California RFID Bill By Senator Simitian Bans Tagging

State Senator Joe Simitian promotes his Senate Bill 362 that prohibits any person from forcing any other person to undergo an implant in their body of a radio frequency identification (RFID) device. ...

... "Despite wide-ranging support, the RFID industry has declined to support SB 362. In response, Simitian said, I think it's unfortunate and regrettable that the industry hasn't come out in support of SB 362. I understand why we're having a robust debate about the privacy concerns related to RFID, but 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. I'm deeply concerned that this isn't a given for the industry. Passage of SB 362 ensures that no Californian is compelled to have electronic identifiers of any type embedded in their body. This provides Californians with the personal agency to make such decisions should they have a reason to, as well as another means of protecting their personal information. Once again, California leads the nation in recognizing potential threats to individual privacy and self-determination posed by new technologies, said Jennifer King, Research Specialist at the Samuelson Law, Technology and Public Policy Clinic at U.C. Berkeley School of Law. " ...

Via California State Senator Joe Simitian: Bill to Ban Tagging Humans Closer to Becoming Law, RFID at Issue

IBM RFID ePedigree Drug Solution Track Supply Chain Movements

IBM has developed a solution that enables pharmaceutical companies to create an electronic certificate of authenticity, an electronic pedigree or ePedigree, for drugs that move through the supply chain, from manufacturers to distributors, pharmacies and hospitals. ...

... "The ePedigree feature is a key capability of the new version of IBM's WebSphere RFID Information Center (RFIDIC), a high performance data repository that allows clients to efficiently manage and securely share information with trading partners to authenticate pharmaceuticals. Unlike competing solutions, the IBM offering was designed to manage and aggregate product serial numbers to enable processes in manufacturing plants, distribution centers, pharmacies, and hospitals.

IBM's new ePedigree feature allows clients to comply with new and emerging regulations such as those that will take effect in California in 2009 using either RFID, 2D barcodes, or a combination of barcodes and RFID. The offering provides a flexible track and trace framework for generating ePedigrees through standards-based EPC Information Services. By establishing ePedigree via EPCIS events and queries, clients will also be able to easily access key data elements to solve other business needs such as chargeback resolution and expiration management. " ...

Via IBM: ePedigree System to Combat Drug Counterfeiting and Help Clients Comply With Regulations

RFID California Toll Contract

Sirit RFID tech will drive California toll solution. The IDentity Title 21 transponder is a small radio frequency identification (RFID) device designed for Sirit's Electronic Toll Collection and advanced Traffic Management Systems. ...

... "contract worth approximately US$10.6 million over three years from the Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA) in Southern California. Upon Board approval, Sirit will enter into an agreement to supply its Title 21-based RFID transponders following the completion of the existing contract. Sirit anticipates the new contract to be approved on or about June 14, 2007 with shipments to begin in July 2007. " ...

Via Sirit: Sirit Selected for US$10.6M Renewal Toll Contract

California RFID Drug Pedigree

Cardinal Health will integrate radio frequency identification (RFID) technology by Fall 2007 in its Sacramento, Calif. pharmaceutical distribution center. ...

... "Cardinal Health operates dozens of pharmaceutical distribution centers nationwide. The company will start implementing RFID technology in its Sacramento, Calif. distribution center, as a means to receive and produce the electronic drug pedigrees needed to meet the requirements of the California legislation. " ...

Via Cardinal Health: Cardinal Health Announces Plan to Deploy RFID Technology in California

Sirit RFID Orange County Traffic Management

OCTA utilizes Sirit RFID technology on the SR-91 Riverside Freeway Express Lanes in Southern California. ...

... "Sirit Inc. announced that it has secured an order totaling US$2.0 million from the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) in Southern California. The contract calls for Sirit to deliver its UHF RFID transponder technology over the next 3 years, with deliveries to commence in Q2 2007. " ...

Via PR News Wire: US$2.0 million RFID Transponder Contract

Active RFID Technology Secures Port of Oakland

WhereNet Corp. will assist the Port of Oakland in meeting security requirements of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) by implementing a truck RFID tagging system at one of its most active marine terminals. Drayage trucks at the Oakland International Container Terminal (OICT) will be equipped with WhereNet active RFID tags. ...

... "The Port of Oakland has purchased 1,700 WhereTag active RFID transmitters and is contracting with WhereNet and eModal to distribute the tags to drayage companies that serve the OICT, which is operated by Stevedoring Services of America Terminals (SSAT). WhereNet has completed installation of RFID readers at OICT and drivers using that terminal are already voluntarily installing the tags on their truck cabs. When a driver arrives at the terminal and approaches security, a transmission from the WhereTag is picked up by the WhereNet Real-Time Locating System (RTLS) infrastructure of antennas installed at each marine terminal and automatically cross-references with the information available through the eModal trucking database, ensuring that only authorized vehicles are granted entry. The Port of Oakland's security initiative should be bolstered by the recent DHS decision, announced on January 9, 2007, to award increased grant funding to help secure California ports this year. " ...

Active RFID Technology Improves Security at Port of Oakland