New York's New Digital Fair Repair Act Law Is First in Nation to Guarantee Consumers' Right to Repair

Rockland Daily Staff

Last week, New York became the first state in the nation to guarantee the right to repair, with the Digital Fair Repair Act passage into law protecting consumers from anticompetitive efforts to limit repair.

"As technology and smart devices become increasingly essential to our daily lives, consumers should be able to easily fix the devices they rely on in a timely fashion," Governor Kathy Hochul said. "This legislation will empower consumers with better options to repair their devices, thereby maximizing the lifespan of their devices, saving money, and reducing electronic waste."

The Digital Fair Repair Act requires original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to make diagnostic and repair information for digital electronic parts and equipment available to independent repair providers and consumers if such parts and repair information are also available to OEM-authorized repair providers and servicers.

This legislation makes New York the first state in the nation to require such information from OEMs. The law is a result of consumer complaints regarding the challenge of repairing digital items due to limited accessibility to parts and tools as well as a lack of manuals and diagrams. 

By signing this bill into law, New York is protecting consumers and opening the digital repair market up to competition and all its consumer, entrepreneurial and environmental benefits.

Photo Credit: Flickr