Signed! Right to Repair Electronic Equipment

DENVER, CO –  Governor Jared Polis today signed legislation to save consumers money and combat electronic waste. HB24-1121, sponsored by Representative Brianna Titone and Steven Woodrow and Senators Jeff Bridges and Nick Hinrichsen, would extend the current right to repair laws to certain electronic equipment, including cell phones, gaming systems, computers and televisions.

“Cell phones are a part of our daily lives, we should have more choices on how to fix them when they break,” said Rep. Brianna Titone, D-Arvada. “This new law will give consumers more options to fix their broken electronics, saving them money and time on costly repairs. Right to repair laws, like this one, are important for empowering consumers and keeping e-waste out of our landfills. From tractors to mobility devices, I’m proud to carry another consumer-focused right to repair law through the legislature and save Coloradans money.”

“Accidents happen, people drop their phones and break their screens every day, but because of ‘parts pairing’ and repair restrictions, owners aren’t allowed to fix their devices,” said Senator Jeff Bridges, D-Arapahoe County. “Colorado has led the nation in expanding right to repair laws, from agricultural equipment to wheelchairs to now electronics. This legislation is good for consumers, small businesses, and our economy.”

“Consumers should have the right to fix their stuff—computers and cell phones included,” said Rep. Steven Woodrow, D-Denver. “This law strengthens our state’s right to repair laws so that consumers can access the tools and tech they need. This law saves Coloradans money while reducing waste and pollution.”

“Manufacturer-imposed repair restrictions affect a wide variety of products from tractors to cell phones, resulting in surging costs, monopolistic business practices, and thousands of electronic devices thrown out every day,” said Senator Nick Hinrichsen, D-Pueblo. “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: if you can’t repair something that’s yours, do you really own it? I would argue no, which is why this legislation is so important. Right to repair laws are essential for empowering consumers and ensuring a fair market.”

HB24-1121 will require certain digital electronic equipment manufacturers to comply with existing consumer right to repair laws. Specifically, original equipment manufacturers (OEM) such as Amazon, Apple, Google, and others would need to provide software and physical tools to consumers and independent repair providers upon request so they can fix their broken electronics. 

Under this law, OEMs can charge a fee for physical tools but software tools must be made available free of charge for the consumer. This law aims to save electronics consumers money on necessary equipment repairs while speeding up the repair process. HB24-1121 also prohibits parts pairing, a technology used by manufacturers to program certain parts together which restricts the consumer's ability to independently repair their devices and allows OEMs to monopolize replacement parts.

Last year, Rep. Titone championed a first-in-the-nation law for the right to repair agricultural equipment. This law saves farmers and ranchers money and time on costly agricultural equipment repairs. In 2022, Representatives Titone and Ortiz passed two trailblazing right to repair laws specifically for wheelchair users. These laws require wheelchair manufacturers to provide parts and software to consumers and eliminate the need for prior authorization to repair powered wheelchairs and other complex mobility devices for Medicaid recipients. These laws provided the framework for HB24-1121.