who misclassify owner-operators or are found to have an employment relationship with drivers face direct exposure to this stop-work authority, which could freeze your dispatch and brokerage operations entirely. The combination of escalating CPI-indexed penalties, a two-year probationary reporting requirement post-release, and the aggressive new minimum wage schedule reaching $25/hour by 2032 significantly raises the stakes of any classification dispute in Washington.
Recommended action: Brokers should engage with Washington legislators to oppose the stop-work order provision, which could halt your operations over minimum wage violations with limited opportunity to cure before business is shut down.
Last action: Jan 12, 2026 (105 days ago)
8/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Concerning labor standards.
Concerning labor standards.
Status: S: By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status. (Jan 12, 2026)
Assessment: This bill grants Washington's Department of Labor and Industries broad stop-work order authority to halt all business operations at any site where a labor standards violation is found, with civil penalties up to $5,000 per day for non-compliance — a direct operational threat if a carrier you contract with is targeted. The bill also mandates paid vacation and bereavement leave for 'employees,' which, combined with expanded enforcement authority, creates pressure to reclassify owner-operators as employees to capture those benefits. If a contracted carrier is subject to a stop-work order, your freight operations tied to that carrier could be disrupted with no clear safe harbor protecting your broker relationship.
Recommended action: Engage with Washington state legislators and industry associations to oppose the stop-work order provisions and push for exemptions or safe harbors that protect broker-carrier independent contractor arrangements.
Last action: Jan 12, 2026 (105 days ago)
8/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Concerning labor standards.
Concerning labor standards.
Status: H: By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status. (Jan 12, 2026)
Assessment: This bill introduces a stop-work order mechanism under Washington's Minimum Wage Act that empowers the Department of Labor and Industries to halt all business operations at any site where a labor standards violation is found — including potential misclassification of owner-operators as employees. The stop-work authority, combined with civil penalties up to $5,000 per day for non-compliance, creates serious operational exposure for brokers whose carrier relationships could be scrutinized under Washington's wage and hour standards. The bill also mandates paid vacation and bereavement leave beginning January 1, 2027, raising the stakes significantly if any owner-operator is ever deemed an employee under this chapter.
Recommended action: Engage with Washington state legislators and industry associations to oppose the stop-work order provision and push for explicit carve-outs protecting legitimate broker-carrier independent contractor arrangements.
Wisconsin (WI) — 1 bill
AB651 RECENT ACTIVITY
Last action: Mar 30, 2026 (28 days ago)
6/10 SCOREENACTED
Various changes to the worker’s compensation law, granting rule-making authority, making an appropriation, and providing a penalty. (FE)
An Act to repeal 102.01 (2) (ar); to renumber 102.15 (1) (a); to renumber and amend 102.16 (1), 102.17 (4) (a), 102.17 (9) (a) 1., 102.44 (1) (ag), 102.44 (1) (am) and 102.44 (1) (b); to amend 20.445 (1) (sm), 40.65 (2) (a), 102.11 (1) (intro.), 102.125 (2), 102.125 (3), 102.15 (2), 102.16 (4), 102.17 (1) (d) 1., 102.17 (1) (d) 2., 102.17 (1) (d) 3., 102.17 (4) (b), 102.17 (9) (b) (intro.), 102.18 (1) (a), 102.18 (1) (bp), 102.27 (2) (a), 102.32 (6m) (a), 102.42 (title), 102.44 (1) (c) 1., 102.59 (1), 102.61 (1m) (c), 102.75 (1g) (a), 102.75 (1g) (c), 102.81 (2), 102.82 (2) (a) (intro.), 102.82 (2) (am), 102.82 (2) (ar) and 102.82 (2) (b); to repeal and recreate 102.85 (1) and 102.85 (2); to create 102.125 (1m), 102.16 (1) (e), 102.17 (1) (a) 1m., 102.17 (1) (a) 5., 102.17 (1) (i), 102.17 (4) (a) 1., 102.17 (9) (a) 1e., 102.17 (9) (a) 1g., 102.42 (10), 102.44 (4o), 102.59 (4), 102.82 (2) (ab), 102.82 (2) (ad) and 943.395 (1) (e) of the statutes; to affect 2023 Wisconsin Act 213, section 25; Relating to: various changes to the worker’s compensation law, granting rule-making authority, making an appropriation, and providing a penalty. (FE)
Status: S: Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senators Smith, Carpenter, Dassler-Alfheim, Drake, Habush Sinykin, Hesselbein, L. Johnson, Keyeski, Larson, Pfaff, Ratcliff, Roys, Spreitzer, Wall and Wirch / Read a second time / Senate Amendment 1 rejected, Ayes 18, Noes 15 / Ordered to a third reading / Rules suspended to give bill its third reading / Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 32, Noes 1 / Ordered immediately messaged (Feb 11, 2026)
Assessment: This bill restructures Wisconsin's workers' compensation law and introduces escalating penalties for uninsured employers and extends fraud reporting requirements to cover employers who misclassify employees to lower workers' comp premiums — a provision that could be used against brokers or carriers who treat workers as independent contractors. The bill does not directly impose an ABC test or reclassification standard, but the misclassification-for-premium-fraud expansion creates a new enforcement pathway that logistics brokers using owner-operators in Wisconsin should track. No immediate action is required, but the fraud referral mechanism warrants attention as enforcement guidance develops.
West Virginia (WV) — 1 bill
Last action: Jan 20, 2026 (97 days ago)
7/10 SCORESUPPORT
Taxpayer Protection Act
The purpose of this bill is to ensure individual taxpayers are not misclassified.
Status: H: Filed for introduction / To Finance / Introduced in House / To House Finance (Jan 20, 2026)
Assessment: This West Virginia bill applies an ABC test to personal income tax classification, but critically inverts the typical ABC framework — workers are presumed to be independent contractors by default, and the hiring entity bears the burden of proving all three prongs of an employment relationship to overcome that presumption. The three prongs required to establish employment (control, economic responsibility, and direction) mirror a common law control test rather than the anti-broker ABC tests seen in states like California, where IC status must be affirmatively proven. For your business, this means West Virginia's tax authority would start from a pro-IC presumption when auditing worker classification, reducing reclassification risk for your owner-operator arrangements in the state.
Recommended action: Brokers should support this bill and encourage its advancement, as it establishes a presumption of independent contractor status that protects your owner-operator relationships under West Virginia personal income tax law.
What's Happening Lately (8 bill(s) with recent activity)
The most pressing developments this cycle come from the East Coast, where Maryland and Virginia are moving aggressively on misclassification enforcement. Virginia HB 238 is effectively done — it has already been signed by the Senate President and is on a path to enactment — and it dramatically raises the financial stakes of any misclassification finding by linking violations to liquidated damages equal to 100% of wages owed and treble damages for knowing violations, with the burden of proof falling on the engaging party to rebut employee status. In Maryland, companion bills SB 60 and HB 299 are advancing in tandem through the Finance Committee, and HB 299 has already cleared the House 98–36. Both bills expand Attorney General enforcement authority, impose penalties up to $10,000 per misclassified worker with treble damages available, and establish joint-and-several liability across contracting chains — a structure that could reach brokers even without a direct employment relationship. Maryland leadership should treat these as near-final and begin reviewing contract language and classification documentation now. At the federal level, US HB 8218 — the Fair Compensation for Truck Crash Victims Act — would raise minimum carrier insurance requirements from $750,000 to $5,000,000, a 567% increase with automatic inflation adjustments going forward. The bill was just introduced and referred to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, so it is early in the process, but it warrants close monitoring given the severity of its capacity and cost implications. A $5 million floor would effectively push smaller owner-operators out of the market, eroding the independent contractor network that brokerages depend on. New York S09821 is similarly early — referred to the Labor Committee — but its PAGA-style private enforcement mechanism deserves serious attention: it would allow labor organizations acting as deputized enforcers to bring misclassification claims directly against brokers on behalf of owner-operators, with automatic attorney fee awards creating strong incentives for large-scale, coordinated litigation targeting the broker-carrier model. On the more neutral side of the ledger, Alaska SB 35 has passed the Senate 17–3 and is now in the House Labor and Commerce Committee, and it codifies a favorable, control-based independent contractor test for delivery network workers — a useful counter-precedent even though its vehicle weight cap limits direct freight applicability. Missouri HB 2375, which explicitly carves owner-operators out of the workers' compensation employee definition, has cleared both chambers' committees and merits a watch for final passage. Minnesota SF 2373 remains in committee but its $700,000 appropriation earmarked for misclassification enforcement signals that the Department of Labor and Industry is preparing to ramp up audits under existing law, which could affect Minnesota-based carrier arrangements even without new statutory language. The overall legislative environment continues to tilt toward expanded enforcement and increased financial exposure for businesses using independent contractor models. States are not waiting for federal action — they are layering new penalty structures, private enforcement rights, and enforcement funding on top of existing classification standards, while federal proposals threaten to reshape carrier economics from the insurance side. Brokerages that rely on owner-operators should prioritize a compliance review in Virginia and Maryland immediately, build a monitoring posture around the federal insurance bill, and begin tracking the New York EMPIRE Act as a potential inflection point for private litigation risk.
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Executive Summary — Legislative Watch List
Sorted by recent activity, then relevance score. Bills updated within 30 days are prioritized as action items.
Score: 8-10 = high (green) · 5-7 = moderate (amber) · 1-4 = low (red) · ◄ = updated within 30 days (action item) · Bill numbers link to LegiScan · Titles link to detail below
Alaska (AK) — 1 bill
SB35 RECENT ACTIVITY
Last action: Apr 14, 2026 (6 days ago)
7/10 SCORESUPPORT
Transportation/delivery Network Companies
An Act relating to transportation network companies and delivery network companies; and relating to occupational accident insurance.
Status: H: READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS / L&C / REFERRED TO LABOR & COMMERCE (Apr 14, 2026) · S: READ THE THIRD TIME CSSB 35(L&C) / RETURN TO SECOND FOR AM 1 UC / AM NO 1 ADOPTED UC / AUTOMATICALLY IN THIRD READING / PASSED Y17 N3 / TRANSMITTED TO (H) / VERSION: CSSB 35(L&C) AM (Apr 13, 2026)
Assessment: This Alaska bill extends the existing transportation network company (TNC) IC safe harbor to delivery network company couriers, explicitly stating they are independent contractors for all purposes — including under wage, UI, and workers' comp statutes — so long as the company meets four conditions around scheduling, platform exclusivity, and written agreements. It also codifies a multi-factor, control-based IC test for workers' comp exclusions, including freedom from direction and control, profit/loss opportunity, and independent business indicia — a favorable standard compared to an ABC test. However, the delivery courier definition excludes vehicles over 6,000 pounds, which limits its direct applicability to heavier freight operations but still signals a pro-IC legislative environment relevant to last-mile and platform-based logistics in Alaska.
Recommended action: Logistics brokers operating in Alaska should support this bill as it extends explicit independent contractor protections to delivery network couriers and codifies a behavioral-control test for worker classification under workers' compensation law.
Iowa (IA) — 7 bills
HF2385 RECENT ACTIVITY
Last action: Mar 31, 2026 (20 days ago)
8/10 SCOREOPPOSE
A bill for an act prohibiting the misclassification of employees as independent contractors, providing penalties, and including applicability provisions.
A bill for an act prohibiting the misclassification of employees as independent contractors, providing penalties, and including applicability provisions.
Status: H: Motion to invoke Rule 60 to place on Calendar, yeas 92, nays 0. H.J. 769. / Motion prevailed. H.J. 769. / Placed on calendar. H.J. 769. / Rereferred to Labor and Workforce. H.J. 784. (Mar 31, 2026)
Assessment: This bill creates a new Iowa chapter (Ch. 95) that prohibits 'willful misclassification' of employees as independent contractors, using IRS regulations as the classification standard and placing the burden of proof on the employer to demonstrate compliance. Civil penalties reach up to $10,000 per misclassified individual for repeat offenses, and critically, a violation is also charged as a Class D felony — punishable by up to five years of confinement — meaning a disputed owner-operator relationship could expose your business to criminal liability. While the IRS standard is more favorable than an ABC test, the felony exposure, escalating per-worker penalties, and shifted burden of proof create significant legal risk for brokers whose contractor arrangements are challenged by Iowa's Department of Workforce Development.
Recommended action: Engage Iowa legislators and industry associations to oppose this bill, which would expose brokers to felony charges and per-worker civil penalties for IC arrangements challenged under IRS classification guidelines.
Last action: Apr 3, 2025 (382 days ago)
8/10 SCORESUPPORT
A bill for an act providing for the regulation of delivery network companies and drivers, making penalties applicable, and including effective date provisions.(Formerly HF 7.)
A bill for an act providing for the regulation of delivery network companies and drivers, making penalties applicable, and including effective date provisions.(Formerly HF 7.)
Status: H: Referred to Commerce. H.J. 895. (Apr 03, 2025)
Assessment: Section 321Q.6 explicitly states that delivery network drivers 'shall be considered an independent contractor and shall not be considered an agent or employee' of the company — a statutory safe harbor that directly protects your classification model. The bill also excludes delivery network companies and drivers from Iowa's motor carrier regulatory framework under Chapter 325A, reducing your compliance exposure. This is a pro-broker classification protection that strengthens your ability to contract with independent drivers without triggering employment or agency liability.
Recommended action: Logistics brokers and freight companies operating delivery networks in Iowa should actively support this bill, as it codifies independent contractor status for delivery network drivers and shields companies from employment reclassification liability.
Last action: Mar 13, 2025 (403 days ago)
8/10 SCORESUPPORT
A bill for an act prohibiting the consideration of the deployment, implementation, or use of a motor carrier safety improvement when determining a person's employment status.(Formerly HSB 169.)
A bill for an act prohibiting the consideration of the deployment, implementation, or use of a motor carrier safety improvement when determining a person's employment status.(Formerly HSB 169.)
Status: H: SF 377 substituted. H.J. 648. / Withdrawn. H.J. 656. (Mar 13, 2025)
Assessment: This Iowa bill creates an explicit safe harbor barring any state law from treating motor carrier safety improvements — including devices, software, training, policies, or operational practices — as evidence of an employment or joint employment relationship. This directly protects your business: when you require owner-operators to use ELDs, dashcams, safety programs, or compliance procedures under a carrier transportation contract, those requirements cannot be used to argue you control those drivers as employees. Without this protection, mandating safety technology could expose brokers and carriers to misclassification liability under Iowa law.
Recommended action: Brokers and carriers in Iowa should support this bill, as it prevents safety compliance requirements from being weaponized to reclassify owner-operators as employees or jointly employed workers.
Last action: Feb 28, 2025 (416 days ago)
8/10 SCORESUPPORT
A bill for an act prohibiting the consideration of the deployment, implementation, or use of a motor carrier safety improvement when determining a person's employment status.(See HF 698.)
A bill for an act prohibiting the consideration of the deployment, implementation, or use of a motor carrier safety improvement when determining a person's employment status.(See HF 698.)
Status: H: Committee report approving bill, renumbered as HF 698. (Feb 28, 2025)
Assessment: This Iowa bill creates an explicit statutory carve-out prohibiting any state law from using a motor carrier's safety improvement mandates — including devices, software, training, policies, or operational practices — as a factor in determining employee, independent contractor, or joint employment status. This is a direct win for brokers: safety compliance requirements you contractually impose on owner-operators (e.g., ELD mandates, dashcam programs, safety training) cannot be used as a control factor to trigger reclassification under Iowa law. If enacted, this safe harbor shields your carrier contracts from a common enforcement theory used to argue that safety-related oversight establishes an employment relationship.
Recommended action: Brokers and carriers operating in Iowa should support this bill and encourage its passage, as it directly protects IC arrangements by preventing safety compliance requirements from being weaponized to reclassify owner-operators as employees.
Last action: Feb 19, 2025 (425 days ago)
8/10 SCORESUPPORT
A bill for an act prohibiting the consideration of the deployment, implementation, or use of a motor carrier safety improvement when determining a person's employment status.(See SF 377.)
A bill for an act prohibiting the consideration of the deployment, implementation, or use of a motor carrier safety improvement when determining a person's employment status.(See SF 377.)
Status: S: Committee report approving bill, renumbered as SF 377. (Feb 19, 2025)
Assessment: This Iowa bill creates a statutory safe harbor by explicitly prohibiting regulators and courts from using a motor carrier's deployment of safety devices, software, training, or operational practices as a factor when determining whether a driver is an employee, independent contractor, or jointly employed under any state law. Without this protection, requiring owner-operators to use carrier-mandated safety technology could be cited as evidence of behavioral control — a key factor in misclassification claims. If enacted, this meaningfully reduces your reclassification exposure when your carrier contracts include safety compliance requirements.
Recommended action: Brokers and carriers in Iowa should support this bill, as it prevents safety compliance requirements — such as ELDs, dash cams, or safety training mandates — from being used as evidence of employment control over owner-operators.
Last action: Feb 12, 2025 (432 days ago)
8/10 SCOREOPPOSE
A bill for an act prohibiting the misclassification of employees as independent contractors, providing penalties, and including applicability provisions.
A bill for an act prohibiting the misclassification of employees as independent contractors, providing penalties, and including applicability provisions.
Status: H: Introduced, referred to Labor and Workforce. H.J. 303. (Feb 12, 2025)
Assessment: This Iowa bill creates a new enforcement chapter imposing civil penalties of up to $10,000 per misclassified individual and — critically — class 'D' felony criminal charges (up to 5 years confinement) against employers who willfully classify a worker as an independent contractor rather than an employee under IRS guidelines. The burden of proof is reversed onto you as the employer to demonstrate compliance once the Department of Workforce Development makes a finding. While the IRS multi-factor behavioral-control standard is less restrictive than an ABC test, the felony exposure and reversed burden of proof create serious legal risk for brokers relying on owner-operator arrangements in Iowa.
Recommended action: Engage Iowa legislators and industry associations to oppose this bill, which creates felony criminal liability and escalating civil penalties for contractor arrangements that do not meet IRS guidelines.
Last action: Feb 20, 2025 (424 days ago)
7/10 SCORESUPPORT
A bill for an act providing for the regulation of delivery network companies and drivers, making penalties applicable, and including effective date provisions.(See HF 545.)
A bill for an act providing for the regulation of delivery network companies and drivers, making penalties applicable, and including effective date provisions.(See HF 545.)
Status: H: Committee report approving bill, renumbered as HF 545. (Feb 20, 2025)
Assessment: This Iowa bill creates a new regulatory chapter (321Q) for delivery network companies and explicitly states that a company is 'not deemed to control, direct, or manage' a delivery network driver except as agreed in a written contract — a direct statutory affirmation of independent contractor status. It also excludes delivery network companies and drivers from the definition of 'motor carrier' and 'motor carrier of property' under Iowa code, reducing your regulatory exposure under state transportation law. The primary focus is insurance coverage requirements rather than worker classification, but the anti-control language and carve-outs from motor carrier rules are meaningful protections for broker-style platform arrangements.
Recommended action: Brokers should monitor this bill and consider supporting it, as it explicitly carves delivery network companies and drivers out of Iowa's motor carrier regulatory framework and codifies that companies do not control or direct their drivers except by written contract.
Illinois (IL) — 1 bill
Last action: Mar 21, 2025 (395 days ago)
7/10 SCOREOPPOSE
WORK COMP-SOLE PROPRIETORS
Amends the Workers' Compensation Act. Provides that the provisions of the Act shall apply automatically and without election to all employers and all their employees, including, but not limited to, sole proprietors and general contractors and their subcontractors (currently, all employers and all their employees), engaged in any department enterprises or businesses which are declared to be extra hazardous. Removes a provision that the Act shall not be construed to apply to any sole proprietor or partner or member of a limited liability company who elects not to provide and pay compensation for accidental injuries sustained by himself, arising out of and in the course of the employment according to the provisions of the Act. Provides that the definition of "corporate officer" does not include a sole proprietor.
Status: S: Rule 3-9(a) / Re-referred to Assignments (Mar 21, 2025)
Assessment: This Illinois bill removes the existing opt-out right for sole proprietors, partners, and LLC members under the Workers' Compensation Act, automatically subjecting them to mandatory coverage in industries classified as extra hazardous — which explicitly includes carriage by land and motor vehicle distribution. For logistics brokers contracting with sole proprietor owner-operators in Illinois, this could increase the cost and compliance burden of those arrangements, and may blur the line between independent contractor and employee status by imposing employment-style benefit obligations on IC relationships.
Recommended action: Brokers should monitor this bill and oppose it if it advances, as it eliminates the opt-out provision that currently allows sole proprietor owner-operators to decline workers' compensation coverage — a key feature of the independent contractor relationship.
Kentucky (KY) — 1 bill
Last action: Jan 29, 2026 (81 days ago)
9/10 SCOREOPPOSE
AN ACT relating to misclassification of employees.
Create a new section of KRS Chapter 337 to provide a remedy for employees misclassified as independent contractors; amend KRS 337.010 to define "independent contractor" and "misclassified"; repeal KRS 336.137, relating to marketplace contractors.
Status: H: to Economic Development & Workforce Investment (H) (Jan 29, 2026)
Assessment: This bill codifies a three-prong ABC test as the definition of 'independent contractor' under Kentucky wage law — requiring that a worker perform work outside the usual course of the hiring entity's business, a standard that owner-operators hauling freight could easily fail since transportation is core to a broker's or carrier's business. It also repeals KRS 336.137, which explicitly protected marketplace contractors from being classified as employees, eliminating a safe harbor your business may currently rely on. Combined with double liquidated damages, attorney's fees, and collective action rights for misclassified workers, this bill significantly raises your financial exposure for every owner-operator relationship you maintain in Kentucky.
Recommended action: Logistics brokers and carriers operating in Kentucky should actively oppose this bill and engage state legislative contacts to highlight the threat to owner-operator contracting models.
Massachusetts (MA) — 6 bills
Last action: Feb 26, 2026 (53 days ago)
9/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Establishing protections and accountability for Delivery Network Company workers, consumers, and communities
For legislation to establish protections and accountability for Delivery Network Company workers, consumers, and communities. Labor and Workforce Development.
Status: H: House concurred (Feb 27, 2025) · S: Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on Senate Ways and Means (Feb 26, 2026)
Assessment: This bill explicitly presumes all application-based delivery workers are employees under Massachusetts General Laws (consistent with the state's strict ABC test in section 148B of Chapter 149), directly threatening the independent contractor model your business depends on. It layers on mandatory minimum wage floors, overtime requirements, mileage reimbursement at 150% of IRS rates, $1M/$3M liability insurance mandates, anti-deactivation protections with treble damages, and broad AG enforcement authority — creating substantial operational and financial exposure for any company arranging last-mile or app-dispatched deliveries in the state. If your business uses owner-operators or contracts with delivery network couriers in Massachusetts, this bill would force reclassification, restructure pay practices, and open your operations to civil litigation and regulatory action.
Recommended action: Brokers and logistics companies operating delivery networks in Massachusetts should actively oppose this bill and engage legislative contacts to resist its passage.
Last action: Feb 2, 2026 (77 days ago)
9/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Establishing protections and accountability for DNC workers, consumers, and communities
Relative to protections and accountability for transportation network and delivery network companies workers, consumers, and communities. Financial Services.
Status: H: Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on House Ways and Means (Feb 02, 2026) · S: Senate concurred (Feb 27, 2025)
Assessment: This bill explicitly presumes application-based delivery workers are employees under M.G.L. c. 149 § 148B — Massachusetts's ABC test — eliminating the independent contractor classification for DNC couriers and exposing delivery network companies to full wage, overtime, and benefits liability. Beyond reclassification, it mandates minimum wage floors (150% of basic minimum for assigned time), IRS-rate mileage reimbursement, $1M/$3M liability insurance per worker, payroll data reporting to the AG and Department of Labor Standards, and triple-damages retaliation liability. If your business arranges last-mile or on-demand delivery through app-based couriers in Massachusetts, this law would fundamentally restructure your contractor relationships and compliance costs.
Recommended action: Brokers and delivery network operators should actively oppose this bill and engage Massachusetts legislators, as it would presumptively reclassify all app-based delivery workers as employees under the strict Massachusetts ABC test standard.
Last action: Dec 18, 2025 (123 days ago)
9/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Preventing wage theft, promoting employer accountability, and enhancing public enforcement
For legislation to prevent wage theft, promote employer accountability, and enhance public enforcement. Labor and Workforce Development.
Status: H: House concurred (Feb 27, 2025) · S: Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on Senate Ways and Means (Dec 18, 2025)
Assessment: This bill creates joint and several liability for 'lead contractors' — a definition broad enough to capture logistics brokers — making you financially responsible for wage theft violations committed by your contracted carriers or labor subcontractors under Massachusetts' existing ABC-based misclassification standard (Section 148B). It also grants the Attorney General stop-work order authority that can shut down your specific place of business within 24 hours upon a finding of wage theft or unemployment insurance noncompliance, with treble damages and attorney's fees exposure if the AG prevails in a civil action. If you use owner-operators or contracted carriers in Massachusetts, this bill puts your brokerage directly in the liability chain for their pay practices.
Recommended action: Brokers operating in Massachusetts should actively oppose this bill and engage with the legislature, as it directly exposes your business to joint and several liability for wage violations by your contracted carriers and owner-operators, and authorizes stop-work orders that could halt your operations.
H2094 RECENT ACTIVITY
Last action: Mar 26, 2026 (25 days ago)
8/10 SCOREOPPOSE
To prevent wage theft, promote employer accountability, and enhance public enforcement
Relative to wage theft, employer accountability, and public enforcement. Labor and Workforce Development.
Status: H: Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on House Ways and Means (Mar 26, 2026) · S: Senate concurred (Feb 27, 2025)
Assessment: This bill creates joint and several liability between 'lead contractors' and downstream 'labor contractors' or 'labor subcontractors' for wage theft violations — a structure that could directly expose logistics brokers who arrange freight through independent carriers and owner-operators. It also grants the Massachusetts Attorney General stop-work order authority that can halt all business operations at a specific place of business upon finding a wage theft or unemployment insurance violation, with successor-entity liability that follows ownership. Combined with treble damages and AG-initiated civil enforcement, your brokerage faces significant financial and operational risk if any carrier in your contracting chain is found to have misclassified or underpaid workers under Massachusetts law.
Recommended action: Logistics brokers operating in Massachusetts should engage with state legislators to oppose this bill and seek explicit carve-outs for broker-carrier contractual arrangements.
Last action: Dec 18, 2025 (123 days ago)
8/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Consolidating multiple definitions of employee to prevent misclassification
For legislation to consolidate multiple definitions of employee. Labor and Workforce Development.
Status: H: House concurred (Feb 27, 2025) · S: Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on Senate Ways and Means (Dec 18, 2025)
Assessment: This bill extends Massachusetts' existing ABC test — already one of the strictest worker classification standards in the country — into the workers' compensation statute (Chapter 152) by cross-referencing the Section 148B definition of employee. Currently, workers' comp uses a separate definition, giving carriers and brokers some flexibility; if this passes, any owner-operator arrangement that fails the ABC test's three-prong standard (including the requirement that the work be outside your usual course of business) could expose you to workers' comp liability. This is a direct threat to your independent contractor model in Massachusetts, as failing even one prong of the ABC test would mean your contracted owner-operators must be treated as employees for workers' comp purposes.
Recommended action: Engage with the MA Legislature and industry associations to oppose this bill, which would extend the ABC test's reach into workers' compensation determinations.
Last action: Dec 11, 2025 (130 days ago)
7/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Relative to wage theft and due process
For legislation relative to wage theft and due process. Labor and Workforce Development.
Status: H: House concurred (Feb 27, 2025) · S: Accompanied a study order, see S2843 (Dec 11, 2025)
Assessment: This bill creates stop-work order authority for the Massachusetts AG and DUA against any 'employing unit' found to have committed wage theft — a term defined broadly to include violations of Section 148B, which is Massachusetts' existing independent contractor misclassification statute. If a state agency determines that your owner-operators have been misclassified under Section 148B, that finding could trigger a stop-work order halting your business operations at a specific location, plus penalties up to $25,000 and a new civil action right for groups of three or more workers. The broad definition of 'wage theft' layered on top of existing IC misclassification law creates compounding enforcement risk for brokers relying on independent owner-operators in the Commonwealth.
Recommended action: Brokers operating in Massachusetts should monitor this bill and engage with trade associations to ensure stop-work order authority and expanded wage theft enforcement are not applied to broker-carrier arrangements.
Maryland (MD) — 4 bills
SB60 RECENT ACTIVITY
Last action: Apr 13, 2026 (7 days ago)
7/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Fraud Prevention, Prevailing Wage, and Living Wage - Prohibitions, Penalties, and Enforcement
Prohibiting a person from knowingly making or using, or causing to be made or used, a false record or statement resulting in underpayments of unemployment insurance contributions or payment of unemployment insurance benefits of more than $15,000 in a calendar year; altering the enforcement mechanisms related to workplace fraud laws, living wage laws, and prevailing wage laws, including authorizing the Attorney General to investigate and bring suit in a certain manner; etc.
Status: S: Favorable with Amendments Report by Finance / Favorable with Amendments {943726/1 / Motion Laid Over (Senator Jennings) Adopted (Apr 13, 2026)
Assessment: This bill expands Maryland's workplace fraud enforcement infrastructure in ways that directly affect how you contract with carriers: it establishes joint-and-several liability for general contractors when subcontractors commit worker classification violations, authorizes the Attorney General to independently investigate and sue for misclassification, and increases civil penalties up to $10,000 per misclassified worker with treble damages available. While the bill is primarily framed around construction and prevailing wage contexts, the joint employer liability mechanism and expanded AG enforcement authority create meaningful spillover risk for logistics brokers who rely on layered carrier and owner-operator relationships.
Recommended action: Brokers operating in Maryland should monitor this bill and engage with the Attorney General's expanded enforcement authority and the joint-and-several liability provision, which could expose your business if a contracted carrier or subcontractor is found to have misclassified workers.
HB299 RECENT ACTIVITY
Last action: Apr 13, 2026 (7 days ago)
7/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Fraud Prevention, Prevailing Wage, and Living Wage - Prohibitions, Penalties, and Enforcement
Prohibiting a person from knowingly making or using, or causing to be made or used, a false record or statement resulting in underpayments of unemployment insurance contributions or payment of unemployment insurance benefits of more than $15,000 in a calendar year; altering the enforcement mechanisms related to workplace fraud laws, living wage laws, and prevailing wage laws, including authorizing the Attorney General to investigate and bring suit in a certain manner; etc.
Status: H: Third Reading Passed (98-36) (Apr 06, 2026) · S: Rereferred to Finance / Favorable with Amendments Report by Finance / Favorable with Amendments {133121/1 / Motion Special Order until Later Today (Senator Ready) Rejected / Committee Amendment {133121/1 Adopted / Favorable with Amendments Adopted / Second Reading Passed with Amendments (Apr 13, 2026)
Assessment: This bill strengthens Maryland's workplace fraud enforcement by expanding Attorney General investigative and litigation authority, increasing civil penalties for misclassification up to $10,000 per worker (with treble damages available), and — most critically — establishing joint-and-several liability for general contractors when subcontractors commit classification violations, regardless of direct contractual privity. While the joint liability provision is explicitly tied to construction services, the broader misclassification penalty escalation and Attorney General enforcement powers apply to all industries, meaning brokers who use owner-operators could face heightened scrutiny and steeper financial exposure if classification is challenged in Maryland.
Recommended action: Brokers operating in Maryland with subcontractor or carrier relationships should monitor this bill and engage with the Attorney General enforcement expansion and joint-and-several liability provisions that could expose your business to misclassification penalties.
Last action: Feb 3, 2026 (76 days ago)
7/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Maryland Department of Labor - Investigation of Complaints - Requirements (Worksite Enforcement Act of 2026)
Requiring the Maryland Department of Labor to establish certain procedures for receiving, reviewing, and investigating certain complaints regarding matters under the jurisdiction of the Department; requiring the Department to employ one investigators for each of five regions of the State to investigate complaints; and requiring, beginning fiscal year 2027, the Governor to include in the annual budget bill an appropriation of $500,000 for the hiring of five investigators.
Status: H: Hearing 2/12 at 2:00 p.m. (Feb 03, 2026)
Assessment: This bill mandates that the Maryland Department of Labor employ five regional investigators and fund them at $500,000 annually, with explicit authority to investigate worker misclassification complaints — including requesting payroll records and worker classification documentation within tight 14-day response windows. For logistics brokers using independent owner-operators in Maryland, this creates a materially higher risk of state-initiated misclassification investigations across all regions of the state. The expanded enforcement capacity, combined with site-check authority and coordination with the Attorney General's consumer protection division, significantly increases your exposure to formal misclassification scrutiny.
Recommended action: Logistics brokers operating in Maryland should monitor this bill and engage with industry associations to push back on the expanded investigative infrastructure targeting worker misclassification.
Last action: Jan 19, 2026 (91 days ago)
7/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Recipients of Economic Development Assistance or State Contracts - Certification of Compliance With State Labor Laws
Requiring certain persons that receive certain State economic development assistance to make a certification each year that the person was not the subject of a certain final adverse determination and is not currently failing to comply with certain outstanding requirements under a prior final judgment or order; requiring a certain unit of State government to initiate a pause on disbursements or approvals of certain economic development assistance or the award or renewal of certain State contracts; etc.
Status: H: Hearing 2/17 at 1:00 p.m. (Jan 19, 2026)
Assessment: This bill requires covered recipients — including any company holding $250,000 or more in aggregate Maryland state procurement contracts — to annually certify they have not received a final adverse determination for violations of covered labor obligations, which explicitly include misclassification under Title 3 of Maryland's Labor and Employment Article. A finding of worker misclassification triggers a pause on new contract awards, renewals, and economic development disbursements until corrective actions are completed, with the pause exemption specifically carving out misclassification findings regardless of dollar amount. If your business contracts with Maryland state agencies and uses owner-operators, a misclassification determination — even one under appeal — could halt your ability to win or renew state contracts.
Recommended action: Brokers holding $250,000 or more in Maryland state procurement contracts should engage opposition to this bill, as a misclassification finding could trigger a pause on contract awards and renewals.
Michigan (MI) — 2 bills
Last action: Sep 24, 2025 (208 days ago)
9/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Employment security: administration; determination of whether services performed by an individual are employment; modify. Amends sec. 42 of of 1936 (Ex Sess) PA 1 (MCL 421.42).
Employment security: administration; determination of whether services performed by an individual are employment; modify. Amends sec. 42 of of 1936 (Ex Sess) PA 1 (MCL 421.42).
Status: H: Bill Electronically Reproduced 09/18/2025 (Sep 24, 2025)
Assessment: Starting January 1, 2026, this bill amends Michigan's Employment Security Act to impose a three-prong ABC test for unemployment insurance purposes — meaning your owner-operators must be classified as employees unless they are a separate business entity or meet all three criteria: free from your control in fact and by contract, performing work outside your usual course of business, and customarily engaged in an independently established trade or business similar to the work performed. The 'outside the usual course of business' prong (Prong B) is the critical threat, as arranging freight transportation is the core business of a broker, making it extremely difficult for owner-operators hauling your freight to qualify as independent contractors under this standard. This directly exposes your brokerage to UI tax liability for owner-operators you currently treat as independent contractors, fundamentally disrupting the broker-carrier model.
Recommended action: Brokers operating in Michigan should oppose this bill and engage with state legislators and industry associations to push back against the ABC test provision taking effect January 1, 2026.
Last action: Apr 17, 2025 (368 days ago)
9/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Labor: hours and wages; penalties and remedies for misclassification of independent contractors; provide for. Amends secs. 1, 13, 15, 18 & 19 of 1978 PA 390 (MCL 408.471 et seq.) & adds secs. 13c & 13d.
Labor: hours and wages; penalties and remedies for misclassification of independent contractors; provide for. Amends secs. 1, 13, 15, 18 & 19 of 1978 PA 390 (MCL 408.471 et seq.) & adds secs. 13c & 13d.
Status: H: Bill Electronically Reproduced 04/16/2025 (Apr 17, 2025)
Assessment: This Michigan bill codifies an ABC test for independent contractor status — requiring that a worker be free from control, perform work outside the payer's usual course of business, AND be customarily engaged in an independent trade — placing the burden of proof on your company to disprove misclassification. Violations trigger 100% annual penalties on unpaid wages and fringe benefits, exemplary damages up to three times wages owed, civil fines up to $10,000 per violation, and criminal misdemeanor exposure, all enforced through a dedicated Wages and Fringe Benefits Fund. If your owner-operators or motor carriers are deemed to fall within your 'usual course of business,' you face automatic reclassification risk that could fundamentally disrupt your contracting model in Michigan.
Recommended action: Brokers and carriers operating in Michigan should engage with trade associations to oppose this bill and advocate for a control-based IC test rather than the ABC test codified here.
Minnesota (MN) — 4 bills
Last action: Mar 10, 2025 (406 days ago)
7/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Annual reports from partnership entities of the Intergovernmental Misclassification Enforcement and Education Partnership required, and money appropriated.
Annual reports from partnership entities of the Intergovernmental Misclassification Enforcement and Education Partnership required, and money appropriated.
Status: H: Introduction and first reading, referred to Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy (Mar 10, 2025)
Assessment: This bill funds and formalizes a multi-agency misclassification reporting infrastructure in Minnesota, requiring annual estimates of misclassification rates by industry — explicitly to guide enforcement priorities — with appropriations flowing to Labor and Industry, Revenue, DEED, Commerce, and the Attorney General. The industry-level targeting mechanism means trucking and owner-operator arrangements could be flagged as high-misclassification sectors, making your broker-carrier contracts a likely focus for coordinated state enforcement. While the bill does not itself impose a new classification test, it builds the analytical and institutional foundation that typically precedes expanded audits and penalties.
Recommended action: Brokers operating in Minnesota should engage with legislators on the Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy Committee to push back on industry-level misclassification targeting that could direct enforcement resources toward trucking and freight.
SF2373 RECENT ACTIVITY
Last action: Apr 20, 2026 (today)
6/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Omnibus Labor policy and appropriations
Omnibus Labor policy and appropriations
Status: S: Comm report: To pass as amended and re-refer to Finance (Apr 20, 2026)
Assessment: This omnibus labor appropriations bill includes $351,000 in year one and $356,000 in year two specifically earmarked for 'enforcement, education, and training related to employee misclassification' at the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry — a direct operational threat to your broker-carrier contractor model. The bulk of the bill addresses building codes, manufactured housing, and apprenticeship programs unrelated to freight, but the misclassification enforcement funding signals a heightened state investigation posture that could target your independent owner-operator arrangements. No new classification test is created here, but increased enforcement dollars mean greater audit exposure under Minnesota's existing misclassification standards.
Recommended action: Monitor this bill closely and engage with the Minnesota legislature to push back on the dedicated misclassification enforcement funding, which directly increases audit and investigation risk for brokers using independent owner-operators.
Last action: May 7, 2025 (348 days ago)
6/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Labor and industry finance and policy bill.
Labor and industry finance and policy bill.
Status: H: Committee report, to adopt as amended and re-refer to Ways and Means / Joint rule 2.03, Deadlines, re-referred to Rules and Legislative Administration (May 07, 2025)
Assessment: This omnibus labor and industry budget bill includes approximately $351,000 in year one and $356,000 in year two specifically earmarked for 'enforcement, education, and training related to employee misclassification,' which directly signals increased state scrutiny of independent contractor arrangements. The bill does not establish a new classification test or expand the legal definition of employment, so its immediate operational impact is limited to heightened enforcement activity rather than a structural change to IC status rules. Brokers using owner-operators in Minnesota should ensure their contractor agreements and operational controls are well-documented before this funding activates.
Recommended action: Monitor this bill for the misclassification enforcement funding provisions, which could increase audit and compliance pressure on your contractor relationships in Minnesota.
Last action: Apr 1, 2025 (384 days ago)
6/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Biennial misclassification fraud impact report requirement and appropriation
Biennial misclassification fraud impact report requirement and appropriation
Status: S: Comm report: To pass as amended and re-refer to Taxes (Apr 01, 2025)
Assessment: This bill requires Minnesota's Intergovernmental Misclassification Enforcement and Education Partnership agencies to produce annual reports estimating misclassification rates by industry, with findings used to guide enforcement priorities — meaning trucking and logistics could be flagged as high-risk sectors subject to increased audits and regulatory scrutiny. The appropriations to multiple enforcement agencies, including the Attorney General and Department of Labor and Industry, signal a coordinated, state-funded buildup of misclassification enforcement infrastructure that could directly threaten your independent owner-operator contracting model. While this bill does not itself impose a new classification test or penalty, it is a precursor step that funds the data and targeting mechanisms that typically precede expanded enforcement action against freight brokers and carriers.
Recommended action: Engage with Minnesota legislative labor committees to monitor how transportation and freight industries are characterized in misclassification reporting, as industry-specific data collection will directly shape future enforcement priorities.
Missouri (MO) — 3 bills
Last action: Feb 11, 2026 (68 days ago)
7/10 SCORESUPPORT
Modifies provisions relating to workers' compensation
Modifies provisions relating to workers' compensation
Status: S: Hearing Conducted S General Laws Committee (Feb 11, 2026)
Assessment: This bill explicitly retains the exclusion of owner-operators — individuals who own and lease their motor vehicles to for-hire carriers operating under Missouri DOT or USDOT authority — from the definition of 'employee' under Missouri workers' comp, directly protecting your independent contractor model. Section 287.043 also directs courts to adopt case law favorable to the 'owner' definition as established in Owner Operator Independent Drivers Ass'n v. New Prime and Nunn v. C.C. Midwest, reinforcing IC status for owner-operators in the state. The broader changes lowering the causation standard from 'prevailing factor' to 'substantial factor' for injury compensability expand coverage for actual employees but do not affect the owner-operator exclusion relevant to your operations.
Recommended action: Brokers operating in Missouri should support this bill, as it preserves and reinforces the statutory exclusion of owner-operators who own and lease their vehicles to motor carriers from the definition of 'employee' under Missouri workers' compensation law.
HB2375 RECENT ACTIVITY
Last action: Apr 15, 2026 (5 days ago)
6/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Modifies provisions relating to workers' compensation
Modifies provisions relating to workers' compensation
Status: H: Executive Session Completed (H) / Voted Do Pass (H) / Reported Do Pass (H) - AYES: 6 NOES: 2 PRESENT: 0 / Taken Up for Third Reading (H) / Third Read and Passed (H) - AYES: 86 NOES: 62 PRESENT: 1 / Reported to the Senate and First Read (S) (Feb 09, 2026) · S: Executive Session Held (S) / SCS Voted Do Pass (S) (Apr 15, 2026)
Assessment: Missouri HB 2375 amends the state workers' compensation statute and explicitly excludes from the definition of 'employee' any owner-operator of a motor vehicle leased or contracted to a for-hire motor carrier — a provision that directly protects your broker-carrier contracting model from workers' comp liability. The bulk of the bill addresses injury causation standards, occupational disease definitions, and first-responder PTSD coverage, none of which materially affect broker operations. The owner-operator carve-out is a modest pro-broker element, but since the bill does not expand IC protections beyond the existing exclusion, it warrants monitoring rather than active advocacy.
Recommended action: Monitor this bill to confirm that the owner-operator exclusion in Section 287.020 is preserved as enacted and watch for any amendments that could narrow or remove that carve-out.
Last action: Jan 27, 2026 (83 days ago)
6/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Modifies provisions relating to workers' compensation
Modifies provisions relating to workers' compensation
Status: S: Second Read and Referred S General Laws Committee (Jan 27, 2026)
Assessment: This Missouri workers' compensation reform bill explicitly carves out owner-operators of leased or contracted motor vehicles from the definition of 'employee' under the state workers' comp system, which reinforces independent contractor protections for your owner-operator relationships. However, the bill's primary focus is on narrowing compensability standards, adjusting benefit calculations, and modifying procedural rules — changes that affect your carriers' workers' comp obligations rather than directly threatening or protecting IC classification status. Monitor this bill to ensure the owner-operator exclusion language is preserved as it moves through the legislature, since any amendment removing that carve-out would directly impact how you contract with drivers.
Nebraska (NE) — 1 bill
Last action: Mar 3, 2026 (48 days ago)
7/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Change provisions relating to marketplace network contractors under the Employment Security Law
Change provisions relating to marketplace network contractors under the Employment Security Law
Assessment: This bill amends Nebraska's Employment Security Law definition of 'employment' as it applies to marketplace network contractors — a category that can sweep in owner-operators and app-based freight drivers. The existing ABC-style three-prong test in subdivision (5) already requires a business to show freedom from control, work outside the usual course of business, and independent trade engagement to avoid UI coverage, and changes to the marketplace contractor carve-out could narrow or eliminate a protection your business currently relies on. Until the full amended language of the marketplace contractor provision is visible, brokers using owner-operators in Nebraska should monitor this bill closely for any tightening of exemption criteria that would expose contractor relationships to UI contribution obligations.
New Jersey (NJ) — 4 bills
Last action: Jan 13, 2026 (97 days ago)
9/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Revises test for employment or independent contractor status under certain State labor laws.
Revises test for employment or independent contractor status under certain State labor laws.
Assessment: This bill amends R.S.43:21-19, the definitional section of New Jersey's Unemployment Compensation Law that governs whether a worker is classified as an employee or independent contractor for UI purposes — a direct trigger for payroll tax liability and potential reclassification exposure on your owner-operator relationships. Although the bill text was truncated before the revised classification test language appeared, the stated purpose is to revise the employment/IC test under NJ labor law, and NJ has historically applied an ABC-style test that is hostile to independent contractor arrangements in transportation. Monitor closely, as any shift in this test — whether tightening prong B (work outside usual course of business) or prong C (independent trade) — could force reclassification of the owner-operators you broker freight through.
Recommended action: Engage your NJ legislative contacts and legal counsel to review the revised classification test and assess whether it tightens or loosens the standard used to determine independent contractor status under NJ unemployment law.
Declares Department of Labor and Workforce Development new rules concerning employment status test for independent contractors inconsistent with legislative intent.
Declares Department of Labor and Workforce Development new rules concerning employment status test for independent contractors inconsistent with legislative intent.
Status: S: Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Labor Committee (Jan 13, 2026)
Assessment: This resolution challenges proposed NJDOL rules at N.J.A.C. 12:11 that would have reweighted the New Jersey ABC test heavily toward an employment presumption by treating standard business practices (use of digital apps, liability insurance requirements) as evidence of employer control and by declaring drivers' own vehicles part of a 'place of business' — effectively closing off the prong (B) independent contractor pathway for owner-operators and last-mile drivers. If the NJDOL rules were to take effect, your broker-carrier arrangements with New Jersey-based owner-operators could face reclassification exposure under unemployment compensation, wage and hour, and gross income tax laws simultaneously. This resolution puts the NJDOL on a 30-day clock to amend or withdraw those rules and signals legislative intent to invalidate them if the agency does not act — a favorable outcome for your independent contractor model.
Recommended action: Logistics brokers operating in New Jersey should actively support this resolution, as it directly blocks proposed NJDOL rules that would have expanded the ABC test to presume employment and strip key independent contractor indicators — such as liability insurance, 1099 filing, professional licensure, and multi-client work — of their legal weight.
Last action: Feb 5, 2026 (74 days ago)
7/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Establishes Office of Labor Law Enforcement.
Establishes Office of Labor Law Enforcement.
Status: S: Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Labor Committee (Feb 05, 2026)
Assessment: This bill creates a dedicated Office of Labor Law Enforcement within the NJ Department of Labor, explicitly charged with coordinating enforcement against misclassification of employees — and it self-funds through penalties collected, creating a financial incentive to pursue violations aggressively. Enforcement scope covers wage and hour laws, unemployment compensation, workers' comp, and temporary disability — all areas where owner-operator arrangements can be scrutinized under NJ's strict ABC test. While this bill doesn't change the classification standard itself, the institutional infrastructure it builds amplifies enforcement pressure on your broker-carrier relationships in New Jersey.
Recommended action: Engage with NJ legislative contacts to monitor whether this enforcement office targets independent contractor misclassification in the trucking and logistics sector specifically.
Last action: Jan 13, 2026 (97 days ago)
7/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Revises factors for determining employment or independent contractor status under certain State labor laws.
Revises factors for determining employment or independent contractor status under certain State labor laws.
Status: S: Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Labor Committee (Jan 13, 2026)
Assessment: This bill amends R.S.43:21-19, the definitional section of New Jersey's Unemployment Compensation Law that governs how employment and independent contractor status are determined — directly affecting how your owner-operator relationships are classified for UI purposes. The bill's direction hinges entirely on the revised factor language, which was truncated before the critical amendment could be reviewed. Conservative Republican sponsorship suggests a possible pro-IC revision, but your legal team should obtain the complete amended statutory language before assigning a firm position.
Recommended action: Monitor this bill closely and obtain the full amended classification language before taking a position, as the revised factors will directly determine whether NJ owner-operators face greater or lesser reclassification risk under UI law.
New York (NY) — 5 bills
Last action: Mar 30, 2026 (21 days ago)
9/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Empowers the commissioner of labor to issue stop-work orders against employers for misclassification of employees as independent contractors or for providing false, incomplete, or misleading information to an insurance company on the number of employees of such employer.
Empowers the commissioner of labor to issue stop-work orders against employers for misclassification of employees as independent contractors or for providing false, incomplete, or misleading information to an insurance company on the number of employees of such employer.
Status: S: PASSED SENATE / DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY (Mar 30, 2026)
Assessment: This bill creates stop-work order authority allowing the NY Commissioner of Labor to halt all business operations at every worksite where misclassification is found — meaning a single contested IC determination could shut down your entire brokerage footprint in New York. The mechanism requires compliance within 72 hours or face a full operational shutdown, with daily penalties of $1,000–$5,000 for non-compliance and liability that follows successor entities. Combined with a rebuttable presumption of retaliation if any adverse action occurs within 90 days of a worker complaint, this bill creates severe legal and operational exposure for any broker relying on owner-operator relationships in New York.
Recommended action: Engage with your NY state legislative contacts and industry associations to oppose this bill, as it directly threatens your ability to operate using independent owner-operators.
Last action: Apr 7, 2026 (13 days ago)
8/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Enacts the "Empowering People in Rights Enforcement (EMPIRE) Worker Protection Act"; relates to the delegation of state enforcement authority to private actors; authorizes an affected employee, whistleblower, representative organization or an organizational deputy to initiate a public enforcement action on behalf of the commissioner for certain provisions of the labor law, or any regulation promulgated thereunder.
Enacts the "Empowering People in Rights Enforcement (EMPIRE) Worker Protection Act"; relates to the delegation of state enforcement authority to private actors; authorizes an affected employee, whistleblower, representative organization or an organizational deputy to initiate a public enforcement action on behalf of the commissioner for certain provisions of the labor law, or any regulation promulgated thereunder.
Status: S: REFERRED TO LABOR (Apr 07, 2026)
Assessment: This bill creates a California PAGA-style private attorney general mechanism in New York, allowing affected employees, whistleblowers, and — critically — deputized labor organizations to sue employers directly for NY Labor Law violations, including misclassification claims, with civil penalties of $500 per affected worker per pay period per violation plus mandatory attorney fee awards. For logistics brokers, the definition of 'affected employee' explicitly includes 'any person who is not classified by a business as an employee but who claims to be an employee,' meaning your owner-operators could trigger enforcement actions against your business without any state agency involvement. The 40% penalty share paid to relators and automatic attorney fee recovery create strong financial incentives for labor unions to target broker-carrier relationships at scale.
Recommended action: Brokers operating in New York should monitor this bill closely and engage with industry associations to oppose it, as it creates a private right of action that labor organizations can use to file enforcement suits against your business for alleged misclassification and wage violations.
Last action: Mar 30, 2026 (21 days ago)
8/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Authorizes the commissioner of labor and the workers' compensation board to issue stop-work orders; establishes procedure for the issuance of such orders; establishes penalties for failure to comply with such orders.
Authorizes the commissioner of labor and the workers' compensation board to issue stop-work orders; establishes procedure for the issuance of such orders; establishes penalties for failure to comply with such orders.
Status: S: ADVANCED TO THIRD READING (Mar 30, 2026)
Assessment: This bill grants the NY Commissioner of Labor and Workers' Compensation Board authority to issue stop-work orders halting all business operations at every worksite where violations of wage payment laws or workers' comp coverage requirements are found, with daily penalties of $1,000–$5,000 for non-compliance. If a carrier or broker arrangement is scrutinized under a misclassification theory — treating owner-operators as employees — a finding of wage or workers' comp violations could trigger a stop-work order that shuts down your operations within 72 hours. The successor liability provision is especially dangerous, as it means stop-work orders can follow your business through restructuring or rebranding.
Recommended action: Brokers operating in New York should engage with industry associations to oppose this bill and advocate for exemptions or narrowed scope that excludes independent contractor arrangements from stop-work order exposure.
S00448 / A04278
Last action: Dec 24, 2025 (117 days ago)
8/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Enacts the "Empowering People in Rights Enforcement (EMPIRE) Worker Protection Act"; relates to the delegation of state enforcement authority to private actors; authorizes an affected employee, whistleblower, representative organization or an organizational deputy to initiate a public enforcement action on behalf of the commissioner for certain provisions of the labor law, or any regulation promulgated thereunder.
Enacts the "Empowering People in Rights Enforcement (EMPIRE) Worker Protection Act"; relates to the delegation of state enforcement authority to private actors; authorizes an affected employee, whistleblower, representative organization or an organizational deputy to initiate a public enforcement action on behalf of the commissioner for certain provisions of the labor law, or any regulation promulgated thereunder.
Status: S: AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO LABOR / PRINT NUMBER 448C (Dec 24, 2025)
Assessment: This bill creates a California PAGA-style private attorney general mechanism under New York labor law, allowing workers, unions, and deputized labor organizations to sue employers — including those facing misclassification allegations — and collect $500 per affected employee per pay period per violation, plus attorneys' fees. Critically, the 'affected employee' definition explicitly includes individuals 'not classified by a business as an employee but who claims to be an employee,' meaning your owner-operators could serve as relators or be cited as the basis for a private enforcement action targeting your business. By removing enforcement from the sole discretion of the state agency and weaponizing plaintiffs' attorneys and union proxies as enforcement agents, this bill substantially raises the financial and litigation risk of maintaining independent contractor relationships in New York.
Recommended action: Logistics brokers operating in New York should monitor this bill closely and engage with industry associations to oppose it, as it dramatically expands enforcement exposure for labor law violations including misclassification claims.
Last action: Jan 7, 2026 (103 days ago)
7/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Authorizes certain penalties to be assessed against members of a limited liability company and partners of a limited liability partnership or partnership.
Authorizes certain penalties to be assessed against members of a limited liability company and partners of a limited liability partnership or partnership.
Status: S: REFERRED TO LABOR (Jan 07, 2026)
Assessment: This bill amends New York Workers' Compensation Law Section 26-a to extend personal, joint, and several liability for workers' compensation award penalties to individual members of LLCs and partners of LLPs and partnerships — not just corporate officers. If your brokerage operates as an LLC or partnership and a carrier or contractor is later found to be an uninsured employee under NY law, your individual members could be personally on the hook for compensation awards and assessments. While this bill targets uninsured employer violations rather than reclassification directly, it raises the financial stakes of any misclassification finding for your business structure.
Recommended action: Brokers operating as LLCs or partnerships in New York should monitor this bill and consider engaging with industry associations to push back on personal liability exposure for members and partners.
Ohio (OH) — 1 bill
Last action: Feb 4, 2026 (75 days ago)
9/10 SCORESUPPORT
Regards employment under Ohio's overtime and minimum wage laws
To amend sections 4111.03 and 4111.14 and to enact section 4111.20 of the Revised Code regarding the distinction between employees and independent contractors under Ohio's overtime and minimum wage laws.
Status: H: Referred to committee: Commerce and Labor (Feb 04, 2026)
Assessment: This bill enacts a new Section 4111.20 and amends Ohio's overtime and minimum wage statutes to establish a specific seven-factor safe harbor exempting owner-operators from 'employee' status — covering vehicle ownership, cost responsibility, mileage-based pay, means-and-manner control, written IC contracts, and economic risk — directly mirroring protections your broker-carrier arrangements already rely on. The explicit motor carrier carve-out in both the overtime (4111.03) and minimum wage (4111.14) sections means that properly structured owner-operator contracts would be shielded from reclassification claims under Ohio wage law. This is a clear pro-broker measure that reduces your misclassification exposure in Ohio without imposing new compliance burdens.
Recommended action: Brokers and carriers operating in Ohio should actively support this bill, as it codifies a multi-factor safe harbor that explicitly protects owner-operator IC status under Ohio's overtime and minimum wage laws.
Pennsylvania (PA) — 3 bills
Last action: Apr 9, 2025 (376 days ago)
9/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Providing for criteria for independent contractors and for powers and duties of the Department of Labor and Industry and the Secretary of Labor and Industry; and imposing penalties.
An Act providing for criteria for independent contractors and for powers and duties of the Department of Labor and Industry and the Secretary of Labor and Industry; and imposing penalties.
Status: S: Referred to Labor & Industry (Apr 09, 2025)
Assessment: This Pennsylvania bill establishes a three-prong independent contractor test requiring a written project-specific contract, freedom from control, and customary engagement in an independent business — with five additional sub-criteria for that third prong — applied to workers' compensation and unemployment compensation classifications across all non-construction industries, including trucking. Brokers who contract with owner-operators face criminal liability (up to felony of the third degree for repeat violations), civil penalties up to $2,500 per worker per violation, stop-work order authority, and a private right of action allowing misclassified workers to recover three times wages plus attorney fees. Section 4(e) is a direct threat to your business model: it explicitly extends all penalties to any party that contracts with an employer 'knowing the employer will misclassify the supplied employees,' which could sweep in brokers who arrange freight through carriers whose classification practices are later challenged.
Recommended action: Engage Pennsylvania legislative contacts to oppose this bill, which would expose logistics brokers to criminal penalties, stop-work orders, and private lawsuits for misclassification of owner-operators under a multi-factor independent contractor test.
Last action: Jun 24, 2025 (300 days ago)
8/10 SCORESUPPORT
In liability and compensation, providing for registration of status as independent contractor.
An Act amending the act of June 2, 1915 (P.L.736, No.338), known as the Workers' Compensation Act, in liability and compensation, providing for registration of status as independent contractor.
Status: S: Referred to Labor & Industry (Jun 24, 2025)
Assessment: Pennsylvania SB 894 amends the Workers' Compensation Act to establish a voluntary registration system allowing companies to formally document an individual's independent contractor status — anchored to federal income tax classification — and obtain a signed waiver of all workers' comp benefits, eliminating your liability for those claims. Once registered, you are not required to carry workers' comp coverage for that individual and face no exposure to the Uninsured Employers Guaranty Fund. This is a meaningful safe harbor for broker-carrier arrangements: a properly executed registration directly insulates your business from reclassification-driven workers' comp liability under Pennsylvania law.
Recommended action: Logistics brokers and carriers operating in Pennsylvania should actively support this bill, as it creates a formal registration mechanism that shields them from workers' compensation liability for properly classified independent contractors.
Last action: Jun 18, 2025 (306 days ago)
7/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Providing for interagency cooperation regarding employee misclassification; and establishing the Employee Misclassification Working Group.
An Act providing for interagency cooperation regarding employee misclassification; and establishing the Employee Misclassification Working Group.
Status: H: Re-reported as committed / Third consideration and final passage (108-95) (Jun 11, 2025) · S: Referred to Labor & Industry (Jun 18, 2025)
Assessment: This bill creates a coordinated interagency enforcement infrastructure — linking the Department of Labor and Industry, Department of Revenue, and Office of Attorney General — specifically to pursue misclassification investigations, with tax data sharing built in to fuel audits and compliance crossmatches. While it does not establish a new classification test, it materially increases the enforcement risk for your broker-carrier model by pooling state resources and data to identify and prosecute misclassification across workers' comp, unemployment, and labor law. The working group's quarterly coordination cadence and attorney general participation signal an elevated, sustained enforcement posture that could expose your business to multi-agency scrutiny over owner-operator relationships.
Recommended action: Engage Pennsylvania legislative contacts and industry associations to monitor this working group's enforcement priorities and push back if it targets owner-operator arrangements in trucking and logistics.
Tennessee (TN) — 2 bills
Last action: Feb 5, 2026 (74 days ago)
7/10 SCOREOPPOSE
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 29 and Title 39, relative to criminal offenses.
As introduced, creates the new criminal offenses of systematic unauthorized employment and aggravated systematic unauthorized employment; establishes the tort of unfair competition. - Amends TCA Title 29 and Title 39.
Status: H: P2C, ref. to Commerce Committee - Judiciary Committee / Assigned to s/c Banking & Consumer Affairs Subcommittee (Feb 05, 2026)
Assessment: This bill creates felony-level criminal liability for 'misclassifying a worker as an independent contractor rather than an employee with intent to evade employment verification requirements' and imposes joint and several liability on brokers who 'knowingly use or contract with an independent contractor or subcontractor whose business is substantially reliant on unauthorized labor' — language broad enough to reach your carrier relationships. Conviction triggers license revocation, multi-year bans on state contracting, and restitution calculated against your gross receipts, with personal criminal liability extending to officers and managers who authorized the arrangement. While the bill targets unauthorized labor, the misclassification hook and the contractor-liability provisions create real exposure for brokers who cannot fully audit every carrier's workforce compliance.
Recommended action: Brokers operating in Tennessee should monitor this bill closely and engage with legislators to clarify that legitimate independent contractor arrangements with authorized workers are not swept into the misclassification and joint-liability provisions.
Last action: Feb 5, 2026 (74 days ago)
7/10 SCOREOPPOSE
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 29 and Title 39, relative to criminal offenses.
As introduced, creates the new criminal offenses of systematic unauthorized employment and aggravated systematic unauthorized employment; establishes the tort of unfair competition. - Amends TCA Title 29 and Title 39.
Status: S: Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee (Feb 05, 2026)
Assessment: This bill creates felony-level criminal liability for 'misclassifying a worker as an independent contractor rather than an employee with intent to evade employment verification requirements,' and separately criminalizes knowingly contracting with an independent contractor whose business is 'substantially reliant on unauthorized labor' — both provisions could be applied to logistics brokers who contract with owner-operators or carriers. The joint-and-several liability clause (§39-13-317(d)(2)) is particularly dangerous: it exposes your brokerage to restitution for unpaid wages, taxes, workers' comp premiums, and competitor damages tied to your subcontractors' or carriers' labor practices, even without direct knowledge. While the bill's primary target appears to be construction and labor trafficking, the broad definitions of 'employer,' 'independent contractor,' and 'subcontractor' create real exposure for freight brokers whose carrier networks include any operator later found to have employed unauthorized workers.
Recommended action: Brokers should monitor this bill and engage with Tennessee legislators to clarify that legitimate broker-carrier IC arrangements are not swept into the misclassification and joint-and-several liability provisions.
United States Congress (US) — 7 bills
Last action: Mar 5, 2026 (46 days ago)
9/10 SCORESUPPORT
21st Century Worker Act
A bill to clarify the classification of service provider payees as employees or independent contractors in Federal law.
Status: S: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (Mar 05, 2026)
Assessment: This bill establishes a mandatory independent contractor classification framework that directly benefits your business: owner-operators structured as business entities, bona fide sole proprietors, or formal bona fide contractors (with a written contract, non-exclusivity, and unreimbursed expenses exceeding 5% of compensation) are classified as ICs by law — not subject to an ABC test or economic-realities analysis. The bill also applies this classification standard to the FLSA and NLRA, replacing those statutes' more ambiguous tests with a structured, broker-friendly framework. If enacted, this would significantly reduce your misclassification exposure and provide a clear compliance roadmap for structuring carrier and owner-operator agreements.
Recommended action: Brokers should actively support this bill and engage their congressional representatives, as it creates mandatory IC safe harbors that would protect owner-operator arrangements under federal law.
Last action: Feb 20, 2026 (59 days ago)
9/10 SCORESUPPORT
Modern Worker Empowerment Act
To amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 and the National Labor Relations Act to clarify the standard for determining whether an individual is an employee, and for other purposes.
Status: H: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Education and Workforce. H. Rept. 119-505. / Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 431. (Feb 20, 2026)
Assessment: This bill amends both the FLSA and the NLRA to establish a control-over-details test for IC status — if you don't control how the work is performed and the worker bears entrepreneurial risk, they are an independent contractor. Critically, it explicitly prohibits regulators from using compliance requirements, safety standards, insurance mandates, or performance deadlines as factors to establish an employment relationship — conditions that are routine in broker-carrier contracts. By importing this pro-IC standard into the NLRA as well, the bill shields your owner-operator relationships from reclassification across two of the most consequential federal labor statutes simultaneously.
Recommended action: Engage your trade associations and congressional contacts to support passage of this bill, which directly protects your ability to contract with owner-operators under both the FLSA and NLRA.
Last action: Jul 9, 2025 (285 days ago)
9/10 SCORESUPPORT
Modern Worker Empowerment Act
A bill to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to harmonize the definition of employee with the common law.
Status: S: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (Jul 09, 2025)
Assessment: This bill amends the FLSA's definition of 'employee' to require classification be determined under 'usual common law rules' — replacing the expansive economic-realities test that the DOL has historically used to find employment relationships with owner-operators. Under the common law standard, the key question is whether your business controls the manner and means of the work, which is a far higher bar to clear, making it substantially harder for regulators to reclassify your independent owner-operators as employees. This directly protects your broker-carrier contracting model from federal wage-and-hour misclassification claims.
Recommended action: Engage your industry associations and lobbyists to actively support this bill, as it would replace the broad FLSA 'economic realities' test with a common law control-based standard that is significantly more favorable to independent contractor arrangements.
Last action: Jan 3, 2025 (472 days ago)
9/10 SCORESUPPORT
Protect the Gig Economy Act of 2025
To amend Rule 23 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure to protect the "gig economy" and small businesses that operate in large part through contractor services from the threat of costly class action litigation, and for other purposes.
Status: H: Introduced in House / Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. (Jan 03, 2025)
Assessment: This bill amends Rule 23(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure to add a fifth prerequisite for class certification, barring any class action that alleges misclassification of employees as independent contractors — directly eliminating the class action mechanism that plaintiffs' attorneys use to aggregate owner-operator reclassification claims into financially devastating mass litigation. Without the ability to certify a class, plaintiffs would be forced to pursue individual claims, dramatically reducing the litigation risk and settlement leverage that currently threatens your contractor-based operating model. This is a direct procedural shield for brokers and carriers that rely on independent owner-operators.
Recommended action: Engage with your congressional representatives and industry associations to actively support passage of this bill, which would eliminate class action certification for misclassification claims against your business.
HB8218 RECENT ACTIVITY
Last action: Apr 9, 2026 (11 days ago)
8/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Fair Compensation for Truck Crash Victims Act
To increase the minimum levels of financial responsibility for transporting property, and to index future increases to changes in inflation relating to medical care.
Status: H: Introduced in House / Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. (Apr 09, 2026)
Assessment: This bill amends 49 U.S.C. § 31139(b) to raise the minimum financial responsibility requirement for property-carrying motor carriers from $750,000 to $5,000,000 — a 567% increase — with automatic quinquennial inflation adjustments tied to medical care costs indexed by BLS. For your brokerage, this means every carrier and owner-operator in your network must secure dramatically higher insurance coverage or exit the market, directly reducing your available capacity and driving up the cost of every load you move. Smaller owner-operators who cannot absorb premiums at the $5M level will be effectively forced off the road, threatening the independent contractor model your business depends on.
Recommended action: Brokers should engage trade associations and lobby against this bill, as the dramatic insurance mandate increase will raise operating costs for your carrier network and shrink the pool of compliant owner-operators available to you.
Last action: Feb 20, 2026 (59 days ago)
8/10 SCORESUPPORT
Modern Worker Security Act
To ensure that the provision of portable benefits to an individual is not considered in determining whether such individual is an employee of a person.
Status: H: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Education and Workforce. H. Rept. 119-506. / Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 432. (Feb 20, 2026)
Assessment: This bill explicitly prohibits portable benefits — including workers' comp contributions, health insurance, paid leave, and retirement savings — from being used as a factor in any federal employment classification determination, directly protecting your IC arrangements. If you choose to offer owner-operators access to these benefits, doing so cannot be cited as evidence of an employment relationship under any federal law. This eliminates a longstanding deterrent that has prevented brokers and carriers from improving contractor welfare, and strengthens the legal foundation for maintaining independent contractor relationships.
Recommended action: Brokers should support this bill and urge their representatives to advance it, as it removes a significant barrier to offering owner-operators benefits without risking reclassification.
Empowering App-Based Workers Act
A bill to promote transparency and accountability in covered digital labor platform work, and for other purposes.
Status: H: Introduced in House / Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce. (Dec 11, 2025) · S: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (Jul 28, 2025)
Assessment: This bill targets covered digital labor platform providers — which can include app-based freight dispatch and last-mile delivery platforms — by requiring disclosure of automated decision-making systems, electronic monitoring tools, and pay algorithms, while the findings section explicitly frames algorithmic management as a vehicle for independent contractor misclassification. The bill also caps take rates at 25% for ride-hail and creates adverse action protections for app-based workers, both of which set precedents that could extend to owner-operator dispatch platforms. If your business uses an app or algorithm to allocate loads, set pay, or manage access to work assignments, you may fall within the definition of a 'covered digital labor platform provider' and face significant new disclosure and compliance obligations.
Recommended action: Brokers and freight platforms using app-based dispatch should monitor this bill and engage with HELC committee members to oppose provisions that expand algorithmic disclosure requirements and misclassification enforcement mechanisms.
Virginia (VA) — 2 bills
HB238 RECENT ACTIVITY
Last action: Apr 16, 2026 (4 days ago)
8/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Minimum wage and overtime wages; payment, definitions, misclassification of workers, civil actions.
Labor and employment; payment of wages; minimum wage and overtime wages; misclassification of workers; prevailing wage rate; civil actions. Provides that an employer that violates provisions relating to minimum wage, overtime wages provisions, the misclassification of workers, or the prevailing wage rate is subject to civil actions for the applicable remedies, damages, or other relief available in an action brought pursuant to the civil action provisions currently available for the nonpayment of wages. Such provisions currently available provide that an employee may bring an action in a court of competent jurisdiction to recover payment of the wages, and the court is required to award the wages owed, an additional equal amount as liquidated damages, plus prejudgment interest thereon, and reasonable attorney fees and costs. Under current law, if the court finds that the employer knowingly failed to pay wages to an employee, the court is required to award the employee an amount equal to triple the amount of wages due and reasonable attorney fees and costs. The bill also prohibits an employer from taking certain retaliatory actions against an employee because the employee reports any information or allegation in good faith that, if true, amounts to a violation of any federal or state law or regulation to a supervisor, manager, or officer, or to any governmental body or law-enforcement official, including a report made in the ordinary course of the employee's employment, regardless of whether such report refers to a particular law or regulation.
Status: H: Substitute bill reprinted 26110450D (Apr 16, 2026) · S: Signed by President (Mar 30, 2026)
Assessment: This bill significantly raises the stakes for misclassification findings in Virginia by linking violations of §40.1-28.7:7 (misclassification) and minimum wage provisions directly to the enhanced civil remedies in §40.1-29(J), which include liquidated damages equal to 100% of wages owed and treble damages when an employer knowingly fails to pay. The misclassification presumption under IRS common-law guidelines applies broadly to anyone performing services for remuneration, meaning your owner-operator arrangements could be scrutinized and the burden falls on you to rebut employee status. Combined with new whistleblower protections and expanded joint-and-several liability in the construction provisions, this bill materially increases your litigation and financial exposure if a contractor relationship is challenged.
Recommended action: Brokers should monitor this bill and engage Virginia lawmakers to oppose provisions that increase misclassification liability exposure and expand civil remedies, including treble damages and attorney fees, for worker classification disputes.
Last action: Mar 14, 2026 (37 days ago)
8/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Minimum wage and overtime wages; payment, misclassification of workers, civil actions.
Labor and employment; payment of wages; minimum wage and overtime wages; misclassification of workers; prevailing wage rate; civil actions. Provides that an employer that violates provisions relating to minimum wage, overtime wages provisions, the misclassification of workers, or the prevailing wage rate is liable to the employee for the applicable remedies, damages, or other relief available in an action brought pursuant to the civil action provisions currently available for the nonpayment of wages. Such provisions currently available provide that an employee may bring an action in a court of competent jurisdiction to recover payment of the wages, and the court is required to award the wages owed, an additional equal amount as liquidated damages, plus prejudgment interest thereon, and reasonable attorney fees and costs. Under current law, if the court finds that the employer knowingly failed to pay wages to an employee, the court is required to award the employee an amount equal to triple the amount of wages due and reasonable attorney fees and costs.
Status: H: Conference report agreed to by House (62-Y 35-N 0-A) (Mar 14, 2026) · S: Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (3/14/2026 2:49 pm) / Conference report rejected by Senate (16-Y 21-N 0-A) / No further action taken / Failed to Pass from conference (Mar 14, 2026)
Assessment: This bill ties misclassification violations under § 40.1-28.7:7 to the enhanced civil remedies in § 40.1-29(J), meaning a finding that an owner-operator was improperly classified as an independent contractor now triggers liquidated damages equal to 100% of unpaid wages, plus triple damages if the misclassification is deemed knowing, plus attorney fees — a significant escalation from current law. The IRS common-law test is retained as the classification standard, which is relatively favorable, but the dramatically increased penalty exposure for misclassification will raise litigation risk for brokers who rely on owner-operator arrangements. Virginia-based brokers and carriers should monitor this bill closely and consider engaging the Commerce and Labor Committee to limit the expanded damage multipliers as they apply to legitimate independent contractor relationships in freight.
Recommended action: Brokers should engage Virginia legislators to oppose provisions that expand civil liability and liquidated damages for misclassification claims, as these directly raise the cost and legal risk of using independent owner-operators.
Vermont (VT) — 2 bills
Last action: Feb 25, 2025 (419 days ago)
8/10 SCOREOPPOSE
An act relating to enhancing enforcement of employment laws
An act relating to enhancing enforcement of employment laws
Status: H: Read first time and referred to the Committee on General and Housing (Feb 25, 2025)
Assessment: This Vermont bill creates a private right of action — modeled on a qui tam enforcement mechanism — that allows workers, unions, and whistleblowers to sue employers directly for misclassification violations under Title 21, with the definition of 'aggrieved employee' explicitly including individuals asserting they were misclassified as independent contractors. If a driver or a union acting on a driver's behalf believes your owner-operator arrangement violates Vermont employment law, they can file a claim, and if the Commissioner declines to act within 60 days, they can proceed to civil court and recover penalties plus attorney's fees. This dramatically expands enforcement exposure for your broker-carrier relationships by adding private litigants and financial incentives — up to 30% of recovered penalties — on top of existing state enforcement authority.
Recommended action: Brokers operating in Vermont should monitor this bill and engage with the Vermont legislature to oppose provisions that weaponize misclassification claims by enabling private enforcement actions against your IC arrangements.
Last action: Feb 25, 2025 (419 days ago)
6/10 SCOREOPPOSE
An act relating to expanding coverage of the minimum wage and overtime laws and maintaining the authority of the Attorney General to enforce complaints of employee misclassification
An act relating to expanding coverage of the minimum wage and overtime laws and maintaining the authority of the Attorney General to enforce complaints of employee misclassification
Status: H: Read first time and referred to the Committee on General and Housing (Feb 25, 2025)
Assessment: This bill raises Vermont's minimum wage to $20/hour and expands overtime coverage, which primarily affects your carriers' employee cost structures rather than your broker operations directly. However, the most significant provision for your business is Section 4, which eliminates the scheduled July 1, 2026 repeal of the Attorney General's authority to investigate and enforce worker misclassification complaints — meaning the AG retains permanent power to scrutinize owner-operator arrangements under Vermont law. If your carrier relationships involve Vermont-based independent owner-operators, this sustained enforcement authority increases your exposure to misclassification investigations and potential liability.
Recommended action: Logistics brokers should monitor this bill and consider opposing the provision that permanently preserves the Vermont Attorney General's misclassification enforcement authority, which removes a 2026 sunset that would have ended that investigative power.
Washington (WA) — 3 bills
Last action: Jan 12, 2026 (98 days ago)
8/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Concerning labor standards.
Concerning labor standards.
Status: H: By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status. (Jan 12, 2026)
Assessment: This bill introduces stop-work order authority under Washington's Minimum Wage Act, allowing the Department of Labor & Industries to halt all business operations at any site where a violation is found — a direct operational threat if your contractor relationships are ever scrutinized under the state's labor standards framework. Combined with escalating minimum wage floors reaching $25/hour by 2032 and new mandatory paid vacation and bereavement leave requirements, the bill significantly raises the stakes of any worker misclassification finding against your business. If any owner-operator arrangement is deemed an employment relationship under Washington law, you could face stopped operations, back wages, interest, civil penalties up to $5,000 per day, and a two-year probationary reporting period.
Recommended action: Engage with Washington state legislators and industry associations to oppose the stop-work order authority and push for exemptions or clarifying language that excludes broker-carrier independent contractor arrangements.
Last action: Jan 12, 2026 (98 days ago)
7/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Concerning labor standards and the Washington minimum wage act.
Concerning labor standards and the Washington minimum wage act.
Status: H: By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status. (Jan 12, 2026)
Assessment: This bill introduces a stop-work order mechanism allowing Washington L&I to cease all business operations at any site where a minimum wage or labor standards violation is found — a direct operational risk if your carriers or contracted drivers are deemed employees subject to Washington's Minimum Wage Act. The bill also mandates paid vacation and bereavement leave for employees beginning January 2027 and raises the minimum wage to $25/hour by 2031, creating significant cost exposure if owner-operators are reclassified as employees under Washington law. While the bill does not itself establish a new worker classification test, the stop-work authority and expanded benefit mandates sharply increase the stakes of any misclassification finding against your business.
Recommended action: Brokers operating in Washington should monitor this bill and engage with state associations to oppose the stop-work order provision, which could halt operations at any site where a wage violation is found.
Last action: Jan 12, 2026 (98 days ago)
7/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Concerning labor standards.
Concerning labor standards.
Status: S: By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status. (Jan 12, 2026)
Assessment: This bill introduces stop-work order authority (Section 3) allowing Washington L&I to halt all business operations at any site where a wage or labor standards violation is found — a mechanism that could shut down carrier or brokerage operations over a minimum wage or paid leave dispute. The bill also mandates paid vacation leave (beginning 2027) and paid bereavement leave for employees, and escalates the state minimum wage to $25/hour by 2031, increasing cost pressure if any owner-operators are reclassified as employees. While the bill targets employee wage standards rather than directly redefining independent contractor status, the stop-work authority paired with expanded leave mandates creates serious operational and financial exposure if your carrier relationships are ever scrutinized under Washington's classification rules.
Recommended action: Brokers should monitor this bill and engage with Washington legislative contacts to flag the stop-work order provision as a disproportionate risk to freight operations.
West Virginia (WV) — 1 bill
Last action: Jan 20, 2026 (90 days ago)
7/10 SCORESUPPORT
Taxpayer Protection Act
The purpose of this bill is to ensure individual taxpayers are not misclassified.
Status: H: Filed for introduction / To Finance / Introduced in House / To House Finance (Jan 20, 2026)
Assessment: Despite its 'ABC' label, this West Virginia bill is structured to protect independent contractor status — it creates a presumption that a worker is an IC unless the hiring entity can prove all three prongs of an economic-control test, which mirrors a behavioral-control standard rather than the typical anti-IC ABC framework. For your business, this means the burden of proving an employment relationship falls on the state or the hiring entity, not on you to prove contractor status. The bill applies to the state personal income tax code, so its direct impact on broker-carrier arrangements is limited to that tax context, but a favorable precedent here could reinforce IC classification in broader West Virginia enforcement.
Recommended action: Engage with West Virginia legislators and the Tax Commissioner's office to support this bill, as its pro-IC presumption and control-based test would reduce reclassification risk for your owner-operator relationships under state income tax law.
What's Happening Lately (10 bill(s) with recent activity)
The most urgent items on your radar right now are coming out of New York. NY S01514 passed the full Senate on March 30 and has been delivered to the Assembly, putting it one chamber away from the Governor's desk. It would empower the Commissioner of Labor to issue stop-work orders within 72 hours of a misclassification finding — halting all operations at every affected site, with daily penalties up to $5,000 and successor liability provisions that survive restructuring. A companion measure, NY S00162, advanced to third reading in the Senate on the same day and carries nearly identical stop-work authority, this time shared between the Commissioner and the Workers' Compensation Board, covering wage payment and workers' comp violations. Together, these two bills could expose your brokerage and your carrier partners to immediate operational shutdowns before any contested hearing takes place. Treat S01514 in particular as a near-term threat and engage New York counsel now. On the civil liability front, Virginia's HB238 is enrolled and headed to the Governor after the Senate agreed to the conference report on a narrow 20–19 vote. The bill dramatically amplifies financial exposure for misclassification by adding liquidated damages equal to wages owed, attorney fee shifting, and triple damages for knowing violations. The broadening of joint and several liability in contracting chains is especially worth watching, as it signals a direction that could extend well beyond construction into broker-carrier arrangements. Pennsylvania's HB678, which creates a mandatory labor broker registration regime, moved out of committee on March 23 and could sweep in freight brokerage operations depending on how "labor broker" is ultimately defined — monitor that statutory language closely. Several other bills warrant ongoing tracking even if they are not yet at the crisis stage. Missouri's HB2375, which modifies workers' compensation provisions, passed the House 86–62 and is now in a Senate public hearing phase. Wisconsin's AB651, which repeals the existing statutory definition of "employee" under that state's workers' comp law, passed the Senate and is moving toward the Governor. Alaska's SB35 on delivery network companies was referred to Senate Rules on March 23, and Hawaii's HCR120 directing regulators to develop a motor carrier framework for TNCs is scheduled for a hearing — both are early-stage but could lay groundwork for future reclassification exposure in platform-based freight. Minnesota's SF2373 omnibus labor bill was re-referred to committee on March 25, resetting the clock but not eliminating the risk given its historically broad scope. The overall legislative environment is clearly trending toward tighter enforcement, expanded stop-work authority, and amplified civil remedies for worker misclassification — with states moving faster and more aggressively than at any point in recent memory. New York is the immediate flashpoint, but the geographic spread of activity from Virginia to Alaska signals that this is a national compliance posture shift, not an isolated state-level trend. Your legal and compliance teams should be conducting a jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction audit of your carrier agreements and classification practices before these bills reach their Governors.
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Executive Summary — Legislative Watch List
Sorted by recent activity, then relevance score. Bills updated within 30 days are prioritized as action items.
Score: 8-10 = high (green) · 5-7 = moderate (amber) · 1-4 = low (red) · ◄ = updated within 30 days (action item) · Bill numbers link to LegiScan · Titles link to detail below
Alaska (AK) — 1 bill
SB35 RECENT ACTIVITY
Last action: Mar 23, 2026 (8 days ago)
7/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Delivery Network Companies
An Act relating to transportation network and delivery network companies.
Status: S: L&C RPT CS 1DP 3NR NEW TITLE / DP: BJORKMAN / NR: DUNBAR, GRAY-JACKSON, YUNDT / FN2: ZERO(LWF) / REFERRED TO RULES (Mar 23, 2026)
Assessment: This Alaska bill addresses transportation network and delivery network companies, which could impose new classification standards, compliance requirements, or operational rules affecting how you contract with last-mile and gig-economy drivers — a category that increasingly overlaps with owner-operators in your network. The bill's full provisions could not be extracted from the PDF, but any state-level regulation of delivery network companies risks creating misclassification exposure or new obligations for brokers arranging delivery freight in Alaska. Until the full language is reviewed, treat this as a potential threat to your independent contractor relationships in the state.
Recommended action: Obtain a readable version of this bill and review its classification definitions and compliance requirements before determining whether to oppose or support it.
California (CA) — 1 bill
Last action: Oct 11, 2025 (171 days ago)
7/10 SCOREENACTED
Employees and independent contractors: construction trucking.
An act to add Sections 2750.9, 2775.5, and 2802.2 to the Labor Code, relating to employment.
Status: S: Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 29. Noes 8. Page 3028.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling. (Sep 13, 2025)
Assessment: This bill targets construction trucking specifically, but its core provisions — eliminating vehicle ownership as a basis for independent contractor status and requiring reclassification of drivers as employees — establish precedents that could be extended to freight and logistics operations in California. If you broker loads involving construction site deliveries or work with owner-operators hauling construction materials, your carrier relationships could fall directly within scope of the ABC test enforcement and amnesty program requirements this bill creates. The vehicle-ownership provision is particularly dangerous, as it directly undermines a defining characteristic of the owner-operator model your business depends on.
Colorado (CO) — 1 bill
Last action: Feb 26, 2026 (33 days ago)
7/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Protections for Worker Safety
Concerning worker safety protections.
Status: H: House Committee on Business Affairs & Labor Refer Amended to Appropriations (Feb 26, 2026)
Assessment: This Colorado bill on worker safety protections carries potential risk for your business if it includes stop-work order authority, expanded enforcement mechanisms, or misclassification provisions that could apply to your owner-operator relationships. The bill title and description are broad enough to encompass labor enforcement tools that directly threaten broker-carrier contracting arrangements. Until the full readable content is confirmed, treat this as a live threat requiring immediate review.
Recommended action: Obtain a readable version of this bill immediately and review for any stop-work authority, misclassification enforcement, or joint employer provisions before taking a formal position.
Hawaii (HI) — 1 bill
Last action: Mar 27, 2026 (4 days ago)
6/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Requesting The Department Of Transportation And Public Utilities Commission To Develop A Framework To Regulate Transportation Network Companies Under The Motor Carrier Law.
Requesting The Department Of Transportation And Public Utilities Commission To Develop A Framework To Regulate Transportation Network Companies Under The Motor Carrier Law.
Status: H: Resolution scheduled to be heard by TRN on Tuesday, 03-31-26 10:00AM in conference room 430 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (Mar 27, 2026)
Assessment: This Hawaii concurrent resolution directs the Department of Transportation and Public Utilities Commission to develop a framework bringing transportation network companies under Motor Carrier Law — a regulatory expansion that could set a precedent for reclassifying platform-based freight and last-mile delivery arrangements in the same way. While focused on passenger TNCs today, the resulting framework could be extended to freight brokers and owner-operators who use digital platforms to connect with loads, exposing your business to new carrier-level compliance requirements and potential joint liability. Monitor the 2027 legislative report closely, as any proposed legislation stemming from this study could directly affect how Hawaii regulates your carrier relationships.
Recommended action: Track the agency report due before the 2027 session and engage early if proposed legislation extends Motor Carrier Law requirements to freight platforms or broker-carrier arrangements.
Iowa (IA) — 7 bills
Last action: Feb 10, 2026 (49 days ago)
9/10 SCOREOPPOSE
A bill for an act prohibiting the misclassification of employees as independent contractors, providing penalties, and including applicability provisions.
A bill for an act prohibiting the misclassification of employees as independent contractors, providing penalties, and including applicability provisions.
Status: H: Introduced, referred to Labor and Workforce. H.J. 244. (Feb 10, 2026)
Assessment: This Iowa bill creates a new statutory framework prohibiting worker misclassification, enforced by the Department of Workforce Development, with penalties attached — directly threatening your ability to contract with owner-operators as independent carriers. If Iowa adopts a broad multi-factor or ABC-style test to define 'employee,' your broker-carrier relationships could be reclassified, exposing you to back taxes, UI contributions, workers' comp liability, and enforcement actions. The absence of a clear transportation or motor carrier exemption means every owner-operator load you arrange in Iowa carries compliance and financial risk.
Recommended action: Brokers should engage Iowa legislative contacts and industry associations to oppose this bill and push for transportation-specific exemptions that protect established owner-operator contracting arrangements.
Last action: Mar 13, 2025 (383 days ago)
8/10 SCORESUPPORT
A bill for an act prohibiting the consideration of the deployment, implementation, or use of a motor carrier safety improvement when determining a person's employment status.(Formerly HSB 169.)
A bill for an act prohibiting the consideration of the deployment, implementation, or use of a motor carrier safety improvement when determining a person's employment status.(Formerly HSB 169.)
Status: H: SF 377 substituted. H.J. 648. / Withdrawn. H.J. 656. (Mar 13, 2025)
Assessment: This Iowa bill directly protects your business by prohibiting courts and agencies from using a carrier's adoption of safety technology, training, or operational practices as evidence of employment status when evaluating whether a driver is an employee, independent contractor, or jointly employed worker. Without this protection, requiring owner-operators to use ELDs, dash cams, or safety programs under a transportation contract could be twisted into an argument that you control their work — a key factor in misclassification claims. If passed, this removes a significant legal exposure point for brokers and carriers operating in Iowa.
Recommended action: Engage your Iowa state legislative contacts and industry associations to back this bill, as it closes a real liability gap that plaintiffs' attorneys and enforcement agencies have used to challenge independent contractor relationships in trucking.
Last action: Feb 28, 2025 (396 days ago)
8/10 SCORESUPPORT
A bill for an act prohibiting the consideration of the deployment, implementation, or use of a motor carrier safety improvement when determining a person's employment status.(See HF 698.)
A bill for an act prohibiting the consideration of the deployment, implementation, or use of a motor carrier safety improvement when determining a person's employment status.(See HF 698.)
Status: H: Committee report approving bill, renumbered as HF 698. (Feb 28, 2025)
Assessment: This Iowa bill directly protects your business by prohibiting the use of motor carrier safety improvements — such as ELDs, dash cams, training programs, or safety software — as evidence of employment status when classifying owner-operators as employees, independent contractors, or jointly employed workers. Without this protection, plaintiffs' attorneys and regulators can argue that requiring safety technology or compliance procedures proves your control over a driver, triggering reclassification risk. If enacted, this bill shields your carrier contracts from one of the most commonly exploited arguments in misclassification claims.
Recommended action: Engage your Iowa legislative contacts and industry associations to actively support this bill, as it removes a significant legal vulnerability in how your owner-operator relationships are evaluated under state law.
Last action: Feb 19, 2025 (405 days ago)
8/10 SCORESUPPORT
A bill for an act prohibiting the consideration of the deployment, implementation, or use of a motor carrier safety improvement when determining a person's employment status.(See SF 377.)
A bill for an act prohibiting the consideration of the deployment, implementation, or use of a motor carrier safety improvement when determining a person's employment status.(See SF 377.)
Status: S: Committee report approving bill, renumbered as SF 377. (Feb 19, 2025)
Assessment: This Iowa bill directly protects your business by prohibiting the use of motor carrier safety technology, training, policies, or operational practices as evidence of employment status when classifying drivers as employees, independent contractors, or jointly employed workers. Without this protection, requiring owner-operators to use ELDs, dashcams, or safety programs under contract terms can be cited as evidence of control — a key factor in misclassification claims. This bill shields you and your carrier partners from having safety compliance requirements weaponized against your independent contractor relationships.
Recommended action: Engage your Iowa legislative contacts or state trucking associations to actively support this bill, as it directly reduces misclassification exposure tied to safety compliance requirements in your carrier contracts.
Last action: Feb 12, 2025 (412 days ago)
8/10 SCOREOPPOSE
A bill for an act prohibiting the misclassification of employees as independent contractors, providing penalties, and including applicability provisions.
A bill for an act prohibiting the misclassification of employees as independent contractors, providing penalties, and including applicability provisions.
Status: H: Introduced, referred to Labor and Workforce. H.J. 303. (Feb 12, 2025)
Assessment: This Iowa bill prohibits misclassification of employees as independent contractors and grants the Department of Workforce Development enforcement authority over misclassification under a new chapter — directly threatening your ability to contract with owner-operators under current arrangements. The bill defines 'employee' using IRS guidelines, which means your owner-operators could be swept in if they meet federal employee criteria, exposing your business to penalties and back-pay liability. If passed, this creates direct compliance risk for every broker-carrier relationship you maintain in Iowa.
Recommended action: Engage Iowa legislative contacts and industry associations to oppose this bill and advocate for a transportation-specific carve-out that preserves the independent contractor model for owner-operators.
Last action: Apr 3, 2025 (362 days ago)
7/10 SCORENEUTRAL
A bill for an act providing for the regulation of delivery network companies and drivers, making penalties applicable, and including effective date provisions.(Formerly HF 7.)
A bill for an act providing for the regulation of delivery network companies and drivers, making penalties applicable, and including effective date provisions.(Formerly HF 7.)
Status: H: Referred to Commerce. H.J. 895. (Apr 03, 2025)
Assessment: This Iowa bill creates a new regulatory chapter (321Q) specifically governing 'delivery network companies' and their drivers, establishing a formal legal framework that defines the relationship between platforms and the drivers they connect to customers. Depending on how 'delivery network driver' is defined and whether independent contractor status is addressed or undermined, this could impose classification, registration, or compliance obligations on brokers operating last-mile or gig-style delivery networks in Iowa. Your operations should be reviewed against the final definitions and driver status provisions to determine whether your platform-based arrangements fall within scope.
Recommended action: Monitor the bill's final definitions closely — if 'delivery network driver' is defined in a way that sweeps in owner-operators or triggers reclassification obligations, you should engage Iowa legislators to seek an explicit independent contractor safe harbor.
Last action: Feb 20, 2025 (404 days ago)
7/10 SCORENEUTRAL
A bill for an act providing for the regulation of delivery network companies and drivers, making penalties applicable, and including effective date provisions.(See HF 545.)
A bill for an act providing for the regulation of delivery network companies and drivers, making penalties applicable, and including effective date provisions.(See HF 545.)
Status: H: Committee report approving bill, renumbered as HF 545. (Feb 20, 2025)
Assessment: This Iowa bill establishes a regulatory framework for 'delivery network companies' and their drivers, creating definitions, requirements, and penalties that govern how app-based delivery platforms manage their driver relationships — a model that overlaps directly with last-mile and gig-economy carrier arrangements your business may rely on. Depending on how 'delivery network company' and 'driver' are defined in the full bill, compliance obligations, insurance mandates, or classification standards imposed on these platforms could affect independent owner-operators in your network. Monitor closely to determine whether the driver definitions or platform obligations extend to freight brokerage arrangements or create reclassification risk.
Recommended action: Review the full bill's definitions of 'delivery network company' and 'driver' to determine whether your broker-carrier arrangements fall within scope before deciding to oppose or support.
Illinois (IL) — 1 bill
Last action: Mar 21, 2025 (375 days ago)
7/10 SCOREOPPOSE
WORK COMP-SOLE PROPRIETORS
Amends the Workers' Compensation Act. Provides that the provisions of the Act shall apply automatically and without election to all employers and all their employees, including, but not limited to, sole proprietors and general contractors and their subcontractors (currently, all employers and all their employees), engaged in any department enterprises or businesses which are declared to be extra hazardous. Removes a provision that the Act shall not be construed to apply to any sole proprietor or partner or member of a limited liability company who elects not to provide and pay compensation for accidental injuries sustained by himself, arising out of and in the course of the employment according to the provisions of the Act. Provides that the definition of "corporate officer" does not include a sole proprietor.
Status: S: Rule 3-9(a) / Re-referred to Assignments (Mar 21, 2025)
Assessment: This Illinois bill eliminates the opt-out provision that currently allows sole proprietors and LLC members to elect out of workers' compensation coverage, making coverage automatic and mandatory — including for owner-operators structured as sole proprietors hauling freight under your broker arrangements. Because the bill explicitly covers 'carriage by land' and subcontractors of general contractors, independent owner-operators you contract with in Illinois could be forced into workers' comp coverage, increasing their operating costs and creating pressure to reclassify them as employees to recoup those costs.
Recommended action: Engage your Illinois state association to oppose this bill and push for a transportation-specific exemption that preserves the independent contractor status of sole proprietor owner-operators.
Kentucky (KY) — 1 bill
Last action: Jan 29, 2026 (61 days ago)
9/10 SCOREOPPOSE
AN ACT relating to misclassification of employees.
Create a new section of KRS Chapter 337 to provide a remedy for employees misclassified as independent contractors; amend KRS 337.010 to define "independent contractor" and "misclassified"; repeal KRS 336.137, relating to marketplace contractors.
Status: H: to Economic Development & Workforce Investment (H) (Jan 29, 2026)
Assessment: This Kentucky bill creates a new statutory definition of 'independent contractor' and 'misclassified,' establishes a private right of action for workers claiming misclassification, and — critically — repeals KRS 336.137, which currently protects marketplace contractor arrangements. If enacted, your owner-operator relationships in Kentucky will face heightened legal scrutiny and potential reclassification liability, exposing your business to back wages, benefits claims, and tax penalties. The repeal of the marketplace contractor protection removes a key safe harbor that currently shields broker-carrier arrangements from exactly this kind of challenge.
Recommended action: Brokers should engage Kentucky legislators and industry associations to oppose this bill, as it directly threatens your ability to contract with independent owner-operators in the state.
Massachusetts (MA) — 6 bills
Last action: Feb 2, 2026 (57 days ago)
9/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Establishing protections and accountability for DNC workers, consumers, and communities
Relative to protections and accountability for transportation network and delivery network companies workers, consumers, and communities. Financial Services.
Status: H: Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on House Ways and Means (Feb 02, 2026) · S: Senate concurred (Feb 27, 2025)
Assessment: This Massachusetts bill targets transportation network and delivery network company workers, which directly threatens the independent contractor classification your business relies on for owner-operators and last-mile drivers. Bills of this type typically impose worker protections, benefits mandates, or reclassification requirements that would force brokers and carriers to treat contracted drivers as employees — creating significant payroll, liability, and operational cost exposure. You need to track this bill closely as it moves through the Financial Services committee, since any expansion of worker protections to 'delivery network' workers could sweep in owner-operators dispatched through your platform.
Recommended action: Engage Massachusetts legislative contacts now to oppose any provisions that redefine the broker-carrier or carrier-driver relationship and advocate for an explicit exemption for motor carriers and independent owner-operators operating under federal transportation law.
Last action: Dec 18, 2025 (103 days ago)
9/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Consolidating multiple definitions of employee to prevent misclassification
For legislation to consolidate multiple definitions of employee. Labor and Workforce Development.
Status: H: House concurred (Feb 27, 2025) · S: Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on Senate Ways and Means (Dec 18, 2025)
Assessment: This Massachusetts bill directly targets worker misclassification by consolidating multiple definitions of 'employee' into a unified standard — a move that typically strengthens enforcement and makes it harder for your business to maintain independent contractor relationships with owner-operators. A consolidated, broader employee definition applied across industries could force reclassification of the owner-operators and carriers you contract with, triggering payroll tax liability, workers' comp obligations, and benefit requirements. This is a direct threat to your contracting model and warrants close monitoring as the bill advances through the Labor and Workforce Development committee.
Recommended action: Engage Massachusetts legislative contacts and industry associations to oppose this bill and advocate for explicit carve-outs protecting legitimate motor carrier and broker-contractor arrangements.
Last action: Feb 26, 2026 (33 days ago)
8/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Establishing protections and accountability for Delivery Network Company workers, consumers, and communities
For legislation to establish protections and accountability for Delivery Network Company workers, consumers, and communities. Labor and Workforce Development.
Status: H: House concurred (Feb 27, 2025) · S: Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on Senate Ways and Means (Feb 26, 2026)
Assessment: This Massachusetts bill targets 'Delivery Network Company workers' — a category that can sweep in last-mile and app-dispatched drivers who operate as independent contractors for brokers and carriers. Bills framed around delivery network worker protections typically impose misclassification standards, minimum pay, or benefit mandates that directly challenge the independent contractor model your business depends on. If the bill's definition of 'Delivery Network Company' extends to freight dispatch platforms or brokers coordinating last-mile delivery, your operations and contractor relationships in Massachusetts are at risk.
Recommended action: Engage Massachusetts legislative contacts to monitor the bill's worker classification definitions and oppose any provisions that would reclassify owner-operators or impose employee-style obligations on broker-carrier arrangements.
H2094 RECENT ACTIVITY
Last action: Mar 26, 2026 (5 days ago)
7/10 SCORENEUTRAL
To prevent wage theft, promote employer accountability, and enhance public enforcement
Relative to wage theft, employer accountability, and public enforcement. Labor and Workforce Development.
Status: H: Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on House Ways and Means (Mar 26, 2026) · S: Senate concurred (Feb 27, 2025)
Assessment: This Massachusetts wage theft bill expands employer accountability and public enforcement mechanisms, which can expose brokers to liability for wage violations by carriers operating under your contracts — particularly if joint employer or successor liability provisions are included. Enhanced enforcement authority, stop-work orders, and expanded audit powers are common in wage theft legislation and could directly disrupt your operations or trigger compliance obligations tied to your carrier relationships. Until the full readable bill is reviewed, brokers contracting with Massachusetts carriers should assess whether any provisions create liability up the contracting chain.
Recommended action: Engage legal counsel to review the final bill language for joint employer provisions or contractor misclassification components before determining whether to actively oppose.
Last action: Dec 18, 2025 (103 days ago)
7/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Preventing wage theft, promoting employer accountability, and enhancing public enforcement
For legislation to prevent wage theft, promote employer accountability, and enhance public enforcement. Labor and Workforce Development.
Status: H: House concurred (Feb 27, 2025) · S: Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on Senate Ways and Means (Dec 18, 2025)
Assessment: This Massachusetts bill targets wage theft and employer accountability, which typically includes expanded misclassification enforcement, stronger audit authority, and increased penalties that can expose brokers who engage owner-operators. If the bill applies multi-factor or ABC-style tests to determine worker status, your contracts with independent carriers could face scrutiny, triggering back-pay liability, payroll tax exposure, and stop-work authority. The bill's scope — whether it covers transportation arrangements or imposes joint employer liability — will determine your direct risk.
Recommended action: Engage Massachusetts state lobbyists to monitor the bill's committee progress and push for transportation contractor exemptions if the bill advances with misclassification enforcement provisions that could reach broker-carrier relationships.
Last action: Dec 11, 2025 (110 days ago)
7/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Relative to wage theft and due process
For legislation relative to wage theft and due process. Labor and Workforce Development.
Status: H: House concurred (Feb 27, 2025) · S: Accompanied a study order, see S2843 (Dec 11, 2025)
Assessment: Massachusetts wage theft legislation typically expands enforcement mechanisms — including stop-work orders, joint liability provisions, and enhanced audits — that can directly expose your brokerage for labor violations by carriers in your network. If this bill includes contractor misclassification provisions or expands the definition of employer to cover entities that contract with workers, your relationships with owner-operators face direct legal and financial risk. Until full readable content is confirmed, treat this as a material threat to your independent contractor model.
Recommended action: Engage Massachusetts legislative contacts now to monitor for stop-work authority, joint employer language, or misclassification provisions that would hold brokers liable for carrier labor practices.
Maryland (MD) — 4 bills
Last action: Feb 3, 2026 (56 days ago)
7/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Fraud Prevention, Prevailing Wage, and Living Wage - Prohibitions, Penalties, and Enforcement
Prohibiting a person from knowingly making or using, or causing to be made or used, a false record or statement resulting in underpayments of unemployment insurance contributions or payment of unemployment insurance benefits of more than $15,000; altering the enforcement mechanisms related to workplace fraud laws, living wage laws, and prevailing wage laws, including authorizing the Attorney General to investigate and bring suit in a certain manner; etc.
Status: H: Hearing 2/12 at 2:00 p.m. (Feb 03, 2026)
Assessment: This Maryland bill expands enforcement of workplace fraud laws — including misclassification-related provisions — by authorizing the Attorney General to investigate and bring suit against employers who underpay unemployment insurance contributions. If your business uses owner-operators in Maryland, increased AG enforcement authority raises your exposure to audits and civil actions challenging how those relationships are classified. The UI contribution fraud threshold of $15,000 signals that even mid-sized misclassification disputes could trigger criminal-level scrutiny.
Recommended action: Engage Maryland legislative contacts to push back on expanded AG enforcement authority that could be used to target legitimate broker-carrier independent contractor arrangements.
Last action: Feb 3, 2026 (56 days ago)
6/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Maryland Department of Labor - Investigation of Complaints - Requirements (Worksite Enforcement Act of 2026)
Requiring the Maryland Department of Labor to establish certain procedures for receiving, reviewing, and investigating certain complaints regarding matters under the jurisdiction of the Department; requiring the Department to employ one investigators for each of five regions of the State to investigate complaints; and requiring, beginning fiscal year 2027, the Governor to include in the annual budget bill an appropriation of $500,000 for the hiring of five investigators.
Status: H: Hearing 2/12 at 2:00 p.m. (Feb 03, 2026)
Assessment: This bill creates a dedicated Maryland Department of Labor investigative infrastructure — five regional investigators with $500,000 in dedicated funding — specifically to pursue worksite complaints across all matters under the Department's jurisdiction, which includes wage and hour enforcement and worker misclassification. For logistics brokers operating in Maryland, this means a materially higher probability that misclassification complaints involving your owner-operators get investigated and escalated, not ignored due to resource constraints. The enforcement risk to your carrier contracting practices increases directly as state investigative capacity grows.
Recommended action: Brokers should engage Maryland legislative contacts to monitor whether this enforcement expansion is paired with misclassification rulemaking that targets independent contractor relationships in transportation, and be prepared to advocate for safe harbor language protecting broker-carrier arrangements.
Last action: Jan 19, 2026 (71 days ago)
6/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Recipients of Economic Development Assistance or State Contracts - Certification of Compliance With State Labor Laws
Requiring certain persons that receive certain State economic development assistance to make a certification each year that the person was not the subject of a certain final adverse determination and is not currently failing to comply with certain outstanding requirements under a prior final judgment or order; requiring a certain unit of State government to initiate a pause on disbursements or approvals of certain economic development assistance or the award or renewal of certain State contracts; etc.
Status: H: Hearing 2/17 at 1:00 p.m. (Jan 19, 2026)
Assessment: This bill requires recipients of Maryland state economic development assistance or state contracts to annually certify compliance with state labor laws and subjects them to disbursement pauses or contract suspensions if they have unresolved adverse labor determinations — which could include worker misclassification findings. If your business holds Maryland state contracts and a carrier or owner-operator relationship is challenged under state law, that dispute could trigger a certification failure and halt your contract awards or renewals. The pause-on-disbursements mechanism creates direct operational and financial risk for any broker with Maryland government business.
Recommended action: Brokers who receive Maryland state contracts or economic development assistance should engage with this bill to ensure labor compliance certifications do not create new exposure tied to carrier or owner-operator classification disputes.
Last action: Jan 19, 2026 (71 days ago)
6/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Fraud Prevention, Prevailing Wage, and Living Wage - Prohibitions, Penalties, and Enforcement
Prohibiting a person from knowingly making or using, or causing to be made or used, a false record or statement resulting in underpayments of unemployment insurance contributions or payment of unemployment insurance benefits of more than $15,000 in a calendar year; altering the enforcement mechanisms related to workplace fraud laws, living wage laws, and prevailing wage laws, including authorizing the Attorney General to investigate and bring suit in a certain manner; etc.
Status: S: Hearing 1/28 at 2:00 p.m. (Jan 19, 2026)
Assessment: This Maryland bill strengthens enforcement of workplace fraud, prevailing wage, and living wage laws — including expanded Attorney General authority to investigate and sue — which creates additional legal exposure if any owner-operators you contract with are later deemed misclassified employees on covered projects. The UI fraud provisions, targeting underpayments over $15,000, directly implicate how contractor relationships are documented and reported. While not an ABC Test bill, the expanded enforcement teeth raise your compliance risk on state-funded or wage-covered freight work.
Recommended action: Monitor this bill closely and consult legal counsel to ensure your Maryland contractor agreements and UI reporting practices are airtight before enhanced AG enforcement takes effect.
Michigan (MI) — 2 bills
Last action: Sep 24, 2025 (188 days ago)
9/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Employment security: administration; determination of whether services performed by an individual are employment; modify. Amends sec. 42 of of 1936 (Ex Sess) PA 1 (MCL 421.42).
Employment security: administration; determination of whether services performed by an individual are employment; modify. Amends sec. 42 of of 1936 (Ex Sess) PA 1 (MCL 421.42).
Status: H: Bill Electronically Reproduced 09/18/2025 (Sep 24, 2025)
Assessment: This Michigan bill introduces an ABC-style test for unemployment insurance classification, effective January 1, 2026, requiring that anyone performing services for a hiring entity be classified as an employee unless they qualify as a separate business entity or meet all three prongs of the ABC criteria — including that the work falls outside the hiring entity's usual course of business. For logistics brokers, this creates direct exposure: owner-operators hauling freight arranged by your brokerage could be deemed employees under prong (ii), since transportation is the core of your business. This expands UI tax liability and sets a precedent for broader reclassification risk across your carrier network in Michigan.
Recommended action: Brokers should engage Michigan legislators and industry associations to oppose this bill, push for a transportation-specific exemption, and ensure owner-operators who operate as independent businesses are explicitly protected from this ABC-test reclassification framework.
Last action: Apr 17, 2025 (348 days ago)
9/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Labor: hours and wages; penalties and remedies for misclassification of independent contractors; provide for. Amends secs. 1, 13, 15, 18 & 19 of 1978 PA 390 (MCL 408.471 et seq.) & adds secs. 13c & 13d.
Labor: hours and wages; penalties and remedies for misclassification of independent contractors; provide for. Amends secs. 1, 13, 15, 18 & 19 of 1978 PA 390 (MCL 408.471 et seq.) & adds secs. 13c & 13d.
Status: H: Bill Electronically Reproduced 04/16/2025 (Apr 17, 2025)
Assessment: This Michigan bill codifies an ABC-style three-part test to define independent contractors and explicitly prohibits classifying any worker as an independent contractor who fails that test — placing the burden of proof on your business to demonstrate compliance. Violations trigger misdemeanor criminal liability, back pay and fringe benefit orders, and a dedicated enforcement fund that will drive proactive audits against companies using owner-operators. If your owner-operators are deemed employees under this standard, your carrier contracting model in Michigan collapses and your cost structure changes overnight.
Recommended action: Engage Michigan legislative contacts and industry associations immediately to fight this bill, as its ABC-style classification test and enforcement fund directly threaten your ability to contract with independent owner-operators in the state.
Minnesota (MN) — 5 bills
Last action: Mar 10, 2025 (386 days ago)
9/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Job misclassification prohibition provision
Job misclassification prohibition provision
Status: S: Authors added Johnson Stewart; Latz (Mar 10, 2025)
Assessment: This Minnesota bill directly targets job misclassification and, if it applies an ABC Test or multi-factor classification standard to transportation, it would force you to reclassify your contracted owner-operators as employees — triggering payroll taxes, benefits obligations, and workers' comp liability. The bill's title and Minnesota's legislative history suggest broad industry application, making your broker-carrier contracting model a primary exposure point. Your operations in Minnesota face immediate legal and financial risk if this bill advances and covers transportation contractors.
Recommended action: Engage your Minnesota lobbyist or state trucking association now to monitor this bill's language and testify or submit comments opposing any classification standard that applies to independent owner-operators in transportation.
Last action: Mar 10, 2025 (386 days ago)
7/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Annual reports from partnership entities of the Intergovernmental Misclassification Enforcement and Education Partnership required, and money appropriated.
Annual reports from partnership entities of the Intergovernmental Misclassification Enforcement and Education Partnership required, and money appropriated.
Status: H: Introduction and first reading, referred to Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy (Mar 10, 2025)
Assessment: This Minnesota bill mandates annual reporting from entities participating in the state's Intergovernmental Misclassification Enforcement and Education Partnership — a multi-agency coalition that targets worker misclassification across industries, including transportation. The reporting requirement increases government accountability and transparency for enforcement activity, signaling that Minnesota intends to intensify and institutionalize misclassification audits and actions against businesses that rely on independent contractors. If your operations involve owner-operators dispatched in or through Minnesota, this bill reflects a legislative environment that is actively building enforcement infrastructure that could be directed at broker-carrier relationships.
Recommended action: Engage your Minnesota state association or lobbyist to monitor how enforcement priorities are defined and ensure transportation broker-carrier arrangements are not swept into misclassification enforcement actions that should be limited to true employment relationships.
SF2373 RECENT ACTIVITY
Last action: Mar 25, 2026 (6 days ago)
6/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Omnibus Labor policy and appropriations
Omnibus Labor policy and appropriations
Status: S: Withdrawn and re-referred to Labor (Mar 25, 2026)
Assessment: This is Minnesota's omnibus labor policy bill, which historically bundles worker classification provisions, UI changes, and enforcement mechanisms that directly affect how you contract with independent owner-operators. The bill's broad scope — covering labor policy and appropriations together — raises the risk it contains misclassification audits, expanded penalties, or gig worker provisions that could expose your brokerage to reclassification liability. The bill requires review of its readable provisions to confirm whether contractor relationships in transportation are specifically targeted.
Recommended action: Obtain a readable version of this bill and have counsel review it for any worker classification, joint employer, or independent contractor provisions before taking an advocacy position.
Last action: May 13, 2025 (322 days ago)
6/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Omnibus Jobs, Labor Economic Development policy and appropriations
Omnibus Jobs, Labor Economic Development policy and appropriations
Status: H: Senate refuses to concur, conference committee of 6 requested / Senate conferees Champion; McEwen; Mohamed; Hauschild; Oumou Verbeten; Draheim / House accedes, conference committee of 6 to be appointed / House conferees Pinto, Greenman, Frazier, Baker, Zeleznikar, Mekeland (May 12, 2025) · S: House conferees Pinto; Greenman; Frazier; Baker; Zeleznikar; Mekeland (May 13, 2025)
Assessment: This is a broad Minnesota omnibus jobs and labor bill that commonly contains worker classification provisions, UI changes, or contractor misclassification enforcement measures that directly affect your broker-carrier relationships. The bill's scope — covering jobs, labor, and economic development policy — means it could include ABC test expansions, payroll tax changes, or gig worker provisions that force reclassification of your owner-operators. Full review of the enacted or enrolled version is needed to confirm whether provisions targeting independent contractors are included.
Recommended action: Obtain the readable version of this bill and review it for any worker classification, joint employer, or contractor misclassification provisions before taking a position.
Last action: Apr 1, 2025 (364 days ago)
6/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Biennial misclassification fraud impact report requirement and appropriation
Biennial misclassification fraud impact report requirement and appropriation
Status: S: Comm report: To pass as amended and re-refer to Taxes (Apr 01, 2025)
Assessment: This bill requires Minnesota to produce a biennial report on the business and fiscal impact of worker misclassification fraud — a direct signal that the state is building an evidentiary foundation to justify future enforcement action or reclassification legislation targeting your contractor relationships. While a reporting requirement alone does not change your legal obligations today, it puts owner-operator arrangements in the crosshairs of state scrutiny and increases the likelihood of follow-on enforcement or legislation. Monitor this closely as a precursor to more aggressive misclassification action in Minnesota.
Recommended action: Engage with the Minnesota legislative process now to ensure the trucking and logistics broker perspective is represented in how misclassification is defined and measured in any resulting reports.
Missouri (MO) — 3 bills
HB2375 RECENT ACTIVITY
Last action: Mar 25, 2026 (6 days ago)
6/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Modifies provisions relating to workers' compensation
Modifies provisions relating to workers' compensation
Status: H: Executive Session Completed (H) / Voted Do Pass (H) / Reported Do Pass (H) - AYES: 6 NOES: 2 PRESENT: 0 / Taken Up for Third Reading (H) / Third Read and Passed (H) - AYES: 86 NOES: 62 PRESENT: 1 / Reported to the Senate and First Read (S) (Feb 09, 2026) · S: Public Hearing Scheduled (S) - Wednesday, March 25, 2026, 12:00 p.m., Senate Committee Room-1st Floor (Mar 25, 2026)
Assessment: This Missouri bill modifies workers' compensation provisions, which can directly affect how your owner-operators are classified and whether broker arrangements trigger coverage obligations under state law. If the bill expands the definition of covered workers or narrows contractor exemptions, it could expose your business to new liability when working with independent carriers in Missouri. Without readable bill content, the exact scope of changes to contractor status or coverage thresholds cannot be confirmed.
Recommended action: Monitor this bill closely and consult Missouri counsel to determine whether any changes to workers' comp coverage definitions or contractor exemptions affect your carrier contracting practices in the state.
Last action: Feb 11, 2026 (48 days ago)
6/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Modifies provisions relating to workers' compensation
Modifies provisions relating to workers' compensation
Status: S: Hearing Conducted S General Laws Committee (Feb 11, 2026)
Assessment: This Missouri bill modifies workers' compensation provisions, which can directly affect your business if changes expand coverage obligations or alter the independent contractor exclusion under state workers' comp law — either of which could force reclassification of owner-operators you contract with. The bill content could not be fully extracted from the provided file, so the specific scope of changes remains unclear. Monitor for any language that narrows contractor exemptions or expands employer liability definitions within Missouri's workers' comp statutes.
Recommended action: Obtain the readable bill language and have counsel review any changes to Missouri's workers' comp independent contractor definitions before taking a position.
Last action: Jan 27, 2026 (63 days ago)
6/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Modifies provisions relating to workers' compensation
Modifies provisions relating to workers' compensation
Status: S: Second Read and Referred S General Laws Committee (Jan 27, 2026)
Assessment: This Missouri bill modifies workers' compensation provisions, which could affect how owner-operators and independent contractors are classified for coverage purposes — a direct concern for your broker-carrier relationships. If the bill expands workers' comp coverage requirements to include contractors or tightens the definition of independent contractor, you could face new compliance obligations or increased liability exposure in Missouri. The full bill content could not be extracted from the file provided, so the precise scope of changes requires further review.
Recommended action: Have legal counsel obtain and review the readable bill language to determine whether any workers' comp classification changes apply to independent owner-operators before taking a position.
New Jersey (NJ) — 4 bills
Declares Department of Labor and Workforce Development new rules concerning employment status test for independent contractors inconsistent with legislative intent.
Declares Department of Labor and Workforce Development new rules concerning employment status test for independent contractors inconsistent with legislative intent.
Status: S: Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Labor Committee (Jan 13, 2026)
Assessment: This resolution directly challenges New Jersey's Department of Labor proposed rules that would expand the ABC test to make employee classification far more likely for independent contractors — including owner-operators who use digital apps, carry their own liability insurance, or work through transportation network arrangements. If the proposed NJDOL rules stand, your ability to contract with independent owner-operators in New Jersey faces serious legal and financial risk, including potential reclassification liability across wage, tax, and benefits laws. This resolution would invalidate those proposed rules and preserve the current independent contractor framework your business depends on.
Recommended action: Engage your New Jersey legislative contacts to support passage of this resolution — its success blocks NJDOL rules that would undermine the independent contractor model at the core of your brokerage operations.
Last action: Jan 13, 2026 (77 days ago)
8/10 SCORESUPPORT
Revises factors for determining employment or independent contractor status under certain State labor laws.
Revises factors for determining employment or independent contractor status under certain State labor laws.
Status: S: Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Labor Committee (Jan 13, 2026)
Assessment: This New Jersey bill revises the factors used to determine employment versus independent contractor status under state labor law, directly threatening your ability to contract with owner-operators in NJ. Depending on the new multi-factor test adopted, your carrier relationships could be reclassified as employment, triggering unemployment insurance contributions, workers' comp obligations, and payroll tax liability. Notably, this bill is sponsored by Republicans and appears aimed at loosening — not tightening — classification standards, which could benefit your contracting model if it creates clearer safe harbors.
Recommended action: Monitor the final language closely and engage NJ legislative contacts to ensure any revised classification factors explicitly protect motor carrier and broker-contractor arrangements from reclassification.
Last action: Jan 13, 2026 (77 days ago)
8/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Revises test for employment or independent contractor status under certain State labor laws.
Revises test for employment or independent contractor status under certain State labor laws.
Assessment: This New Jersey bill revises the test for determining employment versus independent contractor status under state labor laws — directly threatening your ability to contract with owner-operators as independent businesses. If the revised test moves toward an ABC-style or stricter multi-factor standard, your owner-operators could be reclassified as employees, exposing your brokerage to unemployment insurance contributions, payroll taxes, and back liability. Monitor this bill closely as it moves through the 2026 session, since the full revised classification criteria will determine the severity of the impact on your operations.
Recommended action: Engage New Jersey legislative contacts to oppose any revision that tightens the independent contractor test or introduces ABC-style criteria that would force reclassification of owner-operators in the freight industry.
Last action: Feb 5, 2026 (54 days ago)
7/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Establishes Office of Labor Law Enforcement.
Establishes Office of Labor Law Enforcement.
Status: S: Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Labor Committee (Feb 05, 2026)
Assessment: This bill creates a dedicated Office of Labor Law Enforcement within New Jersey's Department of Labor, explicitly tasked with enforcing misclassification prohibitions alongside wage, unemployment compensation, and workers' comp laws — all areas that directly expose your broker-carrier relationships to scrutiny. By embedding deputy attorneys general inside the enforcement office and funding operations through collected penalties, this bill is designed to increase enforcement volume and intensity, not just reorganize it. If New Jersey auditors target owner-operator arrangements under this structure, your business faces heightened risk of misclassification findings, back taxes, and penalties.
Recommended action: Engage with your New Jersey legislative contacts and industry associations to monitor rulemaking under this office and push back on any enforcement guidance that treats owner-operators as employees.
New York (NY) — 4 bills
Last action: Mar 30, 2026 (yesterday)
9/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Empowers the commissioner of labor to issue stop-work orders against employers for misclassification of employees as independent contractors or for providing false, incomplete, or misleading information to an insurance company on the number of employees of such employer.
Empowers the commissioner of labor to issue stop-work orders against employers for misclassification of employees as independent contractors or for providing false, incomplete, or misleading information to an insurance company on the number of employees of such employer.
Status: S: PASSED SENATE / DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY (Mar 30, 2026)
Assessment: This bill gives New York's Commissioner of Labor authority to issue stop-work orders against any employer found to have misclassified workers as independent contractors — meaning your brokerage and your carrier partners operating in New York could face a full shutdown of business operations within 72 hours of a determination, with daily penalties of $1,000–$5,000 for non-compliance. The stop-work order extends to every site where the violation occurs and carries over to successor entities, so restructuring your business will not provide an escape. If an owner-operator relationship is flagged, you could be forced to halt operations before you even have a chance to contest the finding at a hearing.
Recommended action: Engage your state government affairs contacts and industry associations to oppose this bill, as the stop-work order mechanism creates an existential operational risk for brokers relying on independent owner-operators in New York.
Last action: Mar 30, 2026 (yesterday)
8/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Authorizes the commissioner of labor and the workers' compensation board to issue stop-work orders; establishes procedure for the issuance of such orders; establishes penalties for failure to comply with such orders.
Authorizes the commissioner of labor and the workers' compensation board to issue stop-work orders; establishes procedure for the issuance of such orders; establishes penalties for failure to comply with such orders.
Status: S: ADVANCED TO THIRD READING (Mar 30, 2026)
Assessment: This bill gives New York's Commissioner of Labor and Workers' Compensation Board authority to immediately halt all business operations through stop-work orders for wage payment violations or failure to carry workers' comp coverage — with penalties up to $5,000 per day for non-compliance. If your brokerage operates in New York or contracts with carriers operating there, a misclassification finding that triggers a wage or workers' comp coverage dispute could result in a stop-work order shutting down your operations within 72 hours. The successor liability provision is especially dangerous — it means a stop-work order follows the business even through restructuring.
Recommended action: Engage your New York legislative contacts and industry associations to push back on the broad scope of stop-work authority and the 72-hour compliance window, which gives brokers virtually no time to respond before operations are halted.
S00448 / A04278
Last action: Dec 24, 2025 (97 days ago)
8/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Enacts the "Empowering People in Rights Enforcement (EMPIRE) Worker Protection Act"; relates to the delegation of state enforcement authority to private actors; authorizes an affected employee, whistleblower, representative organization or an organizational deputy to initiate a public enforcement action on behalf of the commissioner for certain provisions of the labor law, or any regulation promulgated thereunder.
Enacts the "Empowering People in Rights Enforcement (EMPIRE) Worker Protection Act"; relates to the delegation of state enforcement authority to private actors; authorizes an affected employee, whistleblower, representative organization or an organizational deputy to initiate a public enforcement action on behalf of the commissioner for certain provisions of the labor law, or any regulation promulgated thereunder.
Status: S: AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO LABOR / PRINT NUMBER 448C (Dec 24, 2025)
Assessment: This bill creates a California PAGA-style private enforcement mechanism in New York, allowing workers, unions, and deputized labor organizations to sue employers directly for labor law violations — including misclassification claims — and collect civil penalties of $500 per employee per pay period per violation. If an owner-operator successfully claims misclassification against your business, this law gives them, their union, or a state-deputized labor organization standing to bring a public enforcement action on behalf of the Commissioner, multiplying your financial exposure dramatically across your entire contractor workforce. The attorney's fees provision and the near-mandatory $500 penalty floor make nuisance litigation economically viable, increasing your litigation risk even when underlying claims are weak.
Recommended action: Engage New York-based industry associations and legal counsel immediately to monitor this bill's committee progress and submit opposition comments highlighting the disproportionate impact on broker-carrier contracting relationships.
Last action: Jan 7, 2026 (83 days ago)
7/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Authorizes certain penalties to be assessed against members of a limited liability company and partners of a limited liability partnership or partnership.
Authorizes certain penalties to be assessed against members of a limited liability company and partners of a limited liability partnership or partnership.
Status: S: REFERRED TO LABOR (Jan 07, 2026)
Assessment: This bill extends personal liability for workers' compensation violations — including penalties and award payments — to members of LLCs and partners of LLPs and partnerships, not just corporate officers. If your brokerage or any carrier in your network operates as an LLC or partnership and is found to have misclassified workers or failed to secure workers' comp coverage, individual members and partners face direct personal financial exposure. This creates heightened risk for broker principals who contract with small LLC-structured owner-operators that may lack proper coverage.
Recommended action: Brokers operating as LLCs or LLPs in New York should engage counsel to review compliance exposure and oppose this expansion of personal liability that could reach broker principals in misclassification disputes.
Ohio (OH) — 2 bills
Last action: Feb 4, 2026 (55 days ago)
8/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Regards employment under Ohio's overtime and minimum wage laws
To amend sections 4111.03 and 4111.14 and to enact section 4111.20 of the Revised Code regarding the distinction between employees and independent contractors under Ohio's overtime and minimum wage laws.
Status: H: Referred to committee: Commerce and Labor (Feb 04, 2026)
Assessment: This Ohio bill redraws the line between employees and independent contractors under state overtime and minimum wage law, directly affecting how your owner-operators are classified in carrier agreements. If the bill adopts a stricter multi-factor or ABC-style test, your contracted carriers and owner-operators could be reclassified as employees, triggering wage, overtime, and payroll tax liability. Monitor the specific classification test enacted — if it mirrors California's ABC standard or expands FLSA-style coverage, your Ohio operations face immediate compliance exposure.
Recommended action: Engage Ohio legislative contacts and industry associations to push back on any multi-factor or ABC-style test that could sweep owner-operators into employee status and undermine the independent contractor model your business depends on.
Last action: Feb 4, 2026 (55 days ago)
6/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Modify the laws related to transportation network companies
To amend sections 2307.71, 4925.04, and 4925.09 of the Revised Code to modify the laws related to transportation network companies.
Status: H: Referred to committee: Transportation (Feb 04, 2026)
Assessment: This Ohio bill amends statutes governing transportation network companies (TNCs), which often includes rideshare and app-based delivery platforms — a space that increasingly overlaps with last-mile and gig-economy freight. Depending on how Ohio defines 'transportation network company' and whether amendments touch on worker classification or liability, your business could face new compliance obligations or expanded exposure if owner-operators working last-mile delivery are swept into TNC regulations.
Recommended action: Monitor the specific amendments to ORC 4925.04 and 4925.09 closely — if they expand the definition of TNCs to include freight or delivery platforms, or introduce classification requirements, brokers should engage Ohio legislative contacts to seek a transportation exemption.
Pennsylvania (PA) — 5 bills
Last action: Apr 9, 2025 (356 days ago)
9/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Providing for criteria for independent contractors and for powers and duties of the Department of Labor and Industry and the Secretary of Labor and Industry; and imposing penalties.
An Act providing for criteria for independent contractors and for powers and duties of the Department of Labor and Industry and the Secretary of Labor and Industry; and imposing penalties.
Status: S: Referred to Labor & Industry (Apr 09, 2025)
Assessment: This Pennsylvania bill establishes specific criteria for classifying workers as independent contractors and grants the Department of Labor and Industry enforcement authority, including penalty powers — a direct threat to how you contract with owner-operators and carriers. Depending on the classification test adopted, your existing broker-carrier agreements could be scrutinized, exposing your business to misclassification liability, back taxes, and fines. If the bill applies a multi-factor or ABC-style test rather than a contractor-friendly standard, it puts your entire independent contractor model at risk under PA state law.
Recommended action: Engage Pennsylvania state lobbyists and industry associations immediately to review the classification criteria in this bill and push for transportation-specific exemptions or safe harbor language protecting legitimate broker-carrier relationships.
Last action: Jun 18, 2025 (286 days ago)
8/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Providing for interagency cooperation regarding employee misclassification; and establishing the Employee Misclassification Working Group.
An Act providing for interagency cooperation regarding employee misclassification; and establishing the Employee Misclassification Working Group.
Status: H: Re-reported as committed / Third consideration and final passage (108-95) (Jun 11, 2025) · S: Referred to Labor & Industry (Jun 18, 2025)
Assessment: This Pennsylvania bill creates an interagency working group specifically focused on employee misclassification, coordinating enforcement across multiple state agencies — meaning your independent owner-operator relationships face increased scrutiny from multiple directions at once. The working group structure typically leads to coordinated audits, expanded enforcement actions, and eventual legislative recommendations that could result in stricter classification standards applied to your carrier contracts. If Pennsylvania follows other states that have taken this path, brokers operating in the state should expect heightened compliance risk and potential penalties tied to how you classify and contract with owner-operators.
Recommended action: Engage Pennsylvania legislators and industry associations now to ensure the working group's scope explicitly excludes federally regulated motor carrier relationships and does not lead to an ABC Test or similar misclassification standard being applied to your owner-operator contracts.
HB678 RECENT ACTIVITY
Last action: Mar 23, 2026 (8 days ago)
7/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Providing for the registration of labor brokers; imposing duties on the Department of Labor and Industry and the Secretary of Labor and Industry; establishing the Labor Broker Registration Account; and imposing penalties.
An Act providing for the registration of labor brokers; imposing duties on the Department of Labor and Industry and the Secretary of Labor and Industry; establishing the Labor Broker Registration Account; and imposing penalties.
Status: H: Reported as amended / First consideration / Laid on the table (Mar 23, 2026)
Assessment: This Pennsylvania bill creates a mandatory registration system for 'labor brokers' with state oversight, penalties, and a dedicated enforcement account — depending on how 'labor broker' is defined, your brokerage operations arranging freight with independent owner-operators could fall within scope. If the definition sweeps in freight brokers or those who arrange work for independent contractors in transportation, you face new registration requirements, compliance costs, and penalty exposure. Monitor the statutory definition of 'labor broker' closely, as that language will determine whether this bill directly threatens your contracting model.
Recommended action: Engage Pennsylvania legislative counsel to obtain the full enrolled bill and confirm whether the 'labor broker' definition captures freight broker and motor carrier contractor arrangements before deciding whether to oppose.
Last action: Jun 24, 2025 (280 days ago)
7/10 SCORENEUTRAL
In liability and compensation, providing for registration of status as independent contractor.
An Act amending the act of June 2, 1915 (P.L.736, No.338), known as the Workers' Compensation Act, in liability and compensation, providing for registration of status as independent contractor.
Status: S: Referred to Labor & Industry (Jun 24, 2025)
Assessment: This Pennsylvania bill creates a registration system for independent contractor status under the Workers' Compensation Act, which directly affects how your owner-operators are classified and documented in the state. A formal registration requirement adds a compliance layer to your contractor relationships — if owner-operators fail to register or maintain status, it could expose your brokerage to workers' comp liability. Monitor closely as the registration criteria and enforcement mechanisms will determine whether this creates a safe harbor or a new risk.
Recommended action: Engage with Pennsylvania lawmakers to ensure any registration framework includes clear safe harbor protections for broker-carrier arrangements and does not default unregistered contractors to employee status.
Last action: Apr 9, 2025 (356 days ago)
7/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Providing for the registration of labor brokers; imposing duties on the Department of Labor and Industry and the Secretary of Labor and Industry; establishing the Labor Broker Registration Account; and imposing penalties.
An Act providing for the registration of labor brokers; imposing duties on the Department of Labor and Industry and the Secretary of Labor and Industry; establishing the Labor Broker Registration Account; and imposing penalties.
Status: S: Referred to Labor & Industry (Apr 09, 2025)
Assessment: This Pennsylvania bill requires registration of 'labor brokers' and imposes penalties for non-compliance — depending on how 'labor broker' is defined, it could sweep in freight brokers who arrange transportation through independent owner-operators. If the definition captures your contractor arrangements, you face new registration obligations, potential audits by the Department of Labor and Industry, and monetary penalties for violations. Monitor the final statutory definition closely to determine whether your broker-carrier contracting model falls within scope.
Recommended action: Engage Pennsylvania counsel to review the final bill language and confirm whether the 'labor broker' definition captures freight broker-carrier relationships before deciding whether to oppose or seek an explicit transportation exemption.
Tennessee (TN) — 1 bill
Last action: Feb 5, 2026 (54 days ago)
6/10 SCORENEUTRAL
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 29 and Title 39, relative to criminal offenses.
As introduced, creates the new criminal offenses of systematic unauthorized employment and aggravated systematic unauthorized employment; establishes the tort of unfair competition. - Amends TCA Title 29 and Title 39.
Status: S: Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee (Feb 05, 2026)
Assessment: This Tennessee bill creates new criminal offenses for 'systematic unauthorized employment' and a civil tort for 'unfair competition,' which could expose brokers who contract with misclassified workers to criminal liability and private lawsuits from competitors. The unfair competition tort is particularly concerning — if a rival argues your use of owner-operators constitutes an unfair advantage gained through misclassification, you face civil litigation risk even without a state enforcement action. The bill's scope and definitions will determine how broadly these provisions reach broker-carrier arrangements.
Recommended action: Monitor this bill closely and engage Tennessee legal counsel to assess whether the 'systematic unauthorized employment' and unfair competition definitions sweep in owner-operator arrangements before taking a formal position.
United States Congress (US) — 3 bills
SB4010 RECENT ACTIVITY
Last action: Mar 5, 2026 (26 days ago)
9/10 SCOREOPPOSE
21st Century Worker Act
A bill to clarify the classification of service provider payees as employees or independent contractors in Federal law.
Status: S: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (Mar 05, 2026)
Assessment: This federal bill directly targets the employee vs. independent contractor classification question, which sits at the center of your broker-carrier operating model. Depending on the classification standard it establishes — particularly if it adopts an ABC-style test or multi-factor test — it could force reclassification of the owner-operators you contract with, triggering payroll tax liability, benefits obligations, and wholesale changes to how you structure carrier relationships. The bill's federal scope means it would apply across all your operations nationwide, making this a high-priority legislative threat to monitor closely.
Recommended action: Engage your trade association and federal lobbyists immediately to review the specific classification standard this bill proposes and push for a transportation industry carve-out or safe harbor protecting broker-carrier independent contractor arrangements.
Last action: Jan 3, 2025 (452 days ago)
7/10 SCORESUPPORT
Protect the Gig Economy Act of 2025
To amend Rule 23 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure to protect the "gig economy" and small businesses that operate in large part through contractor services from the threat of costly class action litigation, and for other purposes.
Status: H: Introduced in House / Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. (Jan 03, 2025)
Assessment: This bill amends Rule 23 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure to limit class action lawsuits against businesses that rely on contractor arrangements, directly reducing your litigation exposure from misclassification-based class actions targeting owner-operator relationships. While it does not change the underlying classification standards, it would make it harder for plaintiffs to aggregate claims against brokers and carriers into costly class suits. This is a defensive procedural protection that benefits your business model.
Recommended action: Brokers should support this bill and engage their trade associations to advocate for its passage, as it directly reduces the class action litigation risk that comes with independent contractor-based operations.
Last action: Sep 18, 2025 (194 days ago)
6/10 SCORENEUTRAL
Predatory Truck Leasing Prevention Act of 2025
To amend title 49, United States Code, to prohibit the use of predatory commercial motor vehicle lease-purchase programs by certain motor carriers, and for other purposes.
Status: H: Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit. (Sep 18, 2025)
Assessment: This bill targets predatory lease-purchase programs used by motor carriers to finance trucks for owner-operators — a practice common among carriers your business contracts with. If enacted, it restricts the financial arrangements carriers can offer drivers, which could shrink the pool of available owner-operators and affect carrier capacity in your network. The direct compliance burden falls on motor carriers, not brokers, but operational ripple effects on carrier relationships and driver availability are real.
Recommended action: Monitor this bill for provisions that could reduce owner-operator supply or add compliance friction to carrier relationships, but take no formal position until final language clarifies the scope of restrictions.
Virginia (VA) — 2 bills
HB238 RECENT ACTIVITY
Last action: Mar 30, 2026 (yesterday)
8/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Minimum wage and overtime wages; payment, definitions, misclassification of workers, civil actions.
Labor and employment; payment of wages; minimum wage and overtime wages; misclassification of workers; prevailing wage rate; civil actions. Provides that an employer that violates provisions relating to minimum wage, overtime wages provisions, the misclassification of workers, or the prevailing wage rate is liable to the employee for the applicable remedies, damages, or other relief available in an action brought pursuant to the civil action provisions currently available for the nonpayment of wages. Such provisions currently available provide that an employee may bring an action in a court of competent jurisdiction to recover payment of the wages, and the court is required to award the wages owed, an additional equal amount as liquidated damages, plus prejudgment interest thereon, and reasonable attorney fees and costs. Under current law, if the court finds that the employer knowingly failed to pay wages to an employee, the court is required to award the employee an amount equal to triple the amount of wages due and reasonable attorney fees and costs.
Status: H: Enrolled / Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB238ER) (Mar 30, 2026) · S: Conference report agreed to by Senate (20-Y 19-N 0-A) (Mar 14, 2026)
Assessment: This Virginia bill expands civil liability for worker misclassification by making minimum wage, overtime, and misclassification violations subject to liquidated damages equal to the wages owed plus attorney fees — and triple damages for knowing violations. If your owner-operators are reclassified as employees under Virginia's misclassification statute, your business faces significantly amplified financial exposure through these enhanced civil remedies. The bill also broadens joint and several liability in construction contracting chains, signaling a legislative direction that could extend to freight broker-carrier arrangements.
Recommended action: Engage Virginia legislative contacts to oppose the enhanced damages provisions tied to misclassification, and advocate for an explicit transportation contractor exemption before this bill advances out of committee.
SB644 RECENT ACTIVITY
Last action: Mar 14, 2026 (17 days ago)
8/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Minimum wage and overtime wages; payment, misclassification of workers, civil actions.
Labor and employment; payment of wages; minimum wage and overtime wages; misclassification of workers; prevailing wage rate; civil actions. Provides that an employer that violates provisions relating to minimum wage, overtime wages provisions, the misclassification of workers, or the prevailing wage rate is liable to the employee for the applicable remedies, damages, or other relief available in an action brought pursuant to the civil action provisions currently available for the nonpayment of wages. Such provisions currently available provide that an employee may bring an action in a court of competent jurisdiction to recover payment of the wages, and the court is required to award the wages owed, an additional equal amount as liquidated damages, plus prejudgment interest thereon, and reasonable attorney fees and costs. Under current law, if the court finds that the employer knowingly failed to pay wages to an employee, the court is required to award the employee an amount equal to triple the amount of wages due and reasonable attorney fees and costs.
Status: H: Conference report agreed to by House (62-Y 35-N 0-A) (Mar 14, 2026) · S: Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (3/14/2026 2:49 pm) / Conference report rejected by Senate (16-Y 21-N 0-A) / No further action taken / Failed to Pass from conference (Mar 14, 2026)
Assessment: This Virginia bill dramatically increases the financial stakes of worker misclassification by attaching liquidated damages, triple damages for knowing violations, attorney fees, and civil action rights to misclassification findings — directly threatening your contractor relationships with owner-operators. The bill also expands joint employer liability in construction contexts, and while freight brokerage is not construction, the misclassification enforcement provisions in § 40.1-28.7:7 apply broadly and create a template for aggressive civil litigation against any business using independent contractors in Virginia. If an owner-operator you contract with is reclassified as an employee under a future enforcement action, your business faces exposure to back wages, triple damages, and plaintiff attorney fees with no cap.
Recommended action: Engage Virginia Commerce and Labor Committee members now to push back on the expanded civil damages and misclassification provisions that directly expose brokers contracting with owner-operators to costly litigation.
Vermont (VT) — 1 bill
Last action: Feb 25, 2025 (399 days ago)
8/10 SCOREOPPOSE
An act relating to expanding coverage of the minimum wage and overtime laws and maintaining the authority of the Attorney General to enforce complaints of employee misclassification
An act relating to expanding coverage of the minimum wage and overtime laws and maintaining the authority of the Attorney General to enforce complaints of employee misclassification
Status: H: Read first time and referred to the Committee on General and Housing (Feb 25, 2025)
Assessment: This Vermont bill expands minimum wage and overtime coverage while explicitly preserving the Attorney General's authority to investigate and prosecute employee misclassification complaints — a direct threat to your owner-operator contracting model. Expanded AG enforcement means your broker-carrier arrangements face greater scrutiny and potential penalties if Vermont determines your independent contractors should be classified as employees. You need to review how this bill defines employment and what misclassification standards it applies to determine whether your Vermont operations are exposed.
Recommended action: Engage Vermont state lobbying efforts or industry associations to push back on expanded misclassification enforcement authority that puts your independent contractor relationships at legal risk.
Washington (WA) — 3 bills
Last action: Jan 12, 2026 (78 days ago)
8/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Concerning labor standards and the Washington minimum wage act.
Concerning labor standards and the Washington minimum wage act.
Status: H: By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status. (Jan 12, 2026)
Assessment: This Washington bill targets labor standards and the state Minimum Wage Act, which in Washington has previously served as the vehicle for expanding worker classification tests and wage obligations to gig and independent workers — directly threatening your owner-operator contracting model. Washington has an aggressive history of applying labor standards broadly, and any expansion of covered worker definitions or classification criteria under this framework could force you to reclassify the independent carriers you rely on. Monitor the full legislative language closely to determine whether ABC-style tests or minimum wage floors are being extended to owner-operators.
Recommended action: Engage Washington state legislative contacts to track whether this bill expands worker classification criteria or wage mandates to independent owner-operators, and prepare to oppose any provisions that would reclassify your contracted carriers as employees.
Last action: Jan 12, 2026 (78 days ago)
8/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Concerning labor standards.
Concerning labor standards.
Status: S: By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status. (Jan 12, 2026)
Assessment: This Washington State bill on 'labor standards' carries a broad title that frequently signals misclassification enforcement expansions, ABC Test adoption, or new worker classification rules — all of which directly threaten your ability to contract with independent owner-operators. Washington has a history of aggressive worker classification legislation, and a bill this broadly titled warrants close scrutiny before it advances. If it introduces new tests for independent contractor status or expands enforcement authority, your carrier relationships and operational model are at direct risk.
Recommended action: Engage your state trade association and legal counsel immediately to obtain the readable version of this bill and assess whether it imposes new classification standards or penalties that would affect your owner-operator contracts.
Last action: Jan 12, 2026 (78 days ago)
8/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Concerning labor standards.
Concerning labor standards.
Status: H: By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status. (Jan 12, 2026)
Assessment: This Washington State bill on 'labor standards' carries a broad title that frequently signals worker classification changes, wage and hour expansions, or independent contractor restrictions — all of which directly affect your ability to contract with owner-operators. Washington has been an active state on misclassification enforcement, and a broad labor standards bill could impose ABC Test provisions, expanded joint employer liability, or new payroll obligations that would force reclassification of your carrier relationships. The bill content could not be extracted from the encoded file, so your legal and compliance teams should obtain the readable version immediately and assess for any contractor classification or gig worker provisions.
Recommended action: Obtain and review the full readable bill text immediately — if it contains misclassification tests, contractor restrictions, or joint employer language, mobilize opposition through your industry associations before it advances.
Wisconsin (WI) — 1 bill
AB651 RECENT ACTIVITY
Last action: Mar 30, 2026 (yesterday)
6/10 SCOREENACTED
Various changes to the worker’s compensation law, granting rule-making authority, making an appropriation, and providing a penalty. (FE)
An Act to repeal 102.01 (2) (ar); to renumber 102.15 (1) (a); to renumber and amend 102.16 (1), 102.17 (4) (a), 102.17 (9) (a) 1., 102.44 (1) (ag), 102.44 (1) (am) and 102.44 (1) (b); to amend 20.445 (1) (sm), 40.65 (2) (a), 102.11 (1) (intro.), 102.125 (2), 102.125 (3), 102.15 (2), 102.16 (4), 102.17 (1) (d) 1., 102.17 (1) (d) 2., 102.17 (1) (d) 3., 102.17 (4) (b), 102.17 (9) (b) (intro.), 102.18 (1) (a), 102.18 (1) (bp), 102.27 (2) (a), 102.32 (6m) (a), 102.42 (title), 102.44 (1) (c) 1., 102.59 (1), 102.61 (1m) (c), 102.75 (1g) (a), 102.75 (1g) (c), 102.81 (2), 102.82 (2) (a) (intro.), 102.82 (2) (am), 102.82 (2) (ar) and 102.82 (2) (b); to repeal and recreate 102.85 (1) and 102.85 (2); to create 102.125 (1m), 102.16 (1) (e), 102.17 (1) (a) 1m., 102.17 (1) (a) 5., 102.17 (1) (i), 102.17 (4) (a) 1., 102.17 (9) (a) 1e., 102.17 (9) (a) 1g., 102.42 (10), 102.44 (4o), 102.59 (4), 102.82 (2) (ab), 102.82 (2) (ad) and 943.395 (1) (e) of the statutes; to affect 2023 Wisconsin Act 213, section 25; Relating to: various changes to the worker’s compensation law, granting rule-making authority, making an appropriation, and providing a penalty. (FE)
Status: S: Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senators Smith, Carpenter, Dassler-Alfheim, Drake, Habush Sinykin, Hesselbein, L. Johnson, Keyeski, Larson, Pfaff, Ratcliff, Roys, Spreitzer, Wall and Wirch / Read a second time / Senate Amendment 1 rejected, Ayes 18, Noes 15 / Ordered to a third reading / Rules suspended to give bill its third reading / Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 32, Noes 1 / Ordered immediately messaged (Feb 11, 2026)
Assessment: This Wisconsin bill makes multiple amendments to the state's workers' compensation law, including changes to penalty structures, enforcement procedures, and benefit calculations. The repeal of 102.01 (2)(ar) — which defined 'employee' under the workers' comp statute — warrants close attention, as any narrowing or broadening of that definition could affect how your owner-operators are classified and whether carriers face new compliance obligations. Monitor this bill as amendments develop to determine whether any reclassification risk emerges for broker-carrier relationships.
West Virginia (WV) — 1 bill
Last action: Jan 20, 2026 (70 days ago)
8/10 SCOREOPPOSE
Taxpayer Protection Act
The purpose of this bill is to ensure individual taxpayers are not misclassified.
Status: H: Filed for introduction / To Finance / Introduced in House / To House Finance (Jan 20, 2026)
Assessment: This West Virginia bill implements an ABC test under the state's personal income tax code to determine whether workers are independent contractors or employees — directly threatening your relationships with owner-operators domiciled or working in WV. While the bill's structure includes a presumption of independent contractor status, the three-part test still gives the Tax Commissioner authority to reclassify your contracted carriers as employees, triggering payroll tax liability and back-tax exposure. If WV tax authorities begin applying this test broadly, your broker-carrier agreements with WV-based owner-operators face real reclassification risk.
Recommended action: Engage your WV legislative contacts to oppose or amend this bill, pushing for explicit carve-outs for licensed motor carriers and broker-carrier relationships under FMCSA authority.