Connecticut holds hearing for the Right to Repair

On Wednesday, March 12, the Connecticut General Law Committee held a public hearing for a number of bills including the Right to Repair. You can watch a full recording of the public hearing here.

Section 3 of Senate Bill 3, sponsored by 27 Senators, contains language protecting consumers’ rights to access repair parts, tools, and information for electronic devices and appliances. If passed, this legislation would make it far easier for consumers and small businesses to access these necessary repair materials from manufacturers, who monopolize repair information and often provide it only to authorized centers. 

Lawmakers heard arguments in favor of the Right to Repair from ConnPIRG (represented by Meghan Smith, U.S.PIRG Right to Repair Campaign Associate), Environment Connecticut (represented by Chris Phelps, State Director of Environment Connecticut), AARP, and others.

The Right to Repair has seen movement across the country: five other states have passed Right to Repair legislation for consumer electronics, and all fifty states have considered it over the past eight years. ConnPIRG and Environment Connecticut are working hard to make Connecticut the next to pass it into law and protect our right to repair what we own. To watch Environment Connecticut’s testimony, click here, and for ConnPIRG, click here.