Right to Repair marches on with latest victory: Oregon
March 28 may have marked a “major leap forward” in the battle for our Right to Repair in the United States, according to the Repair Association. On that date, Oregon's Governor Tina Kotek enacted the most ambitious electronics Right to Repair law to date, one that could fundamentally alter the landscape of repair rights and set a new benchmark for the nation, if such momentum continues.
Oregon's Right to Repair Act “not only enshrines the right of consumers to repair their devices wherever they choose,” says TRA, but also “places a crucial check on the restrictive practice of parts pairing.” The law will cover most digital electronic equipment and is expected to take effect on January 1, 2025. Motor vehicles, medical devices, video game consoles, and farm equipment will be excluded. Violation penalties for manufacturers are expected to be $1,000 per day.
Manufacturers will be required to provide access to parts, tools, documentation, and software for products made as far back as 2015, excluding smartphones, which are covered from July 1, 2021. This retrospective application is considered by some to be a pioneering move, at least for the state, ensuring that the devices Oregonians rely on daily, from laptops and smartwatches to refrigerators and smart toasters, can remain functional.
This legislation covers almost everything with a chip, barring a few exemptions like medical devices and farm equipment, highlighting the sectors where the Right to Repair fight will head next. “The exclusion list not only maps out the industries with the strongest opposition but also outlines the next battlefronts for our movement,” the Repair Association stated.