At least five U.S. states are working on approving the "Right to Repair" bill.
According to reports, lawmakers in Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nebraska and New York have introduced bills that would allow everyday people to
Right to Repair Bill In A Nutshell
Formally known as the Digital Right to Repair Bill, H.3383, or the "Right to Repair" bill is simply an act that allows owners to repair their electronic devices. The bill will require companies to provide access to the components or replacement parts that are used in repairing their products. The bill also requires tech companies to provide the proper information to the public regarding repair instructions on their devices. In other words, the public will gain access to the company's diagnostic and service manuals.
Advantages of the Bill
The Right to Repair bill will not only make repairs cheaper and less time consuming, it will also help out independent repair shops. Instead of going to gray or parallel markets to secure parts, owners of such shops will readily have access to such replacements parts thus being able to repair different devices.
Disadvantages of the Bill
Apple Insider reports that the bill will affect companies such as Apple which is notoriously known to prefer to keep the parts and do the repair themselves. Manufacturers which abide by the "authorized repair" only rule will now have to share what they know which they consider as proprietary. What's not being said is that these companies will lose additional profit from repairs and sales of parts.
According to iFixit, more than 114,000 people, as of this writing, have already signed a petition to legalize the unlocking of cell phones. iFixit also noted that in Massachusetts, 88 percent of its population voted to pass the automobile owner's Right to Repair law back in 2012 and is leading the way for electronics to follow suit. Over at Wyoming, lawmakers have filed a similar bill. This time, the bill focuses on giving people the right to repair farm equipment such as tractors.
