California State Assembly I voted In favor of Right to Repair legislation that increases consumer ability to repair appliances at home. After it passes through the state Legislature, the bill heads to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk.
Senate Bill 244 is not the first right-to-repair bill passed by a US state — nor is it California’s first attempt to pass such legislation. Those efforts date back to 2018. But the bill, written by state Sen. Susan Eggman, is one of the most expansive takes on the idea.
The legislation requires manufacturers to “provide, on fair and reasonable terms, to product owners, service and repair facilities, and service dealers, the means, as described, to perform diagnosis, maintenance, or repair of the product, as provided,” regardless of warranty.
Among its broad cross-cutting implications is the requirement to make repair evidence available. Historically, such documents have been extremely difficult for many to find. This legislation makes access to these materials much easier.
It also “requires[s] A service and repair facility or service agent that is not an authorized repair provider, as defined, for the manufacturer to provide written notice of that fact to any customer seeking to repair an electronic product or device before the repair facility or service agent repairs the product produced, and to disclose whether it uses replacement parts Used or from a supplier other than the manufacturer.
It is also worth noting what the bill does and does not include. In addition to consumer electronics, the law also affects appliance makers, which means finding a dishwasher manual could soon be a lot easier. However, there are some key items here – namely gaming consoles and alarm systems.
Late last month, the bill found an unexpected ally in Apple. “Apple supports California’s Right to Repair Act, so that all Californians have greater access to repairs while also protecting their safety, security, and privacy,” the company told TechCrunch at the time. “We make our products to last, and if they need repair, Apple customers have a growing array of safe, high-quality repair options.”
It was a major vote of confidence from the world’s most profitable company, which also happens to call California home.