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Oregon's governor has signed into law what supporters are calling the strongest “Right to Repair” law in the US, weeks after Apple lobbied against the legislation.
On Wednesday, Governor Tina Kotek signed SB1596, making Oregon the fourth state in the US to institute a Right to Repair law for consumer electronic devices—including phones, laptops, and smartwatches—behind California, Minnesota, and New York.
Starting Jan. 1, 2025, vendors will have to supply access to repair documents, tools, and spare parts to fix their electronics. However, Oregon stands out because it also prohibits a practice known as “parts pairing,” which can be used to block consumers from installing certain parts.
It’s why the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG)—a federation of nonprofits focused on consumer protections—is calling Oregon’s law the strongest Right to Repair law in the US. It "will keep devices working and off the scrap heap,” says PIRG Director Nathan Proctor.
Parts pairing uses software to verify the legitimacy of a repair part. But critics say companies, including Apple, use it to stop consumers and repair technicians from using more affordable spare parts to fix their devices. Parts pairing can force a user to go through the vendor’s official, but more expensive, repair process.
In response, iFixit said: “Independent repair shops might be the biggest winners here, because the limits on parts pairing mean that finally they will be able to fight back against the increasing speed bumps and roadblocks that manufacturers including Apple have put in their way."
In February, Apple sent John Perry, its principal secure repair architect, to argue against Oregon’s Right to Repair legislation. “It is our belief that the bill’s current language around parts pairing will undermine the security, safety, and privacy of Oregonians by forcing device manufacturers to allow the use of parts of unknown origin in consumer devices,” Perry told the state’s legislature. But Oregon lawmakers were unconvinced, and passed the measure earlier this month before Gov. Kotek signed it.
As iFixit notes, Oregon’s law covers a wide range of consumer devices, including refrigerators, smart toasters, and vacuums. But it stops short of video game consoles, medical devices, and farm equipment, exempting them from the requirements.