Oregon’s governor signs right-to-repair law that bans ‘parts pairing’

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek has now signed one of the strongest US right-to-repair bills into law after it passed the state legislature several weeks ago by an almost 3-to-1 margin. Oregon's SB 1596 will take effect next year, and, like similar laws introduced in Minnesota and California, it requires device manufacturers to allow consumers and independent electronics businesses to purchase the necessary parts and equipment required to make their own device repairs.

Oregon's rules, however, are the first to ban parts pairing" - a practice manufacturers use to prevent replacement components from working unless the company's software approves them. These protections also prevent manufacturers from using parts pairing to reduce device functionality or performance or display any misleading warning messages about unofficial components installed within a device. Current devices are excluded from the ban, which only applies to gadgets manufactured after January 1st, 2025.

Jess Weatherbed at The Verge

Excellent news, and it wouldn't be the first time that one US state's strict (positive) laws end up benefiting all the other states since it's easier for corporations to just develop to the strictest state's standards and use that everywhere else (see California's car safety and emissions regulations for instance).

As a European, I hope this will make it way to the European Union, as well.