California becomes 20th state in 2019 to consider Right to Repair bill

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Do-it-yourself movement comes to Apple’s backyard

SACRAMENTO, CA — With the introduction of a bill in California, 20 states have considered legislation in 2019 that would help Americans fix their own stuff, rather than having to toss it out and buy new. California Assemblymember Susan Eggman (Stockton) filed the latest Right to Repair state bill, AB 1163, which closes a loophole in the state’s warranty law and requires companies to allow consumers access to parts and service information. U.S. PIRG’s state affiliate CALPIRG is one of the groups sponsoring the legislation.

In response, Nathan Proctor, U.S. PIRG’s Campaign Director for the Right to Repair, made the following statement:

“People just want to fix their stuff. We are tired of manufacturers price-gouging for repairs, selling us disposable electronics and pushing us to buy new instead of fixing what we already have. It’s should be no surprise that interest in the right to repair keeps growing, with 20 states filing bills already this year.”

“Electronic waste is the fastest-growing waste stream in the world. It’s high time we stopped manufacturers from blocking repair, which keeps devices working and off the scrap heap. It’s better for consumers and better for the environment, and whether or not manufacturers like it, more and more people agree: We deserve the right to repair our products.”

The bill closes a loophole in California’s Lemon Law, also known as the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. The Act requires manufacturers to provide a repair option, but does not require companies to allow consumers to opt for independent or self-repair.  

When manufacturers block access to spare parts and service information, it makes independent repair difficult, if not impossible. The Right to Repair campaign seeks to restore access to these necessary repair components. Right to Repair bills face heavy lobbying opposition from manufacturers associations and manufacturers, notably Apple.

The full list of states with active legislation in 2019 includes California, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia.

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U.S. PIRG, the federation of state Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs), stands up to powerful special interests on behalf of the American public, working to win concrete results for our health and our well-being.

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