Today at Corky Gonzales branch of the Denver Public Library, Gov. Jared Polis (D-CO) signed the “Consumer Right to Repair Digital Electronic Equipment,” which gives consumers a right to repair their own equipment including “cell phones, gaming systems, computers, and televisions.”
“Under this bill, when an item is broken, it could be a cellphone like this, a dishwasher, a washing machine, or a laptop, Coloradans will have the information they need to repair their own equipment or use the repair provider of their own choice,” said Polis. “This doesn’t mean everybody, certainly, is suddenly going to know how to repair your own equipment but it allows for independent repair services to be offered, which can then compete and provide a lower price or better and quicker repairs than other established channels for doing that.”
Polis noted that this bill expands on the right-to-repair agricultural equipment law passed last year. Due to the success of the law, he believes that this right-to-repair bill will succeed as well.
According to state Sen. Jeff Bridges (D-Greenwood Villiage), the bill’s prime sponsor, the federal government and other states around the country should use this piece of legislation as a model. He stated that this bill is the strongest repair bill in the country, overtaking laws passed in Oregon and California. Bridges stated that this is the only bill that Apple and Google claim works.
“Accidents happen, people drop their phones and break their screens every day, but because of ‘parts pairing’ and repair restrictions, owners aren’t allowed to fix their devices,” said Bridges in a press release. “Colorado has led the nation in expanding right-to-repair laws, from agricultural equipment to wheelchairs to now electronics. This legislation is good for consumers, small businesses, and our economy.”
State Rep. Brianna Titone (D-Arvada), a prime sponsor of this bill stated that Google worked alongside the Democratic leaders in searching for creating a bill that was in the best interest of consumers. This bill allows people the ability to fix their own devices at their leisure.
“Cell phones are a part of our daily lives, we should have more choices on how to fix them when they break,” said Titone in a press release. “This new law will give consumers more options to fix their broken electronics, saving them money and time on costly repairs. Right-to-repair laws, like this one, are important for empowering consumers and keeping e-waste out of our landfills. From tractors to mobility devices, I’m proud to carry another consumer-focused right to repair law through the legislature and save Coloradans money.”
State Rep. Steven Woodrow (D-Denver) stated in a press release that “consumers should have the right to fix their stuff — computers and cell phones included.”
Woodrow claims that this law will add to existing right-to-repair laws allowing consumers access to tools and technical devices that they may need. He noted that this legislation is vitally important in helping reduce pollution and waste.
According to the bill text, a manufacturer’s software tools are free for the consumer but they may charge for physical tools needed. The Boulder U-Fix-It Clinic, which is an organization that teaches people how to rebuild their broken devices, was at the bill signing.
“Manufacturer-imposed repair restrictions affect a wide variety of products from tractors to cell phones, resulting in surging costs, monopolistic business practices, and thousands of electronic devices thrown out every day,” said Sen. Nick Hinrichsen (D-CO), a prime sponsor of the bill in a news release. “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: if you can’t repair something that’s yours, do you really own it? I would argue no, which is why this legislation is so important. Right-to-repair laws are essential for empowering consumers and ensuring a fair market.”
