In Washington State, there was an almost full-ban on non-compete that was proposed a few years ago. Google came to the public hearings with full support for the law as it is (which make sense given the status for non compete in California - and how it got sued by Microsoft over one employee). The law would have made it that non-compete are void if laid-off, and void if over 1 year max or if you're not an executive employee.

But Microsoft, Amazon, and the hospitals fought it hard. (Hospitals are using it on both nurses and doctors apparently)

So the bill got rewritten where it only applies to people with a total comp less than 185k, and where student debt could be subtracted to that 185k. This got fought more by opponents.

Now the ban on non compete only applies to people whose yearly salary (total comp as listed on W-2) is less than 100k, So doctors and tech workers at those companies get nothing out of it, except the clarification that non compete:

- cannot be for longer than 18 months

- if employee is laid off and non compete is enforced, the company must pay base salary for the duration of non-compete.

Geekwire had a good coverage of it over the years:

https://www.geekwire.com/2016/non-compete-bill-stalls-washin...

https://www.geekwire.com/2018/effort-kill-non-competes-washi...

https://www.geekwire.com/2019/tech-leaders-sound-off-washing...

EDIT:

original bills: http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2015-16/Pdf/Bills/Hou... ; http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2017-18/Pdf/Bills/Hou...

final bill: https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1450&Initiativ...