Hawaii and Oklahoma are the most recent states to introduce laws that would give consumers an alternative to manufacturer service departments when something breaks, says a report by advocacy group Repair.org. In general, the proposed Right To Repair laws to be debated in 17 states would require device makers like Apple and Samsung to make the tools, parts, and manuals needed for repairs available to independent repair shops.
Apple, Toyota, John Deere and others have lobbied against the laws, saying that letting third parties crack the shell on consumer devices opens the door to hackers and device counterfeiters. The Right To Repair people say manufacturers are simply trying to keep their monopoly on the lucrative business of repairing their own stuff.
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A handful of Right to Repair bills were introduced in state houses last year, but the momentum behind passing the law has picked up considerably. And the recent revelations that Apple secretly slowed down older iPhones to conserve their aging batteries (which can be replaced only by Apple) seems to have moved the issue higher on the agendas of the states.
States with laws pending include: Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, and Washington.
A Minnesota state Senate committee will debate the issue tomorrow morning. New Hampshire will hold a hearing February 13.
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