The California State Senate yesterday passed Bill 362, which would make it illegal to force anyone to have an RFID device implanted, by a vote of 28 to 9 - Wisconsin and North Dakota have already passed similar bills. The bill will now go to the governor for a signature.

Bill sponsor Joe Simitian explains, "RFID technology is not in and of itself the issue. RFID is a minor miracle, with all sorts of good uses. But we shouldn't condone forced 'tagging' of humans. It's the ultimate invasion of privacy."

And it isn't just science fiction - according to the LA Times' Patrick McGreevy, "CityWatcher.com, a Cincinnati video surveillance company, has required employees who work in its secure data center to have a microchip implanted in an arm." (Though it's worth noting that I can't get CityWatcher.com to load - maybe they're no longer around?...)

Simitian says he's frustrated that the RFID industry hasn't supported the bill. "At the very least, we should be able to agree that the forced implanting of under-the-skin technology into human beings is just plain wrong," he says. "I'm deeply concerned that this isn't a given for the industry."

More here from Government Technology ... more here from UPI ... more here from Palo Alto Online ... more here from CNET News ... and Simitian's press release is here.