SALEM, Oregon — Gov. Tina Kotek has signed a bill several years in the making, which protects the right of consumers to repair the electronic devices that they purchase. The governor signed Senate Bill 1596, also known as the Right to Repair Act, on Wednesday.
“This is a win for consumers and will help bridge our digital divide and support small businesses across our state,” she said in a press release.
According to state lawmakers, Senate Bill 1596 will require manufacturing companies to make diagnostic tools, information and replacement parts available to consumers and third-party repair shops so that Oregonians can more affordably fix their phones, computers, appliances and other consumer electronics.
Supporters also have touted that the bill would reduce waste and help small, independent repair businesses.
Sen. Janeen Sollman, who sponsored the bill, said manufacturers can continue to offer in-house repair services or repairs through authorized dealers, and consumers will still be free to choose those options. But the manufacturers will need to make the necessary parts and documentation available so that small independent businesses in Oregon can offer the same services, or so individual Oregonians can do the repairs themselves.
The Right to Repair Act had passed with bipartisan support in both the House and the Senate, with Sollman, D-Hillsboro, calling it the country's most comprehensive legislation of its kind.
“This is a huge win for Oregon consumers and the Right to Repair movement, as a whole,” Sollman said in a press release Thursday. “With Gov. Kotek’s signature, our new Right to Repair law is a reasonable, common-sense step to lower costs and put more power back in the hands of consumers.”
It's not the first time Right to Repair legislation has been brought up by lawmakers in Oregon, but the movement has gained more traction both in the state and nationwide. Oregon is the fourth state to pass a bill of this kind.