STATEMENT: California Assembly passes Right to Repair bill

Advocates describe the bill, endorsed by Apple, ‘the strongest consumer right to repair yet’

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California State Assembly approved the Right to Repair Act on Tuesday, with a final vote tally of 65 to 1 (with 14 abstentions). If enacted, Senate Bill 244, by state Sen. Susan Talamantes Eggman, will significantly expand consumers’ and independent repair shops’ access to repair materials needed to fix electronics and appliances. The bill will head back to the Senate for a final concurrence vote, and then, to the governor’s desk for his signature.

Nathan Proctor, senior director of PIRG’s Right to Repair Campaign, made this statement: 

“Even in the home state of Big Tech, repair is a winning idea. It just makes sense — people should be able to fix their stuff. It’s better for the planet and it saves money. Californians are going to be fixing a lot more, too, because their state Assembly just passed the strongest consumer Right to Repair bill yet. The bar keeps going up.

“We are surrounded by effectively disposable gadgets. But that should change soon. While manufacturers have spent many years frustrating repair technicians and opposing Right to Repair legislation, thankfully, many, notably Apple, have come around. That’s good news, because as important as this legislation is, we have more to do if we want a more sustainable relationship with the electronics that power our modern lives. This California bill, a result of an incredible campaign by our allies and our legislative champion, state Sen. Susan Eggman, gives me hope that we can create a more fixable world.”

Jenn Engstrom, CALPIRG state director, made this statement: 

“Today is a victory for the scrappy group of tinkerers, consumers, environmentalists, and small business owners who came together to take on the tech industry and win back the right to fix our own stuff. When you buy something, you should be able to do what you want with it. But when it comes to repair, for too long, electronics manufacturers have made it difficult to live by that core principle. Right to repair just makes sense: It’s better for the planet and saves money.”

Gay Gordon-Byrne, executive director of Repair.org, made this statement: 

“Right to Repair is quickly becoming the law of the land. This is a huge step forward not just for Californians, but for all of us that just want to fix our stuff. While this was the work of many, I want to offer a special thanks to Senator Susan Eggman for having fought for years to get to this point. Brava.”

Kyle Wiens, CEO of iFixit, made this statement:

“The era of manufacturers’ repair monopolies is ending, as well it should be. Accessible, affordable, widely available repair benefits everyone. We’re especially thrilled to see this bill pass in the state where iFixit is headquartered, which also happens to be Big Tech’s backyard. Since Right to Repair can pass here, expect it to be on its way to a backyard near you.”