FOLLOWUP: State House passes West Seattle Rep. Brianna Thomas’s no-employee-microchip bill

When we looked last month at bills that local legislators are sponsoring this year, one by 34th District State House Rep. Brianna Thomas of West Seattle turned a few heads: HB 2303, preventing employers from microchipping employees. Today the State House overwhelmingly passed Thomas’s bill, 87 yes, 6 no. From the news release we received tonight:

… “Microchips may seem like science fiction, but the technology is here,” said Thomas. “The concept is pretty simple. Don’t chip me, bro!”

If passed by the Senate and signed by the Governor, House Bill 2303 would make Washington the 14th state to pass legislation limiting or banning the use of microchips in work environments.

“It creates an opportunity for employers to track employees during work hours and at home. That is scary,” continued Thomas. “We recognize that the power dynamic between an employer and an employee makes true freedom of choice nearly impossible. This is a big step to help protect our employees from being microchipped by their employer.”

Next, the State Senate will consider the bill.

Adam February 14, 2026 (11:56 pm)

Tackling the biggest issues affecting all of us

Ok then February 15, 2026 (6:54 am)

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@Adam: the issue doesn’t affect me but it’s pretty clear that it would be a big issue for the individual being microchipped, perhaps even their biggest issue.

Confused February 15, 2026 (12:02 am)

What a weird bill, but I guess thanks for looking out for us? Normally I wouldn’t think anything about that but the world is in a goofy place right now.

Steve February 15, 2026 (12:05 am)

If you intend to chip me, it better be potato chips.

West Seattle Mad Sci Guy February 15, 2026 (12:34 am)

Now to ban doorbell cameras from identifying and tracking you.

Erik February 15, 2026 (12:35 am)

As if this was ever, or will ever be a problem. Wish we could spend our tax dollars on bigger problems.

Gig worker February 15, 2026 (1:29 am)

I think a lot of people are thinking about subdermal microchips, but what employers are doing is putting the chips in bracelets you have to wear, under penalty of being fired, and you have to wear them all week at times, which allows the employer to track you during lunch breaks and off hours. I’m lucky I had a union behind me when I ran into this at work, but it is something that actually does happen, and has been happening for years, and i’ll be glad to see an end to the practice.

Suzanne February 15, 2026 (4:31 am)

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Really helpful. Was wondering what exactly this meant.
Churro strength February 15, 2026 (7:59 am)

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Thank you for the explanation. I’m so glad this passed.
divine February 15, 2026 (8:29 am)

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I was curious, and looked at the bill itself. WSB put the link to the bill in the post.”Subcutaneously” means beneath the skin. “Subcutaneously” does not include information temporarily attached to the skin by an adhesive strip or bracelet upon which or within which personal information is maintained or stored.
AM February 15, 2026 (8:45 am)

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Thank you for sharing this. I, too, was scratching my head wondering what problem we were trying to solve. I wasn’t aware that this was already happening as you describe. Glad it may be prohibited.
Curious George February 15, 2026 (8:58 am)

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Gig Worker brings up a interesting point as there are many professions ranging from hazmat, fire, ski resort to back country rangers that I could see benefiting from some sort of ‘air tag’ device for safety reasons,
KL206 February 15, 2026 (9:06 am)

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That would have made a lot of sense, but I looked at the details of this bill and it specifically targets subdermal implanted chips — not things like badges, wearables, or RFID tags you choose to use voluntarily – “Brief Summary of Substitute Bill • Prohibits an employer from requesting, requiring, or coercing an employee to have a microchip implanted in the employee for any reason.”
West Seattle Mad Sci Guy February 15, 2026 (9:22 am)

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Thanks for this information. I had no idea. I’m only on season one of Severance. I watched some early seasons of Black Mirror back in the day. It’s wild that light flavors of these dystopian shows happen in real life.
Lauren February 15, 2026 (9:30 am)

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This, exactly
Ms. Noem February 15, 2026 (6:57 pm)

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What company? I find this hard to believe. Most companies in Seattle already require ID badges with pictures on them. Why would they require a bracelet during your off hours?

Mark B February 15, 2026 (5:16 am)

The bill only appears to cover microchips that are “subcutaneously implanted.” Weird to me, but I guess that’s what the world has come to.

jt27 February 15, 2026 (6:45 am)

There are zero credible reports of companies requiring micro chipping. This is 100% performative and a complete waste of time. I wish our legislators would educate themselves and use some common sense.

TomInSequim February 15, 2026 (7:08 am)

Earworm Warning:Steve Austin – Astronaut – A man barely alive – We can rebuild him – We can make him better, stronger, faster – We have the technology – We have the capability to make the world’s first Bionic Man

Jill February 15, 2026 (7:23 am)

For the sarcastic commenters, if you don’t think it’s a big issue that affects you now, thank your elected officials for having better foresight and wider awareness than you.

DarkHawke February 15, 2026 (2:04 pm)

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If our elected officials allegedly have “better foresight and wider awareness” than we plebes, then why do they have to re-do this year’s state government budget because of a couple hundred-MILLION dollar deficit? They lookin’ pretty stupid from here.
- Gande Harg February 15, 2026 (6:07 pm)
  
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  Well, for one, us taxpayers have to pay out about $28 million because of the police officer that hit and killed Jaahnavi Kandula. So you can thank the Seattle Police for their hiring practices.Other goods and services have outpaced tax revenue growth, a few covid-19 one-time federal funds are ending, payroll tax was $50MM short of 2024 estimates, and then there’s high inflation (amounting to 79% of the overall shortfall) which is aggravated all of this. Ongoing uncertainty regarding federal policy changes, potential tariffs, and local construction declines continues to slash revenue forecasts, too.But hey, go ahead and be snide instead of grateful that our leaders are trying to nip this big brother behavior in the bud.

Curious February 15, 2026 (8:09 am)

Does this make it illegal for employers to track employees by their work cell phones?

Daniel February 15, 2026 (4:04 pm)

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From a brief read of the bill, no. It doesn’t affect tracking via anything other than subcutaneously implanted devices (i.e. injected underneath your skin). It looks like it would allow tracking via: phone, chip taped to your skin, bracelet/watch, etc.

Justin P Simpson February 15, 2026 (8:18 am)

Wtf?

aa February 15, 2026 (8:50 am)

At my job if you are away from your desk or stop using the keyboard for more than 10 min. a small yellow light comes on my Teams app. When I start typing again it turns green. I’m told no one tracks it…

Mellow Kitty February 15, 2026 (9:17 am)

Wow! Talk about micromanagement!

Lucy February 15, 2026 (10:17 am)

I could see how wearing a bracelet during working hours, especially for wfh employees, would be helpful. Because, a lot of folks “working from home”also run errands, walk their dogs and go to lunch with their friends while on the clock. Maybe employers are sick of paying people to not work.

Brian February 15, 2026 (10:24 am)

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You don’t have to lick boots for free.
bill February 15, 2026 (11:00 am)

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Activity does equate to productivity, no matter what the bean counters who run the world think.
Lauren February 15, 2026 (1:31 pm)

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This is such a depressing attitude. Your employer does not own you. Why does it matter if someone runs an errand during their work day if they get their work done?
- Lucy February 15, 2026 (3:23 pm)
  
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  Because your employer is not paying you to run errands. They are paying you to work. If you’ve no work to do, FIND SOME.
  - CarDriver February 15, 2026 (4:31 pm)
    
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    Lucy. Correct in assuming that you’re a boss? Share your stories. I’m sure there’s plenty of workers that can share boss/owner stories.
Gande Harg February 15, 2026 (6:10 pm)

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Do you have a problem with how I spend my lunch hour and legally mandated two 15-minute breaks? Are you jealous that you don’t have any friends who want to go to lunch with you? If I’m working 8 hours per day, why does it matter if I stop to run a load of laundry or hit the grocery store when it’s not crowded? Are you so untrustworthy that you would literally not be working an 8-hour mandated day, and so you’re assuming everybody is? Sounds like you’re the one with the sketchy behavior.

Dysfunction February 15, 2026 (10:54 am)

Companies don’t need to chip automated production. I just attended a work seminar 2 weeks ago and the amount of jobs transitioning to automation in the next few years is staggering. Manufacturing and warehousing in particular. And then the whole A.I.transformation as well in the professional world. Companies don’t need to provide health care, overtime, months of maternity/paternity leave, and manage a workforce to automated jobs in these challenging times government has put on them. The ship has sailed now on this and there is nothing that can be done to prevent this, but tell politicians that they need to quit poking the bear when it comes to private companies

Really? February 15, 2026 (2:15 pm)

I wonder if the boss or owner has to wear one. Never mind, I figured that out all by myself.

Lucy February 15, 2026 (6:57 pm)

What you do on your breaks and your lunchtime are your business. I should not have to pay you when you’re doing your personal errands. If you are paid to work for 8hours, I have the right, as an employer, to know what you are doing ON THE CLOCK.