Advancing Gig Economy Act

To require the Secretary of Commerce to conduct a study on the gig economy and the impact the gig economy has on the United States overall economy, including the impact that State laws have had on the gig economy. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Advancing Gig Economy Act 2. Gig economy study (a) In general (1) Study required The Secretary of Commerce shall conduct a study on the impact of the gig economy on United States businesses conducting interstate commerce. (2) Requirements for study In conducting such study, the Secretary shall— (A) develop and conduct a survey of the gig economy through outreach to entities participating in the gig economy to— (i) establish a list of industry sectors that participate in the gig economy; (ii) review and briefly explain the impact the gig economy has on the United States economy, including any benefits or detriments; and (iii) review the impact the gig economy has on innovation, startups, and small businesses; (B) develop and conduct a survey of Federal activity on the gig economy to— (i) develop a comprehensive list of Federal agencies asserting jurisdiction over the entities and sectors participating in the gig economy; (ii) identify all interagency activities related to the gig economy; (iii) develop a brief description of the jurisdiction and expertise of the Federal agencies listed under clause (i) as it relates to the gig economy; and (iv) identify all regulations, guidelines, or any other policy implemented by such Federal agencies with respect to the gig economy; and (C) develop and conduct a survey of State laws enacted on the gig economy to— (i) determine the impact such laws have had on the gig economy, including in the transportation and mobility industry sector, the media and journalism industry sector, and any other industry sector impacted by such laws in each State; and (ii) determine the impact such State laws have on the United States economy. (b) Report to Congress Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce shall submit to the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report that contains— (1) the results of the study conducted under subsection (a); (2) any recommendations to— (A) address duplicative Federal rules, Federal regulations, or any Federal activity acting as a barrier to the growth of the gig economy; (B) develop and implement a comprehensive plan to promote the growth of the gig economy; and (C) develop policies that States can adopt to encourage the growth of the gig economy in each State; and (3) any recommendations for legislation necessary to accomplish the recommendations made under paragraph (2). (c) Gig economy defined (1) In general In this section, the term gig economy (2) Entities described An entity described in this paragraph is a business entity that— (A) maintains an online-enabled application or platform to facilitate the exchange of goods or services by users of the online-enabled application or platform; and (B) does not require a person using the online-enabled application or platform to generate business to accept any specific job request as a condition of maintaining access to the online-enabled application or platform.

Summary: Advancing Gig Economy Act This bill requires the Department of Commerce to study and report on the impact of the gig economy on U.S. businesses conducting interstate commerce. The gig economy includes businesses that maintain an online application or platform to facilitate the exchange of goods or services by users of the application or platform. The study shall involve, among other things, (1) outreach to participating entities to establish a list of industry sectors that take part in the gig economy, (2) surveying federal activity on the gig economy to develop a list of agencies asserting jurisdiction over entities in and sectors of the gig economy, and (3) surveying state laws regulating the gig economy to determine their impact on both the gig economy and the U.S. economy.Commerce must report to Congress the results of such study and any recommendations to promote the growth of the gig economy.