The Right to Repair bill clears its first hurdle

When your smartphone or other tech devices break, you should be able to easily get them fixed. But oftentimes, the manufacturer or their authorized service provider are the only ones with access to the necessary parts, tools and manuals, making repair difficult and expensive.

Washington’s Right to Repair bill requires manufacturers to provide Washingtonians and small businesses access to the parts, tools and service information we need to repair personal electronics and household appliances. This will help Washingtonians save money, support small businesses, protect consumers, close the digital divide and keep these devices in use for longer, conserving precious natural resources and preventing waste.

This morning, the Right to Repair bill (HB 1483) had an executive session in the Washington state House Technology, Economic Development & Veterans committee and it passed with a vote of 8-5. It will now have the chance to go to a House floor vote.

While this vote was split down party lines, we know that the Right to Repair is historically bipartisan. WashPIRG will continue to work with legislators on both sides of the aisle to advocate for Washingtonians to have the right to repair their devices when they break.