Labor and Commerce advances eight bills, moving noncompete ban, microchipping ban and wage-recovery plan forward

The Senate Labor and Commerce Committee advanced eight bills during its final 2026 executive session, forwarding measures on noncompetition agreements, employee microchipping, workers’ compensation for post‑traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and a new wage‑recovery program to the next stages of review.

A staff report on Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1155 described the bill as voiding ‘‘all non competition covenants’’ and making them unenforceable regardless of when they were signed or the employee’s earnings. A striking amendment (A), sponsored by Senator Stanford, narrows the bill’s educational‑expense repayment exception to allow written repayment agreements limited to out‑of‑pocket costs, capped to the pro‑rata portion of any 18‑month repayment period and excused if separation was for ‘‘good cause.’’ Amendments A1 and A2 offered by Senator King would exempt transactions to acquire or sell goodwill or ownership interests and would exclude certain senior executives from the blanket ban. The committee adopted the striking amendment by voice vote and recommended the bill for further consideration in Rules.

The panel also moved Substitute House Bill…