Statement: Committee votes to advance state’s Digital Right to Repair Bill

Late last week, the Digital Right to Repair Bill, S2478, sponsored by state Rep. Adrian Madaro and state Sen. Michael Brady, received a favorable report from the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure, a critical step toward the bill’s final passage into law.

MASSPIRG Executive Director Janet Domenitz made the following statement: 

“We’re grateful to Committee chairs Rep. Tackey Chan and Sen. Susan Moran, as well as the rest of the committee, for taking action and giving momentum to this important bill.”

“Massachusetts gets rid of more than 8,000 cell phones every day. This and other electronic waste pollutes our environment, costs consumers money, and is entirely unnecessary. This bill gives consumers and independent repair businesses access to the parts, tools, technical manuals and more needed to keep our electronics working.”

“With all the waste that goes to landfills and incinerators—close to six million tons a year in Massachusetts–we need every tactic imaginable to reduce. The right to repair is a key way to reduce waste and protect consumers.”

Nathan Proctor, national director of PIRG’s Right to Repair campaign, based in Boston, added: 

“So much has happened in pursuit of  the ‘right to repair’ around the country in 2023—a similar bill was signed into law earlier this month in California. Other states are ahead of Massachusetts, now is our chance to catch up.”