Bill
HB 2494
Establishes a task force to study and address employee misclassification and payroll tax fraud in Arizona’s construction industry, with actionable recommendations and interagency c
Note on source documents
- The materials provided include two different bills labeled HB 2494 from different states/sessions:
1. An Arizona bill that would create an Employee Misclassification and Payroll Tax Fraud Advisory Task Force focused on the construction industry.
2. An Illinois bill titled the Task Force on Loneliness Act (also labeled HB2494 in that state's 2025–2026 General Assembly).
- Below are concise, separate summaries of each version and a short procedural/status note. If you intended only one of these, tell me which and I will expand that section further.
Purpose / intent
- Establish a multi‑agency task force to study employee misclassification and payroll tax fraud in the construction industry and develop recommendations to address those problems.
Key provisions
- Creates the Employee Misclassification and Payroll Tax Fraud Advisory Task Force in Title 23 (employment law).
- Membership:
- Voting members: Director of the Industrial Commission of Arizona (or designee), Director of the Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions (or designee), Registrar of Contractors (or designee).
- Nonvoting advisory members: Secretary of State and Attorney General (or their designees).
- The task force may appoint additional nonvoting advisors as needed.
- First meeting must be convened by the Industrial Commission Director on or before February 1, 2026. At that meeting the voting members elect a chair and other officers.
- Study topics include: fiscal impact on state and local governments; lost insurance industry earnings; prevalence and economic impact; whether a uniform legal definition of “employment relationship” is needed; effectiveness of current laws and enforcement; interagency information sharing and referral authority; strategies for investigations and enforcement; public complaint mechanisms; education and outreach; and any other related issues.
- Public input: the task force must seek public input and may hold public hearings or create study groups.
- Reporting: initial report due February 1, 2027, and annual reports to the Senate Commerce Committee and House Commerce Committee thereafter; copies to Secretary of State.
- Cooperation required: state agencies must cooperate and provide information as allowed by law.
- Implementation: the Industrial Commission, Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions, and Registrar of Contractors may individually implement task force recommendations if within their current statutory authority.
Who is affected
- Construction employers and workers, state and local government revenue collections, the insurance industry, and agencies responsible for enforcement (Industrial Commission, Department of Insurance & Financial Institutions, Registrar of Contractors, Attorney General, Secretary of State).
Potential impact
- Could produce coordinated recommendations to reduce misclassification and payroll tax fraud, improve interagency enforcement and referrals, increase public awareness and reporting, and identify statutory changes or administrative practices to recover lost revenue and protect workers.
Purpose / intent
- Establish a Task Force on Loneliness within the Illinois Department of Public Health to study causes, vulnerable groups, and solutions to the “epidemic of loneliness” and related health concerns.
Key provisions
- Task force membership (11 total): 4 legislators (two co‑chairs appointed by Senate President and House Speaker, plus minority leaders’ appointees), 3 state agency directors or designees (Public Health, Healthcare & Family Services, Aging), and 4 public members appointed by the Governor (including two licensed social workers and two healthcare industry members; Governor to consider state diversity).
- Administrative support provided by the Department of Public Health; members serve without compensation but may be reimbursed for expenses from appropriated funds.
- Duties: study key factors, susceptible age groups, and potential solutions; meet as necessary at the call of co‑chairs.
- Reporting and sunset: final report to the General Assembly due January 1, 2027. The act and the task force are repealed/dissolved on July 1, 2027 (after report).
Who is affected
- Residents vulnerable to social isolation (across ages), public health policymakers, social work and healthcare professionals, and agencies designing interventions for mental/physical health linked to social connection.
Potential impact
- Consolidates expertise to produce policy recommendations; a time‑limited, research and recommendation body rather than a program‑creating statute.
If you want, I can:
- Produce a single focused brief on either the Arizona misclassification bill or the Illinois loneliness bill.
- Outline likely legislative pros/cons, stakeholders who would support or oppose, or draft potential follow‑up statutory language.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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