A new bill filed by State Rep. Mike Schietzelt in the North Carolina House aims to let independent contractors access portable benefits through accounts they own, according to the North Carolina State House.
The bill, filed as HB 1083 on April 28 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Voluntary Portable Benefits Plan Act.’
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill creates the Voluntary Portable Benefits Plan Act to let independent contractors receive benefits such as health, unemployment, disability, life insurance and retirement through portable benefit accounts they own. It defines eligible benefit account providers, including banks, investment firms and certain technology providers. Any public or private party, including app-based companies, may voluntarily contribute, and hiring party contributions will not be used as evidence of an employment relationship under state labor, tax or insurance laws. The bill allows hiring parties to deduct 100% of their contributions as a business expense and lets contractors exclude those contributions from taxable income. It appropriates $100,000 to the Department of Labor in the 2026-27 fiscal year to educate the public and takes effect July 1, 2026.
Of the four sponsors of this bill, Allen Chesser proposed the most bills (55) during the 2025 regular session.
Bills in North Carolina follow a multi-step process before becoming law. A lawmaker starts by filing a bill, which is assigned to a committee for review. The bill must be read three times in each chamber. If one chamber changes the bill after the other passes it, both must agree on the final version. Once both chambers approve the same bill, it goes to the governor, who has 10 days (or 30 if the legislature is not in session) to sign, veto, or let it become law without a signature.
You can read more about the bills and other measures here.
Schietzelt graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2008 and again in 2018 from Duke University with a JD.
Schietzelt, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2025 to represent the state’s 35th House district, replacing previous state representative Terence Everitt.
| Authors | Bill Number | Date Filed | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mike Schietzelt, Allen Chesser, Heather H. Rhyne, and Timothy Reeder, MD | HB 1083 | 04/28/2026 | Voluntary Portable Benefits Plan Act. |
| Mike Schietzelt, Erin Paré, Julia C. Howard, and Mitchell S. Setzer | HB 1042 | 04/23/2026 | Affordable Housing Exemption Mods. |
| Mike Schietzelt, Allen Chesser, David Willis, and Stephen M. Ross | HB 1029 | 04/21/2026 | NC Digital Asset and Stablecoin Act. |
| Mike Schietzelt, Allen Chesser, Erin Paré, and Timothy Reeder, MD | HB 1032 | 04/21/2026 | Repeal Two Percent Local Grocery Tax. |
| Mike Schietzelt, Allen Chesser, and Vernetta Alston | HB 923 | 04/10/2025 | Protect Personal Info/Judicial Personnel. |
| Mike Schietzelt, Brian Turner, Kyle Hall, and Robert T. Reives, II | HB 976 | 04/10/2025 | Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act. |
| Mike Schietzelt, David Willis, and Heather H. Rhyne | HB 981 | 04/10/2025 | Local Schools Open Enrollment Study. |
| Mike Schietzelt, Dennis Riddell, Mark Brody, and Ray Pickett | HB 996 | 04/10/2025 | Further Limit General Fund Operating Budget. |
| Mike Schietzelt, Brian Echevarria, David Willis, and Grant L. Campbell, MD | HB 846 | 04/09/2025 | Teacher Retention and Recruitment. |
| Mike Schietzelt, Diane Wheatley, Erin Paré, and Hugh Blackwell | HB 854 | 04/09/2025 | Require Licensure of Educational Interpreters. |
| Mike Schietzelt, Allen Chesser, Jonathan L. Almond, and Wyatt Gable | HB 886 | 04/09/2025 | AEDs and CPR in Public Schools. |
| Mike Schietzelt, Hugh Blackwell, John M. Blust, and Julia C. Howard | HB 891 | 04/09/2025 | Civil Actions/State Agency and AG Litigation. |
| Mike Schietzelt, Jay Adams, and Keith Kidwell | HB 821 | 04/08/2025 | Drivers License Expiration Moratorium. |
| Mike Schietzelt, Allen Chesser, and Matthew Winslow | HB 829 | 04/08/2025 | Locksmith Licensing Act Modernization. |
| Mike Schietzelt and Maria Cervania | HB 779 | 04/03/2025 | Designate Children’s Day. |
| Mike Schietzelt, Brian Biggs, Jennifer Balkcom, and Neal Jackson | HB 781 | 04/03/2025 | Unauthorized Public Camping & Sleeping. |
| Mike Schietzelt, Allen Chesser, Carson Smith, and Timothy Reeder, MD | HB 789 | 04/03/2025 | Mitigating Factor/Pretrial Use of IID. |
| Mike Schietzelt, Grant L. Campbell, MD, and Tricia Ann Cotham | HB 744 | 04/02/2025 | Fertility Preservation Pilot Program. |
| Mike Schietzelt, David Willis, Grant L. Campbell, MD, and Ray Pickett | HB 670 | 04/01/2025 | Workforce Credential Grant Program/CCP. |
| Mike Schietzelt, David Willis, Jake Johnson, and Jeffrey C. McNeely | HB 598 | 03/31/2025 | Live Event Ticketing Protections & Reforms. |
| Mike Schietzelt, Erin Paré, Heather H. Rhyne, and Tricia Ann Cotham | HB 611 | 03/31/2025 | Increase APs in Public Schools. |
| Mike Schietzelt, Cody Huneycutt, Kyle Hall, and Wyatt Gable | HB 568 | 03/27/2025 | 2025 Omnibus Labor Amendments.-AB |
| Mike Schietzelt, Erin Paré, and Tricia Ann Cotham | HB 523 | 03/26/2025 | School Social Workers/Master’s Pay. |
| Mike Schietzelt, Allen Chesser, Jennifer Balkcom, and Neal Jackson | HB 547 | 03/26/2025 | Children’s Services Protection Act. |
| Mike Schietzelt, Brenden H. Jones, Jeffrey C. McNeely, and Kyle Hall | HB 469 | 03/20/2025 | Restoring Rivalries Act. |
| Mike Schietzelt, Donnie Loftis, Jerry “Alan” Branson, and Zack Hawkins | HB 472 | 03/20/2025 | Commercial Vehicle & Cargo Protection. |
| Mike Schietzelt, Erin Paré, Jarrod Lowery, and Matthew Winslow | HB 465 | 03/19/2025 | Waive Renewal Fee/Military Drivers Licenses. |
| Mike Schietzelt, Allen Chesser, Jeff Zenger, and John R. Bell, IV | HB 402 | 03/13/2025 | Limit Rules With Substantial Financial Costs. |
| Mike Schietzelt, Donnie Loftis, Grant L. Campbell, MD, and Wyatt Gable | HB 384 | 03/12/2025 | Nat. Guard Tax Deduction for Fed. Pay. |
| Mike Schietzelt and Cody Huneycutt | HB 387 | 03/12/2025 | Eliminate Tax on Gov’t Retirees. |
| Mike Schietzelt, Allen Chesser, Heather H. Rhyne, and Jake Johnson | HB 372 | 03/11/2025 | Home-Based Business Fairness Act. |
| Mike Schietzelt, Harry Warren, John M. Blust, and Ted Davis, Jr. | HB 375 | 03/11/2025 | AI/Ban Deceptive Ads. |
| Mike Schietzelt, Matthew Winslow, Phil Rubin, and Robert T. Reives, II | HB 360 | 03/10/2025 | Homeowner Protection Act. |
| Mike Schietzelt, Matthew Winslow, Robert T. Reives, II, and Ya Liu | HB 361 | 03/10/2025 | Funds to Fight Deed and Title Fraud. |
| Mike Schietzelt | HB 225 | 02/26/2025 | Restore Down-Zoning/Wake Forest & Rolesville. |
| Mike Schietzelt, Donny Lambeth, Erin Paré, and Tricia Ann Cotham | HB 192 | 02/25/2025 | Salary Adjustments and Budget Offsets. |
| Mike Schietzelt, Hugh Blackwell, Kyle Hall, and Sarah Stevens | HB 182 | 02/24/2025 | Rev. Law Perm. Protect Order/Child Abuse. |
| Mike Schietzelt, Allen Chesser, Donnie Loftis, and Grant L. Campbell, MD | HB 118 | 02/13/2025 | Disabled Veterans Tax Relief Bill. |
| Mike Schietzelt, Erin Paré, Grant L. Campbell, MD, and Tricia Ann Cotham | HB 76 | 02/10/2025 | Protect Access to In Vitro Fertilization. |
| Mike Schietzelt, Blair Eddins, Brian Biggs, and Neal Jackson | HB 87 | 02/10/2025 | Cell Phone-Free Education. |
| Mike Schietzelt, Destin Hall, Mark Brody, and Stephen M. Ross | HB 92 | 02/10/2025 | NC Digital Assets Investments Act. |
| Mike Schietzelt, Brian Echevarria, Erin Paré, and Tricia Ann Cotham | HB 59 | 02/04/2025 | Modify Homestead Exclusions. |
