Right To Repair Surges In State Houses
Washington became the 6th U.S. state to enact an electronics right to repair law. Connecticut & Texas may be next. Also: Nintendo’s threat to brick Switch 2s highlights collapse of ownership rights.
In a significant victory for consumer rights and disability advocacy, Washington State became the latest U.S. state to enact comprehensive laws granting residents a “right to repair” their stuff, extending the run of new state right to repair laws of recent years.
Contents:
+ Nintendo’s Plan To Brick Switch 2s Calls Owner Right Into Question
+ Bipartisan Senators Propose Military Right to Repair Bill
+ Maine Advocates Oppose Bill Limiting Right to Repair
+ Apple Expands Self Service Repair Program to iPads
+ Philips Introduces 3D Printable Repair Components
>> Got a repair complaint? Tell us about it!<<
And the Evergreen State may be just the start. State legislatures in Connecticut, Texas and Oregon in recent weeks have all passed right to repair laws in various forms, sending them to their governors to sign into law.
In Olympia, Washington on May 19th, Governor Bob Ferguson signed House Bill 1483 and Senate Bill 5680. The bills aim to dismantle repair monopolies, giving Washington owners and independent repair pros greater control over their electronic devices and mobility equipment.
Washington House Bill 1483, championed by Representative Mia Gregerson, mandates that manufacturers provide consumers and independent repair shops with access to necessary parts, tools, and information for repairing digital devices. That includes a wide range of products such as smartphones, laptops, and household appliances.
One notable provision of the bill is a prohibition on ”parts pairing," or part serialization: a practice where manufacturers restrict repairs by tying parts to specific pieces of hardware, hindering the compatibility of even identical replacement parts.
"This bill empowers everyday Washingtonians and small businesses while reducing waste," stated Rep. Gregerson. "People deserve the right to fix their own devices without roadblocks."
Senate Bill 5680 addresses the repair needs of mobility devices, including powered wheelchairs and scooters. The legislation ensures that individuals with disabilities have timely and affordable access to repairs, a critical issue highlighted by long-standing delays and high costs in the sector. "Too many families have waited weeks or months for basic repairs," noted Rep. Gregerson. "This law gives people the freedom and dignity to keep their mobility devices working—when and where they need them."
"It just feels like Right to Repair is an idea whose time has come,” wrote Nathan Proctor, the Senior Director of the Campaign for the Right to Repair at U.S. PIRG. “Washington was one of the early states we invested a lot of time and effort into building support in. It's a state with a lot of local manufacturer opposition, and it took a lot of blood, sweat and tears to get across the finish line. We are on track to have our most productive year on Right to Repair progress in the states,” Proctor wrote in an email statement.
Six…and counting
The legislative victory makes Washington the 6th U.S. state to pass a comprehensive electronics right to repair law, following New York, Minnesota, California, Colorado and Oregon. It is just the third state, after Colorado and Oregon, to ban parts pairing. It is the third to enact a right to repair law for mobility devices after Colorado and California.
Advocacy groups like iFixit lauded the state's efforts, emphasizing the broader impact on consumer empowerment and environmental sustainability. "Washington just became the sixth state in the country to pass Right to Repair for electronics and the third to guarantee repair access for powered wheelchairs," wrote Elizabeth Chamberlain at iFixit. "That’s a one-two punch for repair access and another major victory for fixers everywhere."
The new laws are set to take effect on January 1, 2026, marking a significant step forward in the national Right to Repair movement and setting a precedent for other states to follow.
Texas: a red right to repair?
Washington may just be the start of a run of new state right to repair laws. In recent weeks, legislatures in Illinois, Connecticut and Texas have passed electronics right to repair legislation, sending it to their governors’ desks to sign. Last Thursday, Connecticut’s House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 3, a comprehensive consumer protections bill that includes a right to repair provision. The bill passed on a vote of 112 to 34, with 13 Republicans joining 99 Democrats in support. The Connecticut Senate voted 25 to 10 to pass it two weeks ago.
Then, on Sunday, Texas’s state Senate and House of Representatives passed HB 2963, a broad electronics right to repair bill, sending it to Governor Greg Abbott to sign. If signed into law, Texas would become the first Republican-led state to pass a right to repair electronics.
Wheelchairs: on a roll
In addition to the electronics right to repair bills sitting on governors’ desks, a law expanding Oregon’s right to repair to include power wheelchairs and other mobility devices is also headed to the governor’s desk in that state. Senate Bill 550 passed by a vote of 40-9 in the Oregon state senate on May 29th, sending the bill along to Oregon Governor Tina Kotek to sign.
The bill adds electric wheelchairs and complex rehabilitation technology to the type of consumer equipment covered by the state’s right to repair law, which requires original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to give device owners and independent repair shops access to the tools, parts, information and other resources that authorized repair providers get for diagnosing, maintaining, repairing or updating consumer equipment.
If passed, Senate Bill 550 would make Oregon the fourth state in the U.S. with a right to repair power wheelchairs, after Colorado, California and - as of last month- Washington.
Still, powerful carve outs still exist, including for common consumer devices such as gaming consoles and Video game consoles, Internet and TV equipment and agricultural equipment. Such exemptions have become a standard component of many of the passed laws.
“We've always known that once we got the first law passed, legislators in other states would quickly copy each other,” wrote Gay Gordon-Byrne of The Repair Association. “This is both good and bad -- copying is clearly effective, but sometimes includes concessions made for a specific situation that shouldn't be replicated,” she wrote.
😠 Got a repair complaint? Tell us about it!
Do you have a complaint about a manufacturer who is blocking your effort to repair your product? The Repair Coalition wants to hear about it! Use the link below to talk about the repair obstacles you’ve encountered.
Other News:
Nintendo’s Plan To Brick Switch 2s Calls Rights Of Owners Into Question
Nintendo has revised its software licenses, granting the company the authority to permanently disable consoles if users violate terms related to unauthorized modifications or piracy. This change, ahead of the anticipated Switch 2 release, has raised concerns among consumers about ownership rights and the extent of control manufacturers have over purchased hardware. The company’s Account User Agreement (AUA) was revised in recent weeks to give Nintendo the authority, if a user is deemed to have violated the AUA, to take punitive action, including making their game console permanently unusable.
Nintendo considers a wide range of actions “violations,” including publishing, copying, modifying, reverse engineering, leasing, renting, decompiling, disassembling, distributing, offering for sale, or creating derivative works of “any portion of the Nintendo Account Services” as well as circumventing “any of the functions or protections of the Nintendo Account Services.”

The changes, made ostensibly to prevent online harassment of Switch 2 users (a rarity), has prompted animated online discussion about whether the company has a legal right to brick an expensive gaming device purchased by its customers, as well as the right of ownership, Abovethelaw.com reports. (PC Gamer)
Bipartisan Senators Propose Military Right to Repair Bill
Right to repair is again defying political gravity. Republican senator Sheehy (Mont.) joined last week with Democratic senator Warren (Mass.) to introduce a bipartisan bill aimed at reforming the U.S. military's procurement process by granting the Department of Defense greater autonomy in repairing its equipment. Currently, the military relies heavily on contractors for repairs, leading to issues with readiness, increased costs, and reduced competition. The proposed legislation seeks to empower military personnel with the necessary tools and information to perform repairs independently, thereby enhancing operational efficiency and reducing expenses. (PIRG)
Maine Advocates Oppose Bill Limiting Right to Repair
Advocates in Maine are urging lawmakers to reject a proposed bill that would narrow the state's existing Right to Repair law, which was passed by voters in 2023. The bill in question aims to limit access to repair information and tools, potentially undermining consumer rights and the ability of independent repair shops to service vehicles and electronics. (Maine Public)
Apple Expands Self Service Repair Program to iPads
Apple has extended its Self Service Repair program to include various iPad models, allowing users to perform repairs on devices such as the iPad Air (M2 and later), iPad Pro (M4), iPad mini (A17 Pro), and iPad (A16). The program provides access to genuine Apple parts, tools, and repair manuals. While the initiative empowers tech-savvy consumers to undertake repairs, Apple advises that most users may still prefer professional services due to the complexity involved. (The Verge)
Philips Introduces 3D Printable Repair Components
Philips has launched the "Philips Fixables" initiative, offering 3D printable components for repairing products like electric shavers and trimmers. In collaboration with Prusa Research, the company provides free access to printable part designs via www.printables.com. This move aims to promote sustainability by extending the lifespan of products and reducing electronic waste. (Adafruit)