New York Signs ‘Right To Repair’ Bill Into Law, Albeit A Weaker One

Several months after the Digital Fair Repair Act passed both chambers of New York’s state legislature with bipartisan agreement, Governor Kathy Hochul has finally signed the bill into law, though not everyone’s celebrating the landmark win. 

On the surface, the act is the first right-to-repair bill in the United States that’s been voted through by state lawmakers instead of being implemented via executive order, and has been touted as a “precedent-setting” move by advocacy groups.

Under the new law, technology companies will be required to provide consumers with the same diagnostic tools, repair manuals, and product parts that are made available to official repair technicians at the firms.

However, as Ars Technica pointed out, the legislation has already been weakened while passing through the different levels of the state legislature. It appears technology lobbyists and trade groups have had their say on the matter, adding exceptions to the rule.

For example, one notable change is that only devices manufactured and sold in New York after July 1, 2023 will be made to meet the bill’s guidelines, and excludes all devices currently owned by consumers. 

In addition, “business-to-business” and “business-to-government” gadgets are not covered by the law, and manufacturers will no longer be made to help consumers circumvent security lockouts. So if you’ve unwittingly locked yourself out of your smartphone, no dice. 

Under the new terms of the law, companies can choose to provide “assemblies” of parts instead of the actual parts themselves, in the event “when the risk of improper installation heightens the risk of injury.” 

As the publication explained, this could mean giving consumers a display screen or battery with additional cables or wires, despite it not being required to fix the defect. This, in turn, could increase how much firms charge for replacement parts, making repairs less cost-effective.

Despite the shortcomings of the legislation, right-to-repair activist groups are welcoming the passing of the bill into law. iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens called it “a huge victory for consumers and a major step forward for the right-to-repair movement.” 

“As technology and smart devices become increasingly essential to the lives of New Yorkers, it is important for consumers to be able to fix devices that they rely on in a timely fashion,” remarked Hochul in a memo on the bill.

“Encouraging consumers to maximize the lifespan of their devices through repairs is a laudable goal to save money and reduce electronic waste.”

[via Ars Technica and Apple Insider, cover image via Supawat Bursuk | Dreamstime.com]