Oregon has become the latest state to enact a so-called “right to repair” law. Advocates say the bill signed by Gov. Tina Kotek on Wednesday creates the nation’s strongest protections for consumers with broken tech devices.
Under the law, companies that make cellphones and other consumer electronics are required to provide the tools and know-how to repair those devices. It’s a way to empower consumers, in an age where some manufacturers have begun limiting who can perform repairs.
At least three other states have passed similar laws, but proponents say Oregon’s stands out. That’s because the law takes on the practice of parts pairing, where manufacturers disable some functions of a device if owners make repairs with an unauthorized part.
That piece of the bill prompted pushback from Apple, which uses parts pairing on iPhones. The company had supported a “right to repair” bill in California last year that didn’t address the practice.
Oregon’s law kicks in next year, but enforcement won’t begin until 2027.
Copyright 2024 Oregon Public Broadcasting.