The United States’ First Right to Repair Law Could Fail Despite Passing – Review Geek | Grind Tech

The problem of irreparability also affects companies. As you know, John Deere is currently under pressure from several lawsuits. Farmers and other professionals claim that John Deere has a monopoly on repairs, maintenance and diagnostics for their products. The FTC sides with farmers and found that 90% of John Deere error messages (instantly disabling farm equipment) can only be resolved by an authorized dealer.

We want this nonsense to end. And defenders of the right to reparation believe that legislation is the solution. Such legislation, if passed, would force manufacturers to provide consumers with schematics, repair instructions, genuine replacement parts, and critical diagnostic software. Right to Repair could also push manufacturers toward repair-friendly product design, which has fallen by the wayside for the past two decades.

Obviously, the lobbyists are fighting the right to redress. They’re also trying to satisfy customers midway with new (and often disappointing) repair programs—something lawmakers and the general public may mistake for “progress.” (Admittedly, companies like Microsoft and Valve are doing a decent job in this area.)

But the American public overwhelmingly supports right to repair legislation. And, earlier this year, a “Digital Fair Repair Act” rushed through the New York State Assembly and Senate, passing with a near-unanimous “yes.” Unfortunately, this landmark bill will fail if Governor Kathy Hochul does not sign it into law before the end of 2022.

New York passed a right to repair bill in June

Introduced by right-to-redress advocates, the “Digital Fair Repair Act” is a landmark bill that could have a cascading effect in the United States. It’s the nation’s first right-to-repair bill, at least it will be if New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signs it.

The “Digital Fair Repair Act” aims to improve New York’s economy by encouraging fair access to repair, diagnostic, and maintenance materials. If signed into law, it will ensure that independent repair shops can purchase at a reasonable price, authentic parts and schematics. Regular citizens would also have access to these materials.

Now, this bill is not perfect. It gives corporations some leeway and focuses primarily on consumer goods, such as phones, cameras, and laptops. Farm equipment, medical supplies, and motor vehicles are omitted from the “Digital Fair Repair Act.” (Lawmakers say this omission is the result of security concerns.)

But for all its quirks, the “Digital Fair Repair Act” is a good starting point. The effects of this law would be felt across the United States: businesses would have no choice but to comply, and other state governments (already pushing right-to-repair legislation) would follow New York’s lead.

As we stated earlier, the “Digital Fair Repair Act” passed through the New York State Assembly and Senate without much pushback. It is an overwhelmingly popular bill. So what is the delay?

But the “Digital Fair Repair Act” could fail

The New York legislature passed the right to repair almost unanimously, because it’s an obvious victory for consumers and the environment. Now Governor Hochul must sign and seal it so New Yorkers can get the parts, tools and paperwork they need to get their stuff together.

You are running out of time. If she doesn’t sign on by the end of the year, we’ll have to start the legislative process all over again.

— Liz Chamberlain, Director of Sustainability at iFixit

Signing a bill into law is never an easy process, even with bipartisan support. This is especially true of New York, which is one of the few US states that allows the “pocket veto” provision. Basically, if a bill sits around too long, it gets thrown away.

Most notably, a pocket veto cannot be challenged by the state legislature. That’s what distinguishes it from a traditional “bundle” veto or a “line item” veto (removing certain sections of a bill). If a New York governor wants to kill a bill without resistance, he resorts to the pocket veto.

New York should be the first jurisdiction in the world to pass a right to repair bill. Governor Hochul has an opportunity to take a leadership role in the fight against climate change.

— Kyle Wiens, CEO and co-founder of iFixit

The “Digital Fair Repair Act” will perish if it is not signed by December 31. If that happens, New Yorkers will be forced to start from scratch. Someone will have to introduce a new right to repair bill, which must go through checks and balances before reaching (or being ignored by) the governor.

But if New Yorkers are lucky, Governor Hochul will request the bill and give it a fair chance. Mere acknowledgment of this landmark bill would set a precedent for other US states, even if it is vetoed. (Yes Hochul it does sign the bill, it will not take effect until 2024).

On the bright side, the Right to Repair movement is not losing steam. Many corporations see the writing on the wall and are trying to address repairability before it becomes a legal challenge – Microsoft is actually one of the best examples, having recently assembled an engineering team to improve repairability across the board. its line of Surface PCs. . (Microsoft is also working with iFixit to sell genuine Surface parts and repair kits.)

We believe several US states will introduce right to repair legislation throughout 2023. It is a popular bipartisan issue that is amplified by the current economic and environmental situation. Let’s hope the right to repair becomes law!