Colorado enacts right-to-repair law banning restrictions on parts pairing, mirroring Oregon's ban
Colorado enacts right-to-repair law banning restrictions on parts pairing, mirroring Oregon's ban
The policy puts Colorado at the forefront of a movement to give consumers more control over the devices they own.
Summary:
- Colorado's new right-to-repair law allows residents to repair their cell phones, computers, and other devices.
- The law requires manufacturers like Samsung and Apple to provide documentation, software, and tools to device owners and independent repair shops at the same prices as authorized repair providers.
- The law prohibits manufacturers from restricting replacement parts and displaying misleading alerts about parts.
- The law passed on partisan lines, with Democrats in support and Republicans opposed, and will take effect on Jan. 1, 2026.
- Exemptions to the law include video game consoles, medical devices, electric car chargers, and more.
- Opponents of the law argue it could pose security risks and impact device reliability, while supporters believe it promotes consumer choice and reduces electronic waste.
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At a committee hearing, opponents of the new law argued that it would endanger the security and reliability of devices by opening up the market to independent shops of dubious quality and making documentation and tools more widely available.
“The marketplace already provides a wide range of consumer choices for repair with varying levels of quality, price and convenience without the mandates imposed by this legislation. The marketplace continues to evolve and manufacturers will continue to make changes to address consumer demand while offering consumers safe and reliable repair options,” said Michael Blank, director of state legislative affairs for CTIA, the trade association for the wireless communications industry.
At the hearing, Katz argued the change was necessary because companies were using technology to take more control of the market and block people from making reasonable repairs.
“When you limit choice and you limit freedom to fix the stuff that you own, then that can lead to higher costs. It can also lead to more people deciding it's just not worth it and buying a whole new thing and … that can have a huge impact on our society from an environmental perspective as well,” he said.