A group of state attorneys general recently asked Congress to pass expansive Right-to-Repair legislation targeted at cars, farm equipment, and digital electronics.  In a letter to the House and Senate Commerce Committee, the group says, "The Right-to-Repair is a bipartisan issue that impacts every consumer, household, and farm in a time of increasing inflation.”

 

Manufacturing of cars, digital devices, and agricultural equipment is increasingly becoming more technologically advanced and built with more embedded electronics.  OEMs often control access to these electronic parts, creating unfair restraint of trade and a monopoly on repair.  This can harm consumers directly by driving up prices and is antithetical to a free market, according to the letter.

 

The letter asks the lawmakers to introduce legislation to address Right to Repair. The letter cites past bills, such as the 2021 SMART Act, the 2022 REPAIR Act, and the 2021 Fair Repair Act, as examples.

 

Click Here to read the letter sent to Congress.  All three Northwest Attorneys General, Idaho's Raúl Labrador, Oregon's Ellen Rosenblum, and Washington's Bob Ferguson signed this week's letter.

 

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