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SF0072 • 2023

Employees-forced microchip implantation prohibited.

AN ACT relating to labor and employment; prohibiting employers from requiring employees to have microchips implanted in the employees' bodies; specifying requirements for employers for employees' voluntary microchip implants; providing definitions; and providing for an effective date.

Healthcare Labor Technology
Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor
Senator Laursen, D
Last action
2023-03-01
Official status
inactive
Effective date
3/1/2023

Plain English Breakdown

The bill did not pass and therefore does not have an effective date or any legal impact.

Law to Stop Forced Microchip Implants in Workplaces

The bill stops employers from forcing employees to get microchips implanted and sets rules for voluntary implants.

What This Bill Does

  • It makes it illegal for employers to ask job applicants if they will agree to have a microchip put inside their body.
  • Employers cannot require current or new workers to have a microchip implanted as part of the job requirements.
  • If an employee does not want a microchip, the employer must offer other ways to do the work without it.
  • The bill requires employers to pay for any costs related to voluntary microchips and cover medical expenses if there are injuries from the implant.
  • It mandates that employers inform employees about what information will be stored on their chip and how that data will be used.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Employers who have workers in Wyoming
  • Employees working or looking for jobs in Wyoming

Terms To Know

Microchip
A small device put inside a person's body that can hold unique information and be read by special devices.
Employer
Any organization or individual who hires workers to do jobs for them.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill did not pass in the Wyoming legislature.
  • It only applies to employment contracts made after July 1, 2023.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

SF0072H2001

2nd reading • Representative Western

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment adds a new requirement for employees with implanted microchips who travel across state lines.

  • Employees with implanted microchips must now meet the requirements of 9 C.F.R. part 86 if they travel across state lines.
  • The specific details and requirements outlined in 9 C.F.R. part 86 are not provided, so it is unclear what exact conditions employees will need to meet.
SF0072H2002

2nd reading • Representative Yin

Failed

Plain English: The amendment changes the bill to prohibit employers from forcing employees to get microchips implanted in their bodies, removes certain requirements for voluntary implants, and adjusts some definitions.

  • Adds 'involuntarily' after 'microchips' to clarify that only forced implantation is prohibited.
  • Removes language specifying employer requirements related to voluntary microchip implants.
  • Deletes sections detailing specific requirements and definitions about voluntary microchip implantation.
  • The amendment text does not provide details on how the removal of certain provisions will affect the overall bill's implementation or enforcement.
SF0072H3001

3rd reading • Representative Locke

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment removes a previous addition to the bill that was made during its earlier stages.

  • Removes an existing amendment from the bill text.
  • It is unclear what specific content or requirements were in the removed amendment, as only the instruction to delete it is provided.
SF0072H3002

3rd reading • Representative Zwonitzer, Dv

Failed

Plain English: The amendment removes specific sections of a bill that would have prohibited employers from requiring employees to get microchips implanted in their bodies and also removed details about voluntary implants.

  • Removes the requirement for employers not to force employees to have microchip implants.
  • Eliminates provisions related to voluntary microchip implantation by employees.
  • Deletes sections that provide definitions and effective dates.
  • The amendment text does not specify what will replace the deleted content, leaving unclear how the bill's overall intent is affected.
SF0072H3003

3rd reading • Representative Crago

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment adds a new section to the bill that says the bill's rules about microchip implants do not apply to employment contracts made before July 1, 2023.

  • Adds a new section stating that the act does not apply to employment contracts entered into before July 1, 2023.
  • The amendment only specifies when the bill's rules do not apply and does not provide details on how it affects existing contracts made after this date.
SF0072HW001

Committee of the Whole • Representative Yin

Failed

Plain English: The amendment changes the bill to prohibit employers from forcing employees to get microchips implanted in their bodies, removes requirements for voluntary implants, and clarifies that any implantation must be voluntary.

  • Adds 'involuntarily' after 'microchips' to clarify that forced implantation is prohibited.
  • Removes sections about employer requirements for voluntary microchip implants.
  • Clarifies in the bill text that any microchip implantation must be voluntary.
  • The amendment removes specific details about voluntary microchip implantation, which may leave some questions unanswered regarding how employers should handle such situations if employees choose to have them implanted voluntarily.
SF0072HS001

Standing Committee • House Labor, Health and Social Services Committee

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment changes the wording of a bill to prohibit employers from requiring employees to have microchips implanted in their bodies.

  • Replaces 'Ask' with 'State'.
  • Removes 'inquire' and replaces 'whether' with 'that'.
  • Changes 'will' to 'must'.
  • The amendment does not provide additional context about the bill's content beyond these specific wording changes.
SF0072S2001

2nd reading • Senator Nethercott

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment changes how employers can treat employees who choose not to have microchip implants by specifying what actions are allowed and modifying some definitions.

  • Replaces 'Create a hostile work environment for' with 'Take an adverse employment action against'.
  • Changes 'accommodations' to 'work alternatives'.
  • Modifies the phrase after 'technology' to better fit the context of employer operations.
  • The amendment text is technical and some changes may require further explanation for full understanding.

Bill History

  1. 2023-03-01 House

    H 3rd Reading:Failed 28-32-2-0-0

  2. 2023-02-28 House

    H 2nd Reading:Passed

  3. 2023-02-27 House

    H COW:Passed

  4. 2023-02-24 House

    H Placed on General File

  5. 2023-02-24 House

    H10 - Labor:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 7-2-0-0-0

  6. 2023-02-22 House

    H Introduced and Referred to H10 - Labor

  7. 2023-01-26 House

    H Received for Introduction

  8. 2023-01-26 Senate

    S 3rd Reading:Passed 19-12-0-0-0

  9. 2023-01-25 Senate

    S 2nd Reading:Passed

  10. 2023-01-24 Senate

    S COW:Passed

  11. 2023-01-20 Senate

    S Placed on General File

  12. 2023-01-20 Senate

    S10 - Labor:Recommend Do Pass 5-0-0-0-0

  13. 2023-01-11 Senate

    S Introduced and Referred to S10 - Labor

  14. 2023-01-09 Senate

    S Received for Introduction

  15. 2023-01-04 LSO

    Bill Number Assigned

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
23LSO-0386
2023
STATE OF WYOMING
23LSO-0386
ENGROSSED
3.0

SENATE FILE NO. SF0072

Employees-forced microchip implantation prohibited.

Sponsored by: Senator(s) Laursen, D, Biteman, Brennan, French, McKeown and Steinmetz and Representative(s) Allred, Haroldson, Heiner, Knapp, Locke, Rodriguez-Williams, Singh and Strock

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to labor and employment; prohibiting employers from requiring employees to have microchips implanted in the employees' bodies; specifying requirements for employers for employees' voluntary microchip implants; providing definitions; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1
.

W.S. 27
‑
1
‑
117 is created to read:

27
‑
1
‑
117.

Employee microchip implantation; involuntary implants prohibited; requirements for voluntary implants.

(a)

As used in this section:

(i)

"Employee" means a person permitted to work for an employer in employment and includes an independent contractor;

(ii)

"Employer" means any person or organization, including the state and all its political subdivisions, which has in its employ one (1) or more persons performing services for it in employment;

(iii)

"Microchip" means technology that:

(A)

Is designed to be implanted in the body of a person; and

(B)

Contains a unique identification number, permanent identification marker or personal information that can be noninvasively retrieved or transmitted with an external scanning device.

(b)

No employer shall:

(i)

Ask on an application for employment or inquire during an interview whether a prospective employee will consent to having a microchip implanted in his body;

(ii)

Require an employee to have or consent to having a microchip implanted in the employee's body as a condition of employment;

(iii)

Coerce an employee into consenting to have a microchip implanted in his body;

(iv)

Take an adverse employment action against an employee who does not consent to having a microchip implanted in his body;

(v)

Withhold advancement from an employee within the employer's business when the employee does not consent to having a microchip implanted in his body;

(vi)

Withhold a salary or wage increase from an employee who does not consent to having a microchip implanted in his body;

(vii)

Dismiss or otherwise discipline an employee based on the employee not consenting to having a microchip implanted in his body.

(c)

An employer shall provide work alternatives to an employee who does not consent to having a microchip implanted in his body.

(d)

A microchip may be implanted in an employee's body for purposes of the employee's employment, provided that:

(i)

The employee provides the employer with written consent for the implantation;

(ii)

An employee may have the microchip removed at any time;

(iii)

If the employee requests the employer to remove the microchip, the employer shall remove or cause to have removed the microchip not later than thirty (30) days after the employee's request.

(e)

After an employee voluntarily consents to implantation of a microchip after the employer's request, the employer shall:

(i)

Pay all costs associated with implanting, maintaining and removing the microchip;

(ii)

Pay all medical costs that the employee incurs as a result of any bodily injury to the employee caused by the implantation of the microchip or by the microchip's presence in the body;

(iii)

Disclose to the employee:

(A)

The data that will be maintained on or in the microchip;

(B)

How the data that is maintained on the microchip will be used by the employer.

(iv)

Within thirty (30) days of the employee's termination or separation from employment with the employer, remove the microchip or have the microchip removed at the employer's expense, subject to subsection (f) of this section.

(f)

An employee who is terminated or separates from the employer may elect to retain an implanted microchip after termination or separation, provided that the employee assumes responsibility for all costs associated with the microchip. An employer shall not be required to comply with subsection (e) of this section for each employee who elects to retain an implanted microchip under this subsection.

(g)

Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit an employer from using alternative, non
‑
invasive technology for the reasonable operations of the employer.

Section 2
.

This act is effective July 1, 2023
.

(END)

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SF0072