RFID Tags (S 474)

The House took no action this year on a Senate-approved measure to restrict the state and municipalities from using radio frequency identification (RFID) technology on students, employees or clients. The need for such a bill emerged after a school district in California began requiring students to wear RFID tags, allowing their identity and movement to be tracked electronically. Manufacturers of the technology have been touting similar uses since then. RFID devices were developed to track cattle and commerce, and the privacy implications of their mandatory use on people remain unsettling. Last year, Sen. Ciccone’s bill passed both Houses but was vetoed by the Governor.