Wash. Panel OKs Right-to-Repair Bill

A Washington state digital right-to-repair bill cleared the House Appropriations Committee 18-14. Democrats supported the bill; Republicans were opposed. HB-1810, opposed by industry at a hearing last week (see 2201280026), would require manufacturers to make documentation, parts and tools available to owners and independent repair providers on fair and reasonable terms. Urging a no vote at Tuesday's webcast hearing, Rep. Drew Stokesbary (R) worried HB-1810 would hurt companies’ intellectual property rights without benefiting consumers. The House Consumer Protection Committee voted 4-3 Wednesday to clear HB-1801 to study creating a repairability index. All Republicans voted nay. The vote was on a substitute by Chairman Steve Kirby (D) that removed language that would have required manufacturers to label products with repairability scores, which had raised concerns (see 2201190049). More study is needed before requiring a score, said Kirby at the livestreamed hearing. Task force recommendations would be due July 1, 2023, with annual updates on the same day in the next two years.