Oregon state legislature passes ‘right to repair’ bill

By compelling manufacturers to facilitate repair accessibility and curtailing restrictive practices like parts pairing, Senate Bill 1596 aims to empower consumers and mitigate the adverse environmental impact of e-waste.
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On Tuesday, the Oregon State Senate greenlit Senate Bill 1596, dubbed the ‘right to repair’ bill, aims to empower consumers with more choices when fixing their electronic devices. Led by Sen. Janeen Sollman and backed by Republican Sen. Kim Thatcher, the legislation mandates equipment manufacturers like Apple and Google to furnish repair tools and information to independent repair shops. This move is geared towards offering consumers cost-effective and sustainable options for repair, thereby curbing electronic waste and bridging the digital divide by enabling institutions to refurbish technology for prolonged use.

Addressing concerns over “parts pairing,” a practice wherein manufacturers restrict device functionality solely to manufacturer-approved parts, the bill scored a bipartisan victory with a resounding 25-5 vote in its favor. Starting 2025, it will bar manufacturers from using parts pairing to diminish a product’s functionality. Oregon now joins at least four other states—California, New York, Minnesota, and Colorado—in implementing right-to-repair legislation. The baton now passes to the Oregon House for further deliberation.

Why does it matter?

The passage of Senate Bill 1596 in Oregon heralds a significant stride towards bolstering consumer rights in electronic repairs, fostering affordability, sustainability, and technological equity. Moreover, Oregon’s alignment with several other states underscores a broader momentum in the United States towards enshrining right-to-repair principles, signaling a pivotal shift in consumer electronics regulation and advocacy landscape.