State lawmakers have advanced a bill giving Mainers the “right to repair” their electronic devices, but the House and Senate are in disagreement over which version of the bill to support.
LD 1908, a bipartisan bill presented by Sen. Mike Tipping (D-Penobscot), looks to create an electronic “right to repair” law in the state, requiring that original equipment manufacturers make it possible for individuals and unauthorized repair shops to fix their products.
Earlier this year, Sen. Tipping explained to members of the Housing and Economic Development (HED) Committee that the language he proposed aimed to build upon the work done by lawmakers during a previous legislative session, incorporating the exceptions agreed upon in 2024, such as for medical equipment and gaming consoles.
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He framed the bill not only as a response to concerns over Mainers’ right to freely repair their property, but also as a “pocketbook issue,” explaining how frequently being pushed to replace electronics instead of repairing them can quickly become costly.
Several local repair shop owners appeared before the Committee in January to share their own struggles to effectively repair critical everyday devices for clients like laptops and cell phones, as replacement parts are often not able to be obtained from the original manufacturers.
Primarily speaking in opposition to the measure were representatives of electronics industry organizations raising concerns over potential safety and security risks that they suggest establishing a “right to repair” may create, noting hazards such as expanding opportunities for unauthorized access to consumer data and the installation of unsafe components.
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In March, members of the HED Committee were in agreement that a right to repair bill ought to be passed, but lawmakers were divided over which version of the bill should be given final approval.
While the majority of the Committee backed the draft that most closely resembled that which was initially put forward by Tipping, the minority recommended a more stripped-down approach.
This draft of the legislation does not outline an extensive list of exemptions, but rather defines the equipment encompassed by the legislation as “personal digital electronic equipment,” including a computer, cellular telephone or tablet.
It is this version of the bill that House lawmakers advanced Wednesday by voice vote after rejecting the Committee’s majority report in a bipartisan roll call vote of 50 to 91.
One day earlier, the Senate approved the majority’s version of the bill in a roll call vote of 22 to 13. All Democrats voted in support of the measure, while nearly all Republicans voted in opposition.
LD 1908 will now go back to the Senate where lawmakers will have the opportunity to either recede and concur or insist upon their original position.
If both chambers ultimately adhere to their current stance, the bill will be considered to have failed and died between bodies.
