On Thursday, the Alabama House of Representatives passed legislation that would prohibit employers from requiring that their employees have microchips inserted in their bodies.
House Bill 4 (HB4) is sponsored by State Representative Prince Chestnut.
Chestnut said that this bill’s purpose is “preventing the microchipping of employees by employers.”
State Rep. Kenneth Paschal said, “I love your original bill as written, but I have a problem with an amendment in the committee substitute.”
Chestnut said, “My plan is to table the committee substitute and pass the original bill.”
“What are we doing?” Rep. Laura Hall (D-Huntsville) asked. “What is the intent?”
“I read a lot, and one of the things that concerned me is a push in certain areas to microchip people in some places in the workplaces,” Chestnut said. “It is really catching on in Europe. It is taking place in parts of this country.”
Hall asked where it was being done.
“I did find where it is happening at a tech company in Wisconsin,” Chestnut said. “Wisconsin passed legislation after the fact. Nevada has passed legislation prohibiting it, and Arkansas has passed legislation.”
Hall asked if it was occurring in Alabama.
Chestnut said that it wasn’t happening in Alabama to his knowledge, but this legislation is being proactive rather than waiting until it does happen and legislating after the fact.
“If somebody wants to voluntarily get microchipped, you still can,” Chestnut stated.
Chestnut explained that the technology exists so people can access a secure building by having a microchip implanted into the body or the hand. There are even applications where people are getting a microchip installed in their body that functions as a debit or credit card; you just put your hand in front of the scanner, and the funds for your purchase are deducted from your purchase account electronically. This bill does not prevent people from voluntarily being microchipped.
“What I want to do is stop it from being mandated,” Chestnut said, “That is everyone’s personal body integrity.”
Chestnut explained that the committee substitute would “allow prisoners in the Department of Corrections can be microchipped. I talked with Mr. (Cam) Ward at Pardons and Paroles, and he said that the surveillance in place is sufficient. They don’t want it. I don’t want to see it on inmates because sooner or later, it will work its way up to us.”
Rep. Matt Simpson said, “I am completely in support of taking off the committee amendment.”
Simpson said that the whole Judiciary Committee favored tabling the committee substitute.
Rep. Thomas Jackson said, “I understand microchipping a pet so that if it gets lost that it can get back to its master. How does microchipping an inmate ever make sense?”
The House voted 105 to 0 to table the House Judiciary Committee substitute and consider HB4 as originally introduced.
Rep. Ritchie Whorton said, “I agree with you that we should have a right to decide what goes in our bodies. My bill, HB31, the Healthcare Freedom Act, would have prevented an employer from requiring that employees take vaccines against their will.”
Violating this act would be a Class D felony in Alabama.
Whorton said that business interests in Alabama blocked his bill and asked where they were on Chestnut’s bill.
Chestnut said, “I don’t know who is against it, but I had to work it really hard to get it to the floor.”
HB4 passed the Alabama House of Representatives 104 to 0.
The legislation now goes to the Alabama Senate for their consideration. It has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Tuesday will be day 16 of the 2023 Alabama Regular Legislative Session.
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