Industry Groups Misguided on California RFID bill
This article from RFID Update on Sept. 22, 2006 implies that the "RFID Industry" is supporting the Simitian legislation pending the Governor's signature. However, as our blog has noted, the Security Industry Association -- which represents companies directly impacted by the legislation -- has asked the governor to veto it.
Only a very tiny subset of AeA's membership has any idea what the Simitian bill does or doesn't do. And for Gould to say "this is the best we're going to get out of the legislative process" is silly. The earlier Simitian bill was defeated in the last legislative session in Sacramento. Did the RFID Industry need the Simitian bill? Does it make the industry stronger, or better? Not a chance. The "best we're going to get out of the legislative process" is no bill -- again.
Unfortunately, the Secure ID Coalition -- also mentioned in the article, and made up of the same handful of AeA members driving their ship -- seems uninformed about what is going on at the state level. Unless they were misquoted, which happens, how can the Secure ID Coalition not be aware that there are other state bills outside of California? There are about 25 bills in 20 states -- an analysis of them is on this blog site.
From my experience, the other states won't just "model" their RFID legislation after California's bill. The Simitian bill will serve in many states as the starting point for negotiations, not the ending point. Each state legislative "champion" for "protecting the public from RFID" will want to demonstrate just how innovative and strong they are in regulating and legislating away the RFID industry. Start with Simitian and march ahead from there.
It's not even finished in California. The Simitian bill is expressly labled an "interim security solution" that will stay in effect until 2012 -- or until a more "comprehensive privacy and data security" bill is enacted. Do you think the later "comprehensive" bill will be more or less restrictive and proscriptive than this measure? Ummm -- I'd say "buckle up, RFID industry, because you're about to go for a ride." Unfortunately, AeA and others are loading everyone in the van instead of putting on the breaks.
Of course the governor of california has certain limitations.
(before you think, I was talking in regards to legislation)
Local US governments must still abide by the administrations law throughout the US, an administration which is at this moment, in tals with verichip about implanting US troops and immigrants with an ID microchip!
RFID is now spreading rapidily accross the globe.
The verichip, a human implantable RFID chip has already been implanted in thousands of humans worldwide including patients, government workers and even nightclubbers who use it for entrance and to pay for drinks.
The future is here, although many peoples main concern is that The Verichip is set to replace The Mandatory ID cards that are now being brought into effect.
See here for more information - http://noidchip.free-forums.org/
A forum dedicated to the issue with a compendium of knowledge about RFID, ID and Verichip
I'm not aware of Verichip being in negotiations with the military about implanting RFID in soldiers. I know they've made that claim, but the military has denied it in everything I've read.
