New York’s Digital Fair Repair Act goes into effect on July 1. Governor Kathy Hochul signed the measure into law on December 28. The law gives consumers and independent repair companies the authority to repair digital devices such as cell phones and computers.
The Act establishes that consumers and repair shops can obtain manuals, diagnostics, and OEM parts to repair devices. However, amendments tacked onto the measure at the last moment weakened the bill, according to The Verge.
For example, the law allows OEMs to sell parts assemblies rather than individual components. The law also doesn’t compel OEMs to share security features such as passwords. Those are sometimes needed to save a locked, but functionally fine device.
Certain industries are exempt from the law, such as motor vehicles and medical devices. Enterprise devices relied on by schools, hospitals and data centers are also exempt.
The New York law is the most comprehensive of such right to repair legislation enacted into law, according to The Verge. The effort to get such a law passed has had an impact on manufacturers. Companies like Google and Samsung have started selling cell phone components on the “iFixit” website. Microsoft began an internal study to make more repairable products and Apple has started leasing repair kits to those who want to make at-home repairs.
By Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief
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