New Bill Would Make Electronics Easier To Fix, Reducing Waste

Sen. Susan Talamantes Eggman introduced the Right to Repair Act (Senate Bill 244) late Wednesday, a bill that would provide Californians the resources they need to fix electronics, keeping electronic waste out of the scrap heap and money in consumer pockets. Similar to other repair legislation around the country, the bill would address the growing problems of unrepairable consumer and electronic products, ranging from cell phones to home appliances. With the recent passage of the nation’s first electronic Right to Repair bill in New York, advocates and repair businesses are hopeful that this is the year for California to do the same. If passed, Eggman’s bill would actually go even further than New York’s bill, making it easier to fix an even wider range of products, including appliances like refrigerators and washing machines, according to the press release. A recent report found that Californian families could save $330 per year by repairing electronics themselves or using independent repair shops, adding up to a total savings of $4.3 billion across the state. Right to Repair is widely supported by Californians on both the right and left, according to CALPIRG. "The passage of the New York law demonstrates that there is nationwide economic and environmental urgency to extend digital right to consumers and clear landfills from electronics and appliances waste, which is the fastest growing waste of stream," said Clara Vazeix, Policy Analyst for Californians Against waste, another co-sponsor of the bill. "California has been leading the way in the Right to Repair movement for years and is more than ready to pass SB 244 and put an end to throwaway culture." The bill is also co-sponsored by CALPIRG, iFixit and Californians Against Waste.