https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2024/03/oregon-oks-right-to-repair-bill-that-bans-the-blocking-of-aftermarket-parts/

Skip to main content
 

  * Biz & IT
  * Tech
  * Science
  * Policy
  * Cars
  * Gaming & Culture
  * Store
  * Forums

Subscribe
 
[                    ]
Close
 

Navigate

  * Store
  * Subscribe
  * Videos
  * Features
  * Reviews

  * RSS Feeds
  * Mobile Site

  * About Ars
  * Staff Directory
  * Contact Us

  * Advertise with Ars
  * Reprints

Filter by topic

  * Biz & IT
  * Tech
  * Science
  * Policy
  * Cars
  * Gaming & Culture
  * Store
  * Forums

Settings

Front page layout


Grid

List

Site theme

light
dark
Sign in

Right to repair --

Oregon OKs right-to-repair bill that bans the blocking of aftermarket
parts

Governor's signature would stop software locks from impairing
replacement parts.

Kevin Purdy - Mar 5, 2024 3:57 pm UTC

iPhone battery being removed from an iPhone over a blue repair mat
Enlarge
Getty Images

reader comments

70

Oregon has joined the small but growing list of states that have
passed right-to-repair legislation. Oregon's bill stands out for a
provision that would prevent companies from requiring that official
parts be unlocked with encrypted software checks before they will
fully function.

Bill SB 1596 passed Oregon's House by a 42 to 13 margin. Gov. Tina
Kotek has five days to sign the bill into law. Consumer groups and
right-to-repair advocates praised the bill as "the best bill yet,"
while the bill's chief sponsor, state Sen. Janeen Sollman (D),
pointed to potential waste reductions and an improved second-hand
market for closing a digital divide.

"Oregon improves on Right to Repair laws in California, Minnesota and
New York by making sure that consumers have the choice of buying new
parts, used parts, or third-party parts for the gadgets and gizmos,"
said Gay Gordon-Byrne, executive director of Repair.org, in a
statement.

Like bills passed in New York, California, and Minnesota, Oregon's
bill requires companies to offer the same parts, tools, and
documentation to individual and independent repair shops that are
already offered to authorized repair technicians.

Advertisement

Unlike other states' bills, however, Oregon's bill doesn't demand a
set number of years after device manufacture for such repair
implements to be produced. That suggests companies could effectively
close their repair channels entirely rather than comply with the new
requirements. California's bill mandated seven years of availability.

If signed, the law's requirements for parts, tools, and documentation
would apply to devices sold after 2015, except for phones, which are
covered after July 2021. The prohibition against parts pairing only
covers devices sold in 2025 and later. Like other repair bills, a
number of device categories are exempted, including video game
consoles, HVAC and medical gear, solar systems, vehicles, and, very
specifically, "Electric toothbrushes."

Apple had surprised many with its support for California's repair
bill. But the company, notable for its pairing requirements for
certain repair parts, opposed Oregon's repair bill. John Perry, a
senior manager for secure design at Apple, testified at an Oregon
hearing that the pairing restriction would "undermine the security,
safety, and privacy of Oregonians by forcing device manufacturers to
allow the use of parts of unknown origin in consumer devices."

Perry also noted Apple's improved repair workflow, which no longer
requires online access or a phone call to pair parts. Apple devices
will still issue notifications and warnings if an unauthorized screen
or battery, for example, is installed in an iPhone.

Disclosure: Kevin Purdy previously worked for iFixit. He has no
financial ties to the company.

reader comments

70
 
Kevin Purdy Kevin is a senior technology reporter at Ars Technica,
covering a variety of technology topics and reviewing products. He
started his writing career as a newspaper reporter, covering
business, crime, and other topics. He has written about technology
and computing for more than 15 years.
Advertisement

Channel Ars Technica

- Previous story Next story -

Related Stories

Today on Ars

  * Store
  * Subscribe
  * About Us
  * RSS Feeds
  * View Mobile Site

  * Contact Us
  * Staff
  * Advertise with us
  * Reprints

Newsletter Signup

Join the Ars Orbital Transmission mailing list to get weekly updates
delivered to your inbox. Sign me up -

     
 

CNMN Collection
WIRED Media Group
(c) 2024 Conde Nast. All rights reserved. Use of and/or registration on
any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement
(updated 1/1/20) and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement (updated 1/1
/20) and Ars Technica Addendum (effective 8/21/2018). Ars may earn
compensation on sales from links on this site. Read our affiliate
link policy.
Your California Privacy Rights | [privacyopt] Do Not Sell My Personal
Information
The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed,
transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written
permission of Conde Nast.
Ad Choices