US Right-to-Repair Movement Gains Bipartisan Momentum Across Multiple Sectors

The 'right-to-repair' movement is rapidly gaining political traction in the United States, as lawmakers seek to dismantle the proprietary barriers that prevent consumers and independent shops from fixing their own devices. Once focused primarily on smartphones, the push has expanded to include automobiles, home appliances, and heavy farm machinery. This legislative trend has found rare bipartisan support, with states including New York, California, Colorado, Minnesota, Connecticut, and Oregon passing comprehensive regulations. Washington joined these efforts in May 2025, and advocates are currently tracking 57 related bills across 22 states. The movement targets the practice of restricting diagnostic tools and proprietary parts to authorized service centers. In New York, legislation targeting the electronics sector is estimated to save families an average of $400 annually, while potentially increasing employment in independent repair shops by 15%. Oregon has taken a more aggressive stance by becoming the first state to restrict 'parts pairing,' a process where manufacturers use software to lock replacement components to specific devices. Corporate responses remain divided. While Apple has softened its initial opposition to these laws, Samsung continues to face criticism over its repair accessibility. In the industrial sector, John Deere argues that existing national agreements with the American Farm Bureau Federation already provide farmers with necessary tools, cautioning against a fragmented patchwork of state-by-state mandates. As these laws take effect—including a new Texas law starting September 1—manufacturers may face structural shifts in their aftermarket service revenue and a reduction in the control they exert over the product lifecycle.