<https://techcrunch.com/2023/08/23/apple-lends-support-to-california-state-right-to-repair-bill/>

Apple lends support to California State Right to Repair bill

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In a surprise move, Apple this week penned a letter to California state
senator Susan Talamantes Eggman, voicing support for SB 244, a “right to
repair” bill currently making its way through Sacramento’s State Capitol
building.

Apple has, of course, softened its stance on right to repair legislation
in recent years, including last year’s addition of a Self Service Repair
program. The offering, which was viewed by many as a preemptive measure
against looming state and federal legislation, provides users with
rental tools to repair iPhones and Macs at home.

SB 244 is fairly expansive; it includes consumer electronics (phones,
laptops, etc.) and appliances (microwaves, washing machines, etc.),
though a few exceptions have been carved out, including game consoles
and alarm systems. The rational for those appear to be piracy and
security, respectively. It shares a good deal (including the proposed
name) with the Right to Repair Act, which went into effect in Minnesota
this May.

In the letter, Apple expresses its support on the grounds of offering
consumers the ability to repair their devices safely, without risking
privacy or data issues.

“Apple supports California’s Right to Repair Act so all Californians
have even greater access to repairs while also protecting their safety,
security, and privacy,” the company says in a statement provided to
TechCrunch. “We create our products to last and, if they ever need to be
repaired, Apple customers have a growing range of safe, high-quality
repair options.”

This sort of backing from a specific manufacturer is unusual —
particularly from Apple. It is thus far the only major manufacturer to
express its support for the bill in this manner. These kinds of
statements are generally made through industry consortiums, such as
TechNet.

It will undoubtedly be a big boon for Eggman and co-author Senator Nancy
Skinner. Apple is, after all, a nearly $3 trillion company that has
called California home since the mid-70s.

“Apple’s support for California’s Right to Repair Act demonstrates the
power of the movement that has been building for years and the ability
for industries to partner with us to make good policy to benefit the
people of California,” Sen. Eggman says in the release. I’m grateful
for their engagement on this issue and for leading among their peers
when it comes to supporting access to repair.”

Legislators from at least 14 states have introduced similar bills. At
the end of last year, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed the Digital
Fair Repair Act, which “requires original equipment manufacturers (OEMs)
to make diagnostic and repair information for digital electronic parts
and equipment available to independent repair providers and consumers if
such parts and repair information are also available to OEM authorized
repair providers and servicers.”

Though, as we noted at the time, the bill had a good deal of concessions
to manufacturers: “The bulk of those exceptions were added at the
eleventh hour with the approval of Governor Kathy Hochul who said in a
statement that they’re intended to lessen the risk of security issues
and physical harm while making repairs.”

It seems likely that some level of industry compromise is necessary to
get these things across the finish line.

California’s Right to Repair Act builds on the existing California
Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, which was enacted back in 1970. The
new legislation would require manufacturers to “make available, on fair
and reasonable terms, to product owners, service and repair facilities,
and service dealers, the means, as described, to effect the diagnosis,
maintenance, or repair of the product, as provided,” regardless of
warranty.

It would also, “require a service and repair facility or service dealer
that is not an authorized repair provider, as defined, of a manufacturer
to provide a written notice of that fact to any customer seeking repair
of an electronic or appliance product before the repair facility or
service dealer repairs the product, and to disclose if it uses
replacement parts that are used or from a supplier that is not the
manufacturer.”

The bill passed a Senate vote 38-0 back in May. It is currently awaiting
assembly appropriation suspense file approval before going to a full
assembly vote.
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