Minn. AG Supports Right-to-Repair State Bill

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison (D) supported digital right-to-repair legislation Tuesday. The Minnesota House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee heard testimony on HF-1156 at a livestreamed hearing. Manufacturers limiting how and by whom a consumer-owned product may be repaired “makes affording your life that much tougher,” said Ellison in prerecorded testimony: HF-1156 would make "repair markets competitive.” It wouldn’t harm manufacturers, protecting their ability to preserve trade secrets, the AG said. If after receiving a complaint, the AG office decided a company wasn’t complying with the law, it would give the company a chance to voluntarily resolve the issue before using litigation as a “last resort,” Ellison said. TechNet sees safety, security and privacy problems with the bill, said Executive Director-Midwest Tyler Diers: It could interfere with manufacturers’ existing contracts with authorized service providers. Multiple committee Republicans raised enforcement concerns in questions to sponsor Rep. Peter Fischer of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. Fischer said his bill would give consumers more choice, reduce e-waste and promote local tech repair shops.