Oregon Governor Tina Kotek signed Senate Bill 1596 into law on Tuesday, joining California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts and Minnesota in a growing list of states embracing the right to repair for citizens. The law is due to take effect on January 1.
Bill authors Janeen Sollman and Rep. Courtney Neron were inspired by California Senate Bill 244, which passed through the end of 2023. Lawmakers, however, added a key provision that is dividing industry representatives. Apple, in particular, has come under fire for its aggressive approach to illegal component pairing, a practice that requires the use of proprietary components in the repair process.
The iPhone maker, which previously issued an unprecedented open letter in support of the California bill, said it is mostly in favor of the Oregon bill, subject to the above proviso.
“Apple agrees with the vast majority of Senate Bill 1596,” John Perry, Apple’s senior director of Secure System Design, said in testimony to state lawmakers in February. “I have met with Senator Sollman many times and appreciate her willingness to engage in an open dialogue. Senate Bill 1596 is a step forward in ensuring that Oregonians, including me, can get their appliances repaired easily and affordably.”
Apple has cited security concerns about opening up the repair process to unauthorized components — particularly biometrics like fingerprint scanners. In a conversation with TechCrunch last month, Sollman expressed frustration with efforts to work with Apple to create the account.
“People were coming to me with potential changes and I felt like I was playing the operator’s game, like I was the one who had to push the changes and not Apple itself,” he said at the time. “This is very disappointing. We enjoyed many of the changes Apple introduced that are included in the California bill. There were two items left that concerned them. We addressed one of them because it provided some ambiguity in the bill. And so, I think the one place that . . . they will stand on the hill where the parties mate.’
Google first stated its own endorsement of the bill in January, calling it, “a compelling model for other states to follow.” Repair groups also defended the legislation.
“By eliminating manufacturer restrictions, Right to Repair will make it easier for Oregonians to keep their personal electronics working. This will save valuable natural resources and prevent waste,” noted OSPIRG (Oregon State Public Interest Group) Director Charlie Fisher. in a statement following the news. “It’s a refreshing alternative to a throwaway system that treats everything as disposable.”
Apple declined to comment on the news.
