Legislation would help consumers fix their own electronics, reduce waste

(ALBANY, NY) – Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo joined Majority Leader Joe Morelle, Senator Phil Boyle, and the Repair Association on Tuesday to make a push for legislation to help consumers more easily repair their electronic devices, as well as reduce electronic waste. Lupardo is the prime co-sponsor of the “Fair Repair Bill,” (A8192/S618) which has been introduced in the Assembly by Majority Leader Joe Morelle and in the Senate by Senator Boyle.

“Some of my earliest memories of my father involve repairing items around the house; we spent hours testing television vacuum tubes, soldering wires, and reading repair manuals ” said Assemblywoman Lupardo. “Unfortunately over time companies have made repair information unavailable to their customers, effectively creating a monopoly on repairs. This bill would give consumers access to that information enabling them to fix products on their own.”

Currently, repairs of digital items are intentionally limited by the manufacturer. This legislation would require manufacturers make non-trade secret diagnostic and repair information available for sale to third party repairers. Because repairs can often be costly individuals often choose to discard their devices for new ones. By giving individuals the cost-saving option of fixing their own devices, this bill would also help cut down on harmful electronic waste as well.

The bill is currently in the Assembly Consumer Affairs and Protection Committee. Its Senate companion legislation is also in the Senate’s Consumer Protection Committee. For more information visit, repair.org.