Oregon Governor signs law banning manufacturers from pairing parts and reinforcing 'right to repair'
On March 27, 2024, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek signed
Governor Kotek signs the Right to Repair Act into law
https://pirg.org/updates/governor-kotek-signs-the-right-to-repair-act-into-law/
Statement: Oregon governor signs strongest Right to Repair law to date
Oregon's governor signs right-to-repair law that bans 'parts pairing' - The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/27/24097042/right-to-repair-law-oregon-sb1596-parts-pairing-tina-kotek-signed
Oregon signs its right-to-repair bill into law
https://appleinsider.com/articles/24/03/27/despite-apple-pushback-oregon-has-passed-its-right-to-repair-bill-banning-parts-pairing
The Right to Repair bill signed by Kotek today includes the following:
- Home appliance manufacturers will provide parts, tools, and repair manuals that are available to consumers and third-party repairers on 'fair and reasonable terms.'
The law prohibits companies from blocking third-party parts that are 'non-functional substitutes' for manufacturer parts, and also prohibits manufacturers from interfering with the performance of third-party parts or sending 'misleading warnings or notifications' when consumers install them.
After July 1, 2027, violators could be fined up to $1,000 per day. The bill applies to consumer electronic devices manufactured on or after July 1, 2015, or mobile phones manufactured on or after July 1, 2021.
The bill is the first in the US to explicitly ban 'parts pairing,' the practice of matching certain components, such as displays or batteries, with the device they were installed in, and will apply to gadgets manufactured after January 1, 2025.
Until now, 'parts pairing' has required that manufacturers use genuine parts to repair devices, which has led to criticism that it has created a closed ecosystem, limiting consumers' options to repair devices themselves or to have third-party repairers do the work.
In response to this situation, Oregon has been working on a right-to-repair bill that would prohibit 'parts pairing,' and it passed the state Senate by a vote of 25 to 5 in February 2024. On March 11, it was also passed by the House of Representatives by a vote of 42 to 13.
'The Right to Repair bill signed by Governor Kotek will help end disposables and extend the lifespan of our devices,' said Nathan Proctor, senior director of the Right to Repair campaign at the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), a nonprofit organization that works on consumer protection and other issues. 'We're grateful to Governor Kotek for signing this bill and making these laws available to Oregon consumers.'
On the other hand, Apple, which has introduced parts pairing, points out that 'allowing third-party replacement parts for biometric authentication elements such as face and fingerprint units may increase security concerns.'
'Thanks to the hard work of Senator Janine Sollman, Representative Courtney Nelon, many other lawmakers and advocates, and the thousands of people who have spoken out, Oregon is blazing a new trail on right to repair legislation,' said Oregon Department of Environmental Protection Director Celeste Myfren Swango.
According to PIRG, Oregon's new right to repair law will go into effect on January 1, 2025.
Related Posts:
