The Right to Repair Act, which requires companies to offer equipment and components to independent repair shops or individuals outside the companies that repair equipment, has passed both houses of the New York State Legislature, but has yet to be signed into law by Kathy Hochul.
If Governor Kathy Hochul signs it, New York will be the first state in America to do so, and Representative Pat Fahy of Albany, who supports the bill in the National Assembly, said the bill would create a system similar to that for cars, but for electronic devices.
Fahy added that the law could allow economic growth in the sector and help the “tinkerers of today” become the “inventors of the future.”
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which has previously announced that it is considering updating its energy labelling rules to require manufacturers to provide repair manuals and to seek feedback on labelling rules that help consumers buy energy-efficient appliances, has also called the law a watershed, saying it does not infringe intellectual property rights.
The right to repair would give consumers the opportunity to repair and modify their own consumer goods, such as electronic equipment, automotive devices, or agricultural vehicles such as tractors, where the manufacturer of such products would otherwise require the consumer to use only the services offered by restricting access to tools and components or installing software barriers to prevent independent repairs or modifications.
The sources for this piece include an article in SpectrumNews1.