CALPIRG-backed Right to Repair bill passes out of first committee

On Tuesday, April 11th, CALPIRG’s Right to Repair bill (SB 244) successfully passed its first committee hearing with bipartisan support.  This is a significant step towards securing the right for Californians to repair their own devices, reducing electronic waste and saving consumers money.

CALPIRG State Director Jenn Engstrom commented on the bipartisan appeal of Right to Repair legislation during her testimony: “A CALPIRG survey found that 75% of Californians support Right to Repair, including majorities of Democrats, Republicans and Independents.” She finished by adding that Right to Repair “is an idea whose time has come.”

The bill received overwhelming support from various other stakeholders during the hearing, including dozens of environmental groups, consumer advocates and independent repair shops from across California.

Among the supporters was Dan Salsburg, Chief Counsel for Development and Innovation in the Bureau of Consumer Protection at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Salsburg cited a FTC report that “found that there is scant evidence to support manufacturers’ justifications for repair restrictions.”

SB 244 ultimately passed the committee with nine “aye” votes from both Democrat and Republican Senators and zero “no” votes.

The next decisive moment for the Right to Repair bill will be in the Senate Appropriations Committee. CALPIRG will remain committed to advocating for this critical legislation to ensure that consumers have real ownership over their products and the Right to Repair.

To learn more and get involved with the campaign, visit CALPIRG’s Right to Repair Action Toolkit.