SB 112- Alaska’s Digital Right to Repair Act

On March 22nd, Senator Dunbar introduced Senate Bill 112, the Digital Right to Repair Act. The legislation will give consumers and independent repair technicians access to the spare parts, tools, and information necessary to fix digital devices when they break. This will impact everything from cellphones to tractors. 

Manufacturers will do things like use unique screwheads or withhold software necessary to read error codes, creating a monopoly on repair. So, right now, when many items stop working, the options are to replace the product outright or go to the dealer for repair.  Dealer repair can be prohibitively expensive or inconvenient, especially for Alaskans. Ensuring everyone can access the materials necessary for repair at a fair and reasonable cost will allow people the option to fix things themselves or patronize a small business in their local community more often. 

Increased repair options will allow us to use our digital equipment for longer, which will reduce electronic waste (e-waste). E-waste has a lot of toxic material, and is the fastest growing wastestream in the world. The toxic material is particularly dangerous in rural Alaska where many landfills are unlined and burn trash to prevent the landfills from overflowing.  

The bill will first be considered in the Labor and Commerce Committee.