Statement: House Committee advances important Right to Repair bill

OLYMPIA – The Washington House Committee on Consumer Protection and Business voted to advance “Right to Repair” legislation – House Bill 1810 (Gregerson) on January 19. The bill, backed by a coalition of local repair shops, consumer interest groups, and environmental non-profits, aims to tackle the growing problem of unrepairable electronic products by ending manufacturer repair monopoly. The bill will require cell phone, laptop and tablet manufacturers to make parts, tools and manuals available to consumers and independent repair shops.

Expanding repair in the Evergreen State would cut costs for consumers and extend the lifespan of our electronics, reducing the material drain and pollution of manufacturing, and reducing the electronic waste heading to landfills.

In response, Nicole Walter, WashPIRG Advocate, released the following statement:

“When your stuff breaks, and only the manufacturer or their ‘authorized technician’ can fix it, they can charge whatever they want, or push you into buying new. That’s expensive, and contributes to electronic waste, the fastest growing waste stream in the world. It’s common-sense, Right to Repair cuts waste and saves Washingtonians money. Just let people fix their stuff.”