HOUSE RESOLUTION CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY THE MANNER IN WHICH HEALTH INSURANCE, DISABILITY INSURANCE, UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE, RETIREMENT PLANS AND OTHER TRADITIONAL EMPLOYER PROVIDED BENEFITS ARE ACCORDED TO UBER AND LYFT DRIVERS, SELF EMPLOYED INDIVIDUALS, AND OTHER INDIVIDUALS ENGAGED IN PROVIDING SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC (Creates a 5 member commission to study the way insurance plans and traditional employer provided benefits are given to Uber and Lyft drivers, and others providing services to the public, and would report by January 5, 2026, and expire March 5, 20206.)
H5367 is a House resolution that creates a five-member special legislative commission to study how health insurance, disability insurance, unemployment insurance, retirement plans, and other traditional employer-provided benefits are extended to Uber and Lyft drivers, self-employed individuals, and other people who provide services to the public. The commission is intended to examine whether and how these workers receive benefits typically associated with traditional employment, and to develop findings and recommendations for the House of Representatives.
The commission must organize promptly after passage, select a chairperson, and may receive advice and information from state departments and agencies. It is unpaid, and the Speaker of the House is directed to provide suitable quarters for its work. The commission must report its findings and recommendations by January 5, 2026, and it expires on March 5, 2026.
This resolution does not directly change substantive state law or create new benefit eligibility rules. Instead, it establishes a temporary legislative study commission that may inform future legislation affecting labor classification, gig workers, independent contractors, and access to employer-style benefits in Rhode Island. Its practical effect is to place the issue on the legislative agenda and gather information that could lead to later statutory changes involving insurance, retirement, and worker benefits.
The bill appears to have a generally exploratory and policy-focused tone, with no recorded committee debate or votes provided in the materials. Its purpose suggests interest in addressing benefit gaps for gig workers and self-employed people, which may appeal to supporters of worker protections and modern labor policy. Because there is no transcript or voting history, there is no evidence here of formal opposition or support beyond the bill’s introduction.
The likely points of contention are the scope and implications of studying benefits for Uber and Lyft drivers and other self-employed workers, especially whether such workers should be treated more like employees for benefit purposes. Potential concerns may include costs, administrative complexity, and the broader policy debate over independent contractor status versus employee classification. The available record does not identify specific legislators or stakeholder groups taking positions, but the issue itself is one that often divides labor advocates, platform companies, and business groups.