Court Challenge to NY’s Right-to-Repair Legislation Not ‘Viable’: iFixit

Though right-to-repair advocates expect the tech lobby “will continue to fight” freedom of repair legislation in the states, “we don’t see a legal challenge” to New York’s Digital Fair Repair Act as “viable,” emailed Elizabeth Chamberlain, iFixit director-sustainability. The New York Assembly, on a 145-1 vote, sent the legislation to the desk of Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) Friday (see 2206030034). New York senators approved the legislation 59-4 earlier in the week. “The Digital Fair Repair Act passed with a veto-proof majority in both houses,” said Chamberlain Monday. “It’s overwhelmingly favored by the electorate,” she said. A recent Consumer Reports poll found 84% of Americans “support legislation exactly like this,” she said. “We expect many more states to follow New York and a legal challenge in all these places would be futile. We welcome productive dialogue with manufacturers to inform future regulations.”