If Ferguson agrees, your boss in Washington state won’t be able to microchip you

OLYMPIA – While politics may leave voters with a chip on their shoulder, state legislators want to ensure employees are not forced to get one in their shoulder – or elsewhere.

The state Senate unanimously passed legislation Wednesday that prohibits employers from requesting, requiring or encouraging employees to have microchips implanted in their bodies. The bill previously passed the House of Representatives on an 87-6 vote last month. It now heads to the governor’s desk for final approval.

If Gov. Bob Ferguson signs the legislation, Washington would become the 14th state to preemptively ban the practice.

Ahead of final passage, state Sen. Rebecca Saldana, D-Seattle, said the bill “simply says ‘do not chip me.’ ”

“This is a preventative measure, as far as we can tell,” Saldana said Wednesday. “But we do know there are folks choosing to have microchips implanted in other instances. And so, this is just simply protecting employees’ right to protection of their bodies.”

The bill was sponsored by state Rep. Brianna Thomas, D-Seattle, who said it was meant to be a preemptive protection for workers in the state.

“I understand that the underlying policy might sound a little bit like science fiction, but we’ve all learned in this chamber that science moves fast,” Thomas said during a Feb. 14 floor debate.

The legislation received little resistance as it worked through the Legislature, with no one testifying against the proposal during either a House or Senate committee hearing. State Rep. Joel McEntire, R-Cathlamet, was one of six lawmakers who voted against the bill.

Ahead of its passage in the House, McEntire said that while the issue was one lawmakers needed to discuss, he had heard people talk positively about using microchips in their everyday lives.

“The technology is here,” McEntire said. “Now, how are we as lawmakers, you and I, supposed to integrate this technology in a way that’s responsible and respectful of individuals?”

McEntire added that while microchipping may seem scary, “we have technology right now that scares me today.”

“Who knows what’s going to become commonplace in our workplaces in 10, 15 or 20 years?” McEntire said. “I’m glad we’re having the discussion now. I imagine this won’t be the last time we talk about it, but we’re trying to strike the balance today of being competitive for tomorrow’s economic environment; we need to be competitive, allowing freedom of individuals to choose what they would like to do with their bodies, and allowing companies to be able to innovate, grow and thrive.”

While Washington joins a growing list of states seeking to regulate and prevent the technology from becoming a requirement in the workplace, it’s unclear how widespread wearable microchips are already.

In 2018, a Swedish company, Biohax, installed approximately 4,000 microchips the size of a grain of rice that could be used to store emergency contact information, social media profiles or e-tickets. According to NPR, the procedure costs around $180.

The company filed for bankruptcy in 2021.

In 2017, a company in Wisconsin offered employees the opportunity to install microchips that could be used to open doors, log in to computers, use the copy machine and purchase snacks in their break room, according to multiple media reports from the time. The company, Three Square Market, offered all employees the option of receiving the chip, and expected that around 50 employees would accept.

Editor’s note: this story has been updated to correct the name of the bill’s sponsor. The bill was sponsored by Rep. Brianna Thomas, D-Seattle.