Right To Repair Legislation Championed By Consumers And Repair Shops Reaches U.S. House
The
Right to repair movement is a hot topic as manufacturers of various products ranging from mobile devices to tractors have stood in the way of third-party repairs, which tend to be cheaper than the
OEM repair method. Even the Federal Trade Commission has intervened
over companies blocking right to repair with a recently released report. Now, lawmakers are joining in as well, with the introduction of right to repair legislation to the U.S House by congressman Joe Morelle (NY-D).
On Thursday, Congressman Morelle released the
“Fair Repair Act,” which aims to “require OEMs to make diagnostic and repair information, parts, and tools available to third-party repairers and owners in a timely manner and on fair and reasonable terms.” The hope is that this move will balance the scales so that small businesses can remain in the market. As Morelle further explains, “This common-sense legislation will help make technology repairs more accessible and affordable for items from cell phones to laptops to farm equipment, finally giving individuals the autonomy they deserve.”
Congressman Morelle (NY-D)
Though the full text of the bill has not been published yet, Morelle’s website explains that the Fair Repair Act will also allow the
FTC to penalize those who violate the bill’s provisions. This will hopefully keep large companies in line with the rules should this become law. Moreover, this will be a massive win for consumers who have had to pay for simple device repairs up to tractor maintenance for years, when they could have done it themselves many times.
If decent after the first reading, we hope that this legislation swiftly passes the
Congress to move toward becoming law. If you want to track House Resolution 4006 for yourself, you can
do so here and keep an eye on updates. Also, let us know what you think of right to repair legislation in the comments below.