A bipartisan group of Attorneys General representing over half of the US states and Guam is urging Congress to pass right-to-repair laws.
In a letter addressed to the heads of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, the attorneys general urged Congress to pass “expansive Right to Repair legislation” covering automobiles, electronics and agricultural equipment.
“The Right-to-Repair is a bipartisan issue that impacts every consumer, household, and farm in a time of increasing inflation. It is about ensuring that consumers have choices as to who, where, when and at what cost their vehicles can be repaired,” the letter (PDF) reads.
“As State Attorneys General, we seek federal partners to provide necessary changes to the law that will better protect America’s consumers, particularly at this time of economic uncertainty.”
Signers include the state attorneys general from Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin, as well as the attorneys general from the District of Columbia, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.
A number of right to repair laws are pending on Capitol Hill including:
The Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair (REPAIR) Act would require automakers to give the same access to data and maintenance tools to independent repair shops that they do to their dealerships.
The Saving Money on Auto Repair Transportation (SMART) Act would limit the time for which automakers can enforce patents on collision repair parts against aftermarket suppliers. The attorneys argue that these changes would help lower repair prices and widen the options available to consumers.
Currently, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) in most industries can restrict access to these crucial parts and information, which results in higher costs for repairs and replacement parts. Those restrictions also make it more difficult for independent repair providers and small businesses to compete and limits the ability of consumers to repair their own vehicles. Together, those factors lead to less choice, increased costs and longer waits, encouraging consumers to replace- rather than repair broken goods. That impacts both the environment and consumer finances.
What AG’s are saying…
California Attorney General Rob Bonta emphasizes that passing legislation to prevent manufacturers from limiting independent repair would create a competitive marketplace for repairing various products, including vehicles and agricultural equipment. By allowing consumers to repair or replace their products on their own terms, it could reduce waste and drive down costs.
The Attorney General of Illinois argued that the monopoly on repair caused by OEMs results in increased prices for consumers and urge Congress to consider proposed legislation from the 117th Congress. Despite widespread public support for right-to-repair legislation, these bills were not passed.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel sees passing right-to-repair legislation as a way to protect farmers and consumers by allowing small businesses to compete against closed systems favored by OEMs and to repair agricultural equipment at a reasonable cost.
“Consumers just want to fix their stuff, and attorneys general across the country are heeding their call,” said Nathan Proctor of US PIRG. “Right to Repair is common sense, and this incredible, bipartisan display of support shows, people from all across America support making it the law of the land.”
Other News
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Louis Rossmann has a video with his criticisms
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Vermont debates repair legislation that would require agricultural equipment manufacturers like John Deere, Tigercat or Caterpillar to offer equipment parts, manuals, codes and diagnostics to owners at a fair market value, with trade organizations claiming these items are intellectual property or qualify as trade secrets and opposition to the bill ranging from constitutional objections to concerns that farmers and loggers could override emissions controls or safety features built into the equipment.
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Choose sustainable and ethical brands.
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