New York Governor signs Right to Repair bill into law

Just before 2022 ends, New York is the first US state to pass the right to repair bill into law. 

NY Governor, Kathy Hochul, earlier signed into law the bill for tech products. Unfortunately, there were amendments made to its fine print. 

The Digital Fair Repair Act gives tech gadgets and independent repair shops access to replacement parts. The law also requires manufacturers to provide documentation, diagrams, tools, and parts for consumer electronics to device owners and repair shops. This way, they have the option to diagnose and fix their device by themselves. 

Despite signing the bill into law, there have been some changes made to the final text. The changes are called chapter amendments, which are intended to make the legislative process smoother in the state. 

Some of the changes that were made include the effective date of the law, which will now cover devices sold after July 1, 2023. Manufacturers can now also offer components in a bundle so customers have to buy a large bag of parts instead of individual pieces. Lastly, the law prohibits users from bypassing the security mechanisms of their devices. 

You can read more about the law here. 

Source: TheRegister