Oregonians now have right to repair their cell phones and other consumer electronics after Gov. Tina Kotek signed SB 1596, otherwise known as the Right to Repair bill.
This law requires original equipment manufacturers to make available tools and information needed to repair devices by a third party.
The new rules also bar manufacturers from using what is known as “parts pairing." The controversial practice uses software to identify parts made by third parties and makes it harder for people to use those parts in repairs. When a device detects a third-party part, it shows a message questioning the new part's use or effectiveness.
"The new law is a win for all Oregonians, especially considering that this legislation includes a provision against software parts pairing, a predatory strategy manufacturers use to discourage repair outside of their ‘repair network,’" said OSPRIG state director Charlie Fisher in a statement. His group is a longtime advocate for a right to repair law. “No longer can a manufacturer use anti-consumer software to prevent third-party repairs. Now, small business vendors will be able to fix consumer technology without threatening the performance of a device.”
A slew of device types are excluded from these new rules, such as medical devices, vehicle manufacturing or sales, HVAC equipment, video game consoles or electric toothbrushes.
However, by prohibiting parts pairing, Oregon’s law is the one of the strongest in the country. Four other states have Right to Repair laws.
“With Gov. Kotek’s signature, our new right to repair law is a reasonable, common sense step to lower costs and put more power back in the hands of consumers,” said Sen. Janeen Sollman, a Hillsboro Democrat who sponsored the legislation in the Senate and has pushed for it for years.
Advocates for the bill have also said these types of laws address the growing amount of electronic waste that is created when consumers must buy new products instead of repairing products.
The new law applies to cells phones made and first sold in Oregon after July 1, 2021, and to other electronics made and first sold in Oregon after July 1, 2015.
