Colorado
The bill prohibits software that prevents independent repairs to digital products.
Photo of Colorado Governor Jared Polis
May 29, 2024 – Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed the Right to Repair Act into law Tuesday which is intended to support consumers’ rights to repair their electronic devices and to prohibit manufacturers from using software in digital products to prevent independent repairs.
The law requires manufacturers of electronics, agricultural equipment, and powered wheelchairs to supply customers with tools and information needed for repairs. It prohibits restrictions on independent repair providers installing functional replacement parts, reducing equipment performance, or displaying misleading alerts.
Justin Brookman, director of tech policy at Consumer Reports, explained that the new law enables consumers to fix their broken electronic devices, helping to reduce landfill waste, save money, and provide more choices for maintaining costly gadgets and appliances.
“In this legislative season we have seen Oregon and Colorado pass comprehensive right to repair laws that also cover parts pairing, and we hope to see further legislative action to prevent software from becoming a tool to enforce manufacturers’ monopolies on the repair process,” said Brookman.
With more than 5.8 million people in the state now having the right to repair phones, tablets, and other digital devices, customers can choose to fix their devices independently or take them to an independent repair shop without being locked into the manufacturer’s service.
Colorado’s new law joins right-to-repair laws from Oregon, New York, Minnesota, and California, giving roughly 80 million Americans the right to repair their own devices.