Woonsocket Radio News Room

Legislators introduce Right to Repair bills

STATE HOUSE – Several state legislators have introduced a package of three bills aimed at defending Rhode Islanders’ right to repair their own belongings.

Two of the bills focus on particular sectors: adaptive electronic equipment, such as wheelchairs, used by those with disabilities; and farm equipment. The third would apply broadly to all electronics and their components.

All three bills are aimed at preventing anti-competitive practices that hurt consumers and make equipment — some of which is vital to users’ lives or livelihood — prohibitively expensive, difficult or even impossible to repair when it malfunctions. The bills would also reduce electronic waste and enable the proliferation of local repair businesses.

“I can repair a broken light switch in my house. Why can’t I repair a broken screen or light or battery in my phone, computer or dishwasher? If I own it, why can’t I fix it? It should be just as easy to go to a local shop to repair your tablet as it is to bring your car to your local garage, or to do it yourself if you are able,” said Representative Rebecca Kislak (D-Dist. 4, Providence). “Just as automobile manufacturers can’t deny local mechanics the tools, parts and information they need to repair and maintain vehicles, the makers of our phones, computers and appliances and other products should not be able make it impossible for others to repair their products.”

Representative Kislak and Sen. Robert Britto (D-Dist. 18, East Providence, Pawtucket) are sponsoring the Digital Electronics Right to Repair Act (2025-H 5246, 2025-S 0060), which would require manufacturers to allow owners and independent repair shops access to manuals, parts and tools necessary to repair electronics or electronic components in their products.

“Allowing manufacturers to keep a monopoly on parts and repair information is against public interest, not only because it forces consumers to spend their money with a single company, but also because it discourages people from repairing at all, and that means more electronic waste in our landfills,” said Senator Britto. “Normalizing and enabling repair is a change we should be making across our economy, and we can effect some change right her in our state with this legislation.”

The Agricultural Equipment Right to Repair Act (2025-H 5159) sponsored by Rep. Mary Ann Shallcross Smith, is aimed at addressing similar issues in the agricultural equipment industry affecting farmers nationwide. It would require the manufacturers of electronics-enabled agricultural equipment to provide owners and independent service providers with information and tools to maintain and repair it. Many tractors and similar machines now rely on computerized engine control units, and their manufacturers have created monopolies on their service and repair by refusing to make manuals or parts available to others.

“At this time, most farmers have to have their tractors towed away to a dealer when they break down, which is costly and time-consuming. It can take several days or weeks for the dealer to fix a tractor — time they need for growing and harvesting their crops,” said Representative Shallcross Smith (D-Dist. 46, Lincoln, Pawtucket). “Farmers should be able to fix their own tractors. The Agricultural Equipment Right to Repair Act restores farmers’ access to the parts, tools, and software necessary to repair their equipment and do their jobs.”

Rep. Grace Diaz (D-Dist. 11, Providence) and Sen. Mark McKenney (D-Dist. 30, Warwick) are sponsoring another bill (2025-H 5017) that would enact similar requirements for assistive technology devices, such as mobility aids like wheelchairs and scooters, assistive communications devices and more.

Power wheelchair users, in particular, suffer from manufacturers’ monopoly on parts and repairs. The devices are highly specialized, each with their own branded parts, and are sometimes prone to defects and sudden failure. The market for wheelchairs has become increasingly concentrated, with a very small number of vendors/distributors controlling the entire marketplace, and having little competitive reason to be responsive to users’ needs. Some chairs even require a software passcode or a physical key for any repairs, and “unauthorized” repairs may void warranties or result in insurance refusing to pay for repairs.

“Shameless corporate greed must not be tolerated in an industry that produces equipment that is essential to the daily lives of people living with disabilities. This legislation will give users and local industry access to the information and parts they need to repair this equipment as quickly as possible,” said Representative Diaz.

Said Senator McKenney, “People with disabilities are effectively held hostage when they can’t get their wheelchairs or other equipment fixed swiftly and easily. Many can’t leave their homes or even get out of bed without the use of their wheelchairs. Their right to get their equipment repaired quickly is a public health issue, a human rights issue, and a matter of dignity.”

According to the Public Interest Research Group, if more electronics and appliances could be repaired instead of replaced, household spending on electronics and appliances would be reduced by 21.6 percent, saving an average family approximately $382 per year, while also reducing the 6.9 million tons of electronic waste generated by Americans each year. For more information about the right to repair movement, visit ifixit.com/Right-to-Repair.