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Colorado Bill Exempts Critical Infrastructure from Repair Rights
3 Apr
Summary
- Colorado lawmakers advanced a bill to exempt critical infrastructure IT from repair laws.
- Tech manufacturers like Cisco and IBM support the bill, citing cybersecurity concerns.
- Repair advocates oppose the bill, arguing vague language aims to restrict product repair.
Colorado is considering a new bill, SB26-090, that aims to exempt information technology equipment used in critical infrastructure from the state's existing consumer right to repair laws. This legislation, which recently passed a Senate committee, has garnered support from major tech companies such as Cisco and IBM. These companies argue that such exemptions are necessary to address cybersecurity concerns and protect sensitive enterprise-level products.
However, the bill faces strong opposition from a coalition of repair advocates, including Pirg and the Repair Association. They contend that the terms "information technology" and "critical infrastructure" are vaguely defined in the bill, potentially allowing manufacturers to broadly restrict who can repair their products. Repair advocates believe this could undermine the progress made in establishing consumer repair rights in Colorado and across the country.
