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Washington Passes Ban on Mandatory Workplace Microchips
Washington's House Bill 2303 bans employer-mandated microchip implants with fines starting at $10,000 and allows workers to sue for damages, protecting bodily autonomy.
Wednesday's unanimous Senate approval sent House Bill 2303 to Governor Bob Ferguson for final signing.
Introduced earlier this year by Rep. Brianna Thomas and Rep. Lisa Parshley, the measure passed the House 86-6 on Feb. 14, advancing to the Senate for approval.
The bill defines subcutaneous microchips and excludes adhesive wearables, and sets a $10,000 minimum fine for first offense, as HB 2303 specifies.
If Gov. Bob Ferguson signs the bill, Washington would become the 14th state to preemptively ban mandatory workplace microchipping, allowing workers to sue for damages and attorney fees.
Past voluntary examples include Three Square Market in 2017 and Biohax's 4,000-chip rollout in 2018, with lawmakers noting no known U.S. cases of employer-mandated microchipping.