A bidirectional switch having first and second input terminals and first and second output terminals wherein second input and second output terminals are interconnected and further comprising: a. first and second series connected electronic switch devices, each switch device having a drain terminal, a source terminal and a gate terminal and having a threshold voltage specified between the gate terminal and the source terminal, wherein the drain terminal of the first switch device comprises the first input terminal of the solid state bidirectional switch and drain terminal of the second switch devices comprise the first output terminal of the solid state bidirectional switch, the source terminals of the first and second switch devices are interconnected at a first control terminal and the gate terminals of the first and second switch devices are interconnected at a second control terminal, and, b. a first control switch connected between the first control terminal and the second control terminal, and c. a bias terminal (808, 810) connected to the second control terminal through a second control switch, and d. a voltage regulator device connected between the bias terminal and the first control terminal, and e. a first rectifier device connected from the first input terminal of the switch circuit to the bias terminal through a first current limiting resistor, characterized in that the bidirectional switch further comprises: f. a capacitor connected in parallel with the voltage regulator device, and g. a second rectifier device connected from the second output terminal of the switch circuit to the bias terminal through a second current limiting resistor, and, h. a switch control circuit having a control signal that controls the first control switch and the second control switch, such that first control switch is closed when the second control switch is open and vice versa. a. first and second series connected electronic switch devices, each switch device having a drain terminal, a source terminal and a gate terminal and having a threshold voltage specified between the gate terminal and the source terminal, wherein the drain terminal of the first switch device comprises the first input terminal of the solid state bidirectional switch and drain terminal of the second switch devices comprise the first output terminal of the solid state bidirectional switch, the source terminals of the first and second switch devices are interconnected at a first control terminal and the gate terminals of the first and second switch devices are interconnected at a second control terminal, and, b. a first control switch connected between the first control terminal and the second control terminal, and c. a bias terminal (808, 810) connected to the second control terminal through a second control switch, and d. a voltage regulator device connected between the bias terminal and the first control terminal, and e. a first rectifier device connected from the first input terminal of the switch circuit to the bias terminal through a first current limiting resistor, f. a capacitor connected in parallel with the voltage regulator device, and g. a second rectifier device connected from the second output terminal of the switch circuit to the bias terminal through a second current limiting resistor, and, h. a switch control circuit having a control signal that controls the first control switch and the second control switch, such that first control switch is closed when the second control switch is open and vice versa.