CUB Supports Oregonians’ Right to Repair (HB 2698) in 2021 Session

One of CUB’s top policy priorities for the 2021 legislative session that begins on January 19 is establishing an Oregon “right to repair” law for consumer electronic equipment. The proposed legislation, House Bill (HB) 2698, gives consumers the ability to fix consumer electronics rather than having to replace them. CUB urges passage of this proposal because it will reduce waste, reduce use of resources during manufacturing, and help consumers save money. This issue has gained urgency as the COVID-19 pandemic has increased Oregonians’ reliance on electronic communication devices to stay connected.

Right to repair is a straightforward idea: Stuff breaks and consumers do not fully own their product unless they can fix it. In this context, full ownership means access to the tools, manuals, and parts necessary for repair. Right to repair means that consumers can repair products themselves or find someone to do the repair work for them, saving money and reducing waste. Products ranging from tractors to phones face manufacturer restrictions on repair resources, but the Oregon bill focuses on consumer electronics, including cell phones, tablets, and computers.

Electronics manufacturers limit the lifetime of their products by making the possibility of repair unreasonable. Repair restrictions benefit the industry, and hurt consumers, because the consumer has to buy a new product if the broken one can’t be repaired. Often, repair options are more expensive or inconvenient because the device has to be sent to a manufacturer’s repair facility. Without access to repair resources, local repair shops and nonprofit groups also suffer.

In 2019, CUB partnered with Oregon’s Public Interest Research Group affiliate (OSPIRG), Free Geek - a Portland-based nonprofit technology refurbisher/recycler and technology educator, and other local and national advocates, to pass an Oregon right to repair law. The 2019 bill failed to gain traction due to industry opposition and only received an informational hearing. Undeterred, CUB is advocating again for this consumer protection bill during the 2021 session.

CUB was troubled by manufacturer-imposed repair restrictions before the pandemic. COVID-19 underscores the need for consumer fair repair rights, particularly for electronic communication devices needed for modern life. For example, Free Geek has estimated that Oregon students lack at least 75,000 computers needed for distance learning. Enacting a right to repair law that enshrines fair repair rights for consumers and organizations like Free Geek would help bridge this device access gap, especially for students in low-income households.

Repairing and extending the life of household electronics also conserves energy and reduces waste. Manufacturing continues to rely mostly on burning fossil fuels to generate electricity, and Oregonians dispose of over a million cell phones every year. U.S. PIRG estimates that if the useful life of all phones currently used in the US was extended by just one year, the overall reduction in greenhouse gas emissions would equal the annual emissions from more than 600,000 gas powered cars.

CUB is optimistic that, particularly in light of the ongoing pandemic, the Legislature will recognize the critical importance of passing right to repair for consumer electronic products. This law will empower consumers and small businesses with the repair resources necessary to keep Oregonians connected, while reducing electronic waste and environmental harm.

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