New law is among the strongest in the country, advocates say. Newsom vetoed a separate right-to-repair bill for powered wheelchairs

A close-up of an employee using tools to repair a cell phone in a warehouse.

Photo courtesy of ERI

By Megan Quinn, Waste Dive

California’s new law for consumer electronics is among the strongest in the country, advocates say. Newsom vetoed a separate right-to-repair bill for powered wheelchairs

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the Right to Repair Act on Wednesday, which requires certain consumer electronics manufacturers to make repair tools and parts widely available to device owners and third-party repair businesses. Some electronics recyclers and refurbishers see the law as a way to divert the material from disposal and bring in new business.

The law, which takes effect in July 2024, covers devices like televisions, radios, and home appliances. It also imposes fines on manufacturers that don’t comply. These measures make it one of the strongest right-to-repair laws in the country, said iFixit, a bill supporter.

Newsom vetoed a separate right-to-repair bill for powered wheelchairs this week, citing complexities with the state health care system. That bill would have prohibited the state Department of Health Care Services from requiring prior authorization for certain kinds of powered wheelchairs. 

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