Right to Repair bill passes Washington Senate with strong bipartisan support

The Washington Right to Repair bill for consumer electronics and household appliances passed through the Washington Senate on Thursday with strong bipartisan support, bringing it one step closer to passage.

Currently, manufacturers restrict access to the parts, tools, and information we need to fix our electronic devices and household appliances. When devices can’t be fixed, consumers are forced to pay high prices for repair or replace the item, which adds to our growing e-waste problem. The Right to Repair would ban these restrictions, make repair more affordable and accessible for Washingtonians, and reduce electronic waste.

WashPIRG has been working to pass the Right to Repair in Washington for the past five years in hopes of adding Washingtonians to the growing list of Americans who have the right to repair their stuff. This year, we are nearing on a victory.

“The near-unanimous vote in Washington’s House and Senate shows how deeply everyone agrees that we should have the Right to Repair — across the state, and across party lines,” said Kathryn Horvath, Zero Waste Associate with WashPIRG. “As our canvassers knocked on thousands of doors for the Right to Repair last summer, it became evident that Washingtonians are fed-up and frustrated with repair restrictions on their electronic devices and appliances. It’s clear that our lawmakers have heard from the public and agree that Washingtonians should have the right to fix our stuff.”

The bill now needs a concurrence vote before heading to Governor Ferguson’s desk. If passed, Washington will become the 6th state to have Right to Repair legislation in place for consumer electronics.