Sen. Tipping introduces bill to give Maine people “Right to Repair”

AUGUSTA — On Tuesday, April 18, Sen. Mike Tipping, D-Orono, introduced LD 1487, “An Act to Ensure That Residents of the State Have the Right to Repair Their Own Electronic Devices,” in front of the Joint Standing Committee on Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business. The bill would ensure that residents of Maine have the right to repair their own electronic devices.

“It has always been understood in this country that when you buy something, it belongs to you. You can use it, you can lend it to a friend, you can sell it, you can take it apart, and you can fix it if it breaks,” said Sen. Tipping. “Mainers, with our sense of independence and frugality, have often proudly taken this understanding to its extreme, long extending the useful life of all kinds of items and machines, and refusing to throw anything away. If you drive down just about any road in my district, you’ll eventually see a sign offering small engine or furniture repair. Unfortunately, some manufacturers have found that they can make more money if they make it impossible to repair certain devices, especially electronic items like phones and computers that have become central to our lives.”

This bill establishes the requirement that a manufacturer of digital electronic equipment sold or used in Maine make available the tools, parts and documentation necessary to repair those electronics. It doesn’t require that manufacturers change the design, marketing or pricing of their devices in any way. Several other states have already passed Right to Repair laws, including New York last year and Colorado this year. Twenty-eight of the remaining states are considering an expansion of these rights this during their current legislative sessions. Maine’s Attorney General recently signed on to a letter demanding a national right to repair law.

Dr. Elizabeth Chamberlain, Director of Sustainability at ifixit, also testified in favor of the bill.

“We need to slow down the rate of our consumption, and the best way to do that is to make sure we’re getting the absolute most out of the stuff we’ve got,” said Chamberlain. “That means we’ve got to fix it when it breaks. Consumer Reports found that 8 of 10 Americans had replaced a broken smartphone, appliance, or vehicle in the past 5 years, most sooner than they wanted. To make sure that people can fix things when they want to, we’ve got to make sure that repairs are available and affordable. LD 1487 would help restore competition in the repair market, which is a huge first step toward a more sustainable electronics future.”

The bill faces further action in committee.