On Sunday, the Texas state Legislature finalized a new Right to Repair bill, reconciling the House and Senate versions and sending it to Gov Greg Abbott to be signed into law. 

The state Senate passed the measure 31-0, which had passed the state House 126-0 earlier in May. 
Like similar Right to Repair legislation passed in other states, the Texas Right to Repair bill, HB 2963, sponsored by state Rep Gio Capriglione, requires manufacturers to make spare parts, manuals, and repair tools available to consumers and independent shops.

“When you can’t fix something, you either have to buy a new one or do without. It drives up waste and costs. People are tired of throwing away things they prefer to fix, and clearly this is a message that has gotten through to lawmakers,” says Nathan Proctor, PIRG’s senior Right to Repair campaign director, in a release. “Congratulations to Rep Capriglione for his excellent work standing up for the rights of product owners and the small repair shops all across Texas.”

Supporters say the bill addresses growing concerns about waste and repair restrictions. In recent years, many manufacturers have limited access to repair materials, forcing consumers to rely on authorized service providers or replace their devices entirely.

“More repair means less waste. Texas produces some 621,000 tons of electronic waste per year, which creates an expensive and toxic mess,” says Luke Metzger, executive director of Environment Texas, which supported the legislation, in a release. “Now, thanks to this bipartisan win, Texans can fix that.”

The legislation was strengthened in its final stages, adding in new protections around “parts pairing,” similar to those that were recently passed in Oregon, though those additions were removed in the conference committee.

“Texas has affirmed that Right to Repair is both practical and popular everywhere,” says Gay Gordon-Byrne, executive director of Repair.org, the coalition that supports Right to Repair, in a release. “We have repair protections in place for roughly a third of the nation and growing. We won’t stop until everyone, everywhere, can fix all their stuff.”

If signed, Texas will be the ninth state to enact some version of Right to Repair and the seventh to pass a law covering consumer electronics. In addition to progress in Texas, Connecticut and Oregon sent Right to Repair legislation to their governors in the last week. The measure in Connecticut mirrors California legislation passed two years ago, and the Oregon bill covers powered wheelchairs.

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At a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Air Force Secretary Troy E. Meink said he agrees with US Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass) and supports making right to repair a strategic priority for the Air Force. He also agreed on the need to update the branch’s policies to include right-to-repair in contracts service-wide and prevent defense contractors from “price-gouging” the military. 

As Senator Warren explained, the Air Force’s budget request last year was about $220 billion, with billions going toward developing weapons systems. However, defense contractors’ restrictions prevent servicemembers from repairing Air Force-owned equipment, forcing the service to face delays or pay additional costs when they go back to the contractor for repairs. 

This month, Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll announced that the Army will ensure right-to-repair provisions are included in future Army contracts and will identify and propose contract modifications to current contracts that would benefit from right-to-repair protections.

Senator Warren argued that the Air Force should adopt a service-wide right-to-repair policy like the Army’s Transformation Initiative so airmen can also be able to repair their own equipment. Secretary Meink expressed support for adopting a service-wide right-to-repair policy and said he has already begun discussions with his team on the issue. 

“I think it’s not only from a cost perspective, Senator, I think from a readiness perspective, as General Allvin has discussed multiple times, both are affected with our ability to get, have more flexibility in how we do parts sustainment,” says Meink during the hearing.

Support for Military Right to Repair

A newly released poll from the US Public Interest Research Group showed likely voters overwhelmingly favor Congress passing a law to give the US military the right to repair their equipment, with more than 70% agreeing and over half of voters agreeing strongly. 

Senator Warren highlighted another issue facing the military: price-gouging. She cited an example of Boeing charging the Air Force 80 times the commercial price for a soap dispenser. Last year, the Department of Defense’s inspector general released a report recommending that defense contractors should be required to alert the US government when the price of a part goes up 25% or more, and the government should obtain justification for that price hike. In the hearing, Secretary Meink agreed that getting more data “would be always helpful” for Air Force contracting officers to prevent price-gouging.

Senator Warren concluded the hearing by calling on Secretary Meink and her Senate colleagues to work to get price information into the hands of military contracting officers and to get right-to-repair clauses included in Air Force contracts in order to ensure the service spends its funds more efficiently. 

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Nearly three-quarters of Americans support legislation ensuring the US military can repair its own equipment—outnumbering opponents by a margin of nearly 7 to 1—according to a new report by US PIRG.

The report, Military Right to Repair, outlines the impacts of repair restrictions on the US armed forces and features the results of a poll asking Americans whether Congress should pass a law to ensure the military can fix its equipment.

Manufacturers routinely refuse to provide access to the parts, tools, or information required to conduct repairs, instead pushing customers—even the US military—to use their brand-authorized service providers. The survey of 1,000 likely voters conducted by Lake Research Partners and the Tarrance Group in April found that voters overwhelmingly support Congress passing a law to ensure the military can access necessary repair materials. Among respondents, 74% support Congressional action, including 53% who strongly support Congress passing such a law. Just 11% oppose it, and 15% are undecided.

“When you rely on equipment for your life and safety, you want multiple options for fixing it when it breaks. That’s true for farmers and consumers, and our research shows it’s vital for American military personnel,” says US PIRG federal legislative director Isaac Bowers in a release. “The right to repair is something that Americans increasingly understand—and the more they hear about it, the more they want action to remove barriers to fixing our stuff.”

The new report follows US Secretary of the Army Daniel P. Driscoll, on April 30, calling for the Army to “[s]eek to include right to repair provisions in all existing contracts and also ensure these provisions are included in all new contracts.”

Right to Repair for Military

In addition to showing support for right to repair reforms, the report outlines why service members need these protections. PIRG notes in a release that a newly released story from recently retired Master Sergeant Kerry Clark highlights the waste and delays associated with repair restrictions. MSgt Clark (Ret) reported that his drone training program was forced to ship broken drones out for repairs, at a cost of $26,000 apiece, for an issue which he later discovered was just a loose cable connector.

PIRG says these inefficiencies, scaled across all military equipment, cost taxpayers billions of dollars. Analysis by the Project on Government Oversight (POGO) calculates that the US military spends tens of billions of dollars each year to maintain equipment.

“Contractors are ripping off the federal government and putting service members at risk by often requiring the military to rely on contract workers to fix broken equipment. This unnecessarily inflates the cost of maintenance and leads to delays for crucial repairs,” says POGO acting vice president of policy and public affairs Dylan Hedtler-Gaudette in a release. “It’s clear that it’s time for a change. The US military needs right to repair.”

US PIRG and POGO are working with a bipartisan group of legislators to pass the Servicemember Right-to-Repair Act, which would ensure that all branches of the military have what they need to repair often-unreliable equipment.

“Technological progress was supposed to lead to better products, but we’re seeing more broken and unfixable devices,” says US PIRG chairman Douglas H. Phelps in a release. “Not only is the right to repair a commonsense solution, [but] this poll shows that it’s also a common-ground solution.”

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Rep Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03) is urging other branches of the US military to follow the Army’s lead in adopting right to repair provisions in contracts, following a Department of Defense directive aimed at reducing repair delays and costs.

The directive, issued in late April, instructs the Army to include right to repair provisions in both new and existing contracts to address barriers caused by intellectual property restrictions that limit access to maintenance tools, software, and technical data.

Gluesenkamp Perez praised the move, emphasizing that the policy will not only save taxpayer dollars but also provide servicemembers with valuable hands-on experience.

“When military technicians are spending time on hold with manufacturers, shipping equipment overseas for simple fixes, or flying out authorized contractors—it’s not only time-consuming and costly—but they’re being deprived of experience working with their hands to fix equipment they rely on,” she says in a release.

Broadening Right to Repair Policy

Gluesenkamp Perez, who co-sponsored the Servicemember Right-to-Repair Act with Sen Elizabeth Warren (MA), emphasized that expanding the right to repair policy across all branches of the military would strengthen readiness and reduce costs.

The Servicemember Right-to-Repair Act, introduced in the 118th Congress, seeks to increase military readiness by allowing servicemembers to repair their own equipment without being hindered by proprietary restrictions.

“I’m glad that the Army has heard our calls for reforms and will be prioritizing right to repair provisions in its contracts—and I encourage the other branches of our Armed Forces to follow suit,” Gluesenkamp Perez says in a release. 

The Pentagon’s right to repair directive is part of a broader effort to reform acquisition processes, modernize Army contracts, and reduce inefficiencies in military logistics.

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By Peter J. Pitts

[Editor’s Note: The following article is an opinion piece contributed by a guest author and does not necessarily reflect the views of 24×7 Magazine or its editorial team. As the conversation around right to repair continues, we are committed to presenting a range of perspectives on this complex and evolving issue.]

Most of us have (mostly fond) childhood memories of an adult trying to fix something. A rusty toolbox came out, and the tinkering began. A broken radio, a sputtering lawn mower, a kitchen appliance on its last leg. The ubiquitous home workbench wasn’t uncommon—because it was a necessity. Choices were limited, service centers were few and far between, and replacement parts weren’t a simple Google search away. We were a DIY nation.

The right to repair movement is rooted in that same do-it yourself spirit. But today the world is a different place. We live in an age of smart technology and the Internet of Things, where devices don’t just function; they communicate, adapt, and often play critical roles in systems larger than themselves and are beyond our abilities (if not our desires) to tinker. For example, breathing ventilators are connected to hospital digital monitoring systems, and blood glucose monitors can be synced with patient smartphones to provide real-time data and alerts. But while such 21st-century interconnectedness brings efficiency and opportunity, especially in the health care space, it also presents challenges.

There is no doubt right to repair has gained traction in recent years, championed by consumer advocates who believe product ownership should come with the freedom to fix, modify, or extend the life of their products. In fact, according to PIRG, all 50 US state legislatures now have considered some type of right to repair bill over the last eight years. 

At its core, the argument is compelling. Right to repair can reduce waste, lower costs, and empower individuals. But as with many sweeping reforms, the danger is in the dosage. When right to repair policies are applied too broadly, particularly to complex, highly regulated medical technologies, the consequences aren’t just theoretical. They can be life-altering—and not in a good way.

The Hidden Risks of Expanding Repair Access

Whether we like it or not there are nuanced risks of extending right to repair policy to technologies that sit at the intersection of engineering, medical precision, and patient safety. While accessibility and autonomy matter, so does knowing where right to repair crosses into dangerous territory.

The US has long prided itself on setting a global standard in healthcare—world-class hospitals, cutting-edge devices, and highly trained professionals. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), medical devices range from basic instruments like tongue depressors to intricate equipment like robotic surgical systems and MRI machines. That range of complexity matters.

Consider this: What if we couldn’t guarantee the safety and performance of the sophisticated tools that are so critical to our healthcare?

That’s the crux of the concern regarding right to repair and medical technologies. Servicing performed by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) is governed by rigorous FDA oversight and upheld through strict quality system regulations. Every technician must follow protocols designed to ensure safety, reliability, and accountability. But independent service organizations (ISOs) and their employees aren’t held to these same standards. In fact, the FDA doesn’t even know who they are, how they are trained, or when their “fixing the problem cheaper” leads to more serious issues. ISOs have no required record-keeping requirements for life-altering mishaps caused by their device repair mistakes.

Granting unrestricted access to proprietary service manuals, tools, and software—without ensuring those who use them are properly trained or held accountable—poses significant risks to patients. Effective servicing involves far more than just swapping parts or accessing a manual. It requires advanced training, real-time data tracking, and comprehensive quality assurance skills. Even small deviations in repair protocols can lead to device malfunctions or inaccurate readings that compromise patient care and raise healthcare costs.

Real-World Consequences and Policy Gaps

The risks aren’t hypothetical. According to a 2018 FDA report, of 4,301 documented instances of medical devices serviced by third parties, there were 40 deaths, 294 serious injuries, and over 3,700 cases of device malfunction. While the report cautioned that “currently available objective information is not sufficient to conclude whether or not there is a widespread public health concern,” it also acknowledged that “poor quality servicing may lead to poor device performance, device malfunction, and adverse events.” The same report emphasized cybersecurity as a growing area of concern—particularly when unauthorized access to software could lead to vulnerabilities in hospital and medical practice systems that are increasingly networked and digitally integrated.

Some argue that the COVID-19 pandemic illustrated why right to repair legislation is necessary. But a public health emergency should not become the template for permanent policy. During crises, standards are sometimes relaxed to meet urgent needs—but that doesn’t mean those exceptions are safe or sustainable over the long term.

Nevertheless, right to repair legislation directly targeting medical devices is moving forward. Earlier this year, Vermont introduced a bill to establish the right to repair for medical devices, and North Carolina followed suit in March. These proposals allow unregulated entities to service complex equipment—without FDA oversight. What these pieces of legislation fail to address are concerns from physicians, biomedical engineers, and patients about the integrity of care when repairs are made without the same regulatory scrutiny applied to OEMs.

The right to repair movement isn’t just playing out in statehouses. The US Copyright Office, through Section 1201 of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, has granted exemptions allowing circumvention of software protections for certain purposes, including medical device repair. While well-intended, such policies open the door to manuals and tools being copied, distributed online, and used by those with no regulatory standardized training or accountability.

Toward a Safer, Smarter Repair Framework

What’s the solution? If cost savings are the goal—and that’s a valid one—then there’s a responsible path forward. ISOs should be required to register with the FDA and implement robust quality management systems, participate in medical device reporting programs, and meet basic competency and safety standards. Transparency and accountability should be non-negotiable.

When medical devices fail, patient safety is at risk, and healthcare costs rise.

Patient safety matters most. No one wants to be treated with equipment that’s been serviced by someone unqualified and without regulatory oversight. The dusty toolbox may have worked days gone by—but in today’s interconnected, high-stakes healthcare environment, we need stronger safeguards.

Empowering consumers is important. Even more urgent is protecting lives. Right to repair doesn’t need to be dismantled or denied, but when it comes to medical devices, it absolutely requires guardrails.

About the author: Peter J. Pitts, a former FDA associate commissioner and member of the United States Senior Executive Service, is president of the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest, and a visiting professor at the University of Paris School of Medicine.

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The US Department of Defense wants new and existing Army contracts to include right to repair provisions, aiming to reduce costs and delays tied to reliance on original equipment manufacturers for servicing.

In an April 30 memo, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directed the Army to implement a comprehensive transformation strategy, which includes identifying where intellectual property restrictions limit access to maintenance tools, software, and technical data. The memo instructs the Army to identify and propose contract modifications and to seek inclusion of right to repair provisions in all new contracts and ensure they’re included in all new contracts.

The right to repair directive is part of a broader initiative to modernize acquisition processes and reduce inefficiencies. Hegseth called on the Army to “reform the acquisition process, modernize inefficient defense contracts, and overcome parochial interests” as part of a sweeping effort to rebuild the Army and enhance readiness.

Other priorities in the memo include fielding long-range missiles and AI-enabled command and control systems by 2027, restructuring Army headquarters, and consolidating sustainment operations. The Department is also urging reductions in outdated programs and platforms—such as manned aircraft, excess ground vehicles, and legacy UAVs—to redirect resources toward modernization efforts like cyber capabilities, electronic warfare, and unmanned systems.

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By Alyx Arnett

The International Association of Medical Equipment Remarketers and Servicers (IAMERS) is calling for legal protections to uphold hospitals’ ability to repair—and choose who repairs—their own medical devices. The organization says this right is critical to ensuring patient safety and controlling healthcare costs.

IAMERS’ statement follows mounting concerns over rising service and maintenance expenses. The American Hospital Association has warned that growing operational costs threaten the long-term financial health of the nation’s hospitals.

“When hospitals have choices for servicing and parts, hospitals enjoy competitive pricing, accountability, and, in most cases, better service,” IAMERS writes in its statement. The group emphasizes that some manufacturers still restrict access to certain repairs, arguing—without sufficient evidence, IAMERS says—that only they can perform them safely.

Oversight, Risk Data Highlighted

IAMERS points to the existing hospital infrastructure, including biomedical engineers, procurement teams, and safety committees, that already evaluates and oversees repair quality. Reports to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of adverse events in the repair and service of devices are under 1%, the statement notes.

The group also cites a 2018 FDA report, which concluded that third-party repair entities are “critical to the functioning of the US healthcare system.”

On cybersecurity, IAMERS disputes arguments that independent service providers introduce unacceptable risk. The FDA has previously stated that exemptions allowing access to software for medical device repair would not “necessarily and materially jeopardize” device safety or effectiveness. The US Copyright Office agreed in its 2021 ruling that safety-based objections to repair access were not supported by evidence, IAMERS notes.

A Call for Accountability

IAMERS encourages manufacturers to adopt an industry best practice of providing servicing instructions that support routine maintenance and repair of reusable devices. It cites the FDA’s draft guidance on remanufacturing, which encourages OEMs to include labeling information, such as performance specifications, maintenance schedules, and error code descriptions.

Ultimately, the group argues that hospitals and the servicers they select should be legally entitled to access the tools and information necessary to repair the devices they own. “In the event that a manufacturer does not cooperate,” the statement reads, “…there should be legal consequences.”

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Washington is expected to become the eighth state in the country to pass Right to Repair legislation, pending the signature of Gov Bob Ferguson. Two bills, if signed into law, would establish requirements for manufacturers to provide parts, tools, and information for repairing consumer electronic devices—such as laptops, cellphones, and home appliances—and wheelchairs.

The Washington Senate approved the Right to Repair for consumer electronics and appliances (HB 1483) by a bipartisan vote of 48-1 on April 10, following a similar near-unanimous vote through the House on March 4. The Right to Repair bill for wheelchairs and mobility devices (SB 5680) also passed both chambers with unanimous votes. Next, Gov Ferguson has 20 days to sign the bills into law once they are delivered to his desk.

If enacted, the legislation would require manufacturers to make available the materials needed to repair certain electronic products, reducing reliance on authorized service providers. Washington would also join Oregon and Colorado in restricting the use of “parts pairing,” a practice where manufacturers use software to prevent technicians from fully installing spare parts.

“The Right to Repair Act is about fairness, affordability, and putting power back into the hands of everyday Washingtonians,” says state Rep Mia Gregerson, chief sponsor of HB 1483, in a release. “Whether it’s a smartphone or a household device, people deserve access to the tools, parts, and information needed to repair devices they’ve already paid for.”

Support for HB 1483 and SB 5680

The vote for HB 1483 comes after support for the Right to Repair from the public, businesses, and organizations. Last summer, WashPIRG ran a door-to-door canvassing campaign to support Right to Repair, collecting more than 1,400 petition signatures in favor of the legislation. The consumer electronics bill was supported by 60 local repair shops from across Washington; a range of consumer, environmental, and other advocates; and manufacturers, including Google and Microsoft.

The wheelchair repair bill, SB 5680, was backed by organizations including Disability Rights Washington and Here and Now Project. Limited access to repair materials has sometimes led to extended service delays, creating challenges for users that can affect mobility, health, and quality of life, according to a release from PIRG.

“If something goes wrong with your wheelchair, you should be able to fix it yourself or take it to a small business to get it fixed,” says state Sen Drew Hansen, the chief sponsor of SB 5680, in a release. “This bill is long overdue; we want people with wheelchairs to have choices for how to repair their equipment.”

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By Pat Munsey

Right to Repair legislation has now been introduced in all 50 states, following Wisconsin filing its first bill in February 2025. While the movement has gained traction, the seven states that have enacted laws—California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, and Oregon—have focused primarily on consumer electronics and household appliances, largely excluding medical devices.

Colorado’s law, for instance, applies to digital electronic equipment but exempts medical devices, except powered wheelchairs. Similarly, Minnesota’s Digital Fair Repair Act—which has been described as the “broadest” one passed to date—also excludes medical equipment. While California’s Right to Repair Act does not name medical devices among its listed exemptions, it allows exclusions for products that pose “significant safety or security risks if repaired improperly.”

Despite this legislative momentum, more recent efforts to include medical devices have stalled. “There was considerable support for removing barriers to repair medical devices during the pandemic, but those challenges remain for hospitals and independent medical device repair technicians—with no approved legislation to address this equipment,” according to US Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) Education Fund’s The State of Right to Repair report.¹

Repair Access and Its Role in Clinical Operations

The continued exclusion of medical devices from state Right to Repair laws reflects ongoing concerns about patient safety, regulatory oversight, and intellectual property. 

Medical device manufacturers argue that third-party service providers often lack US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversight and specialized training required to safely repair complex clinical equipment, while Right to Repair advocates say that manufacturer-imposed restrictions—such as limiting access to repair manuals, parts, and diagnostic tools—can hinder hospitals’ ability to maintain equipment and may lead to delays in patient care. 

Gay Gordon-Byrne, executive director of The Repair Association, a nonprofit that advocates for Right to Repair, believes repair restrictions can have serious consequences in healthcare settings. She recalls how, years ago, her husband received life-saving care following a traumatic fall, thanks to a rapid MRI diagnosis at a well-equipped trauma center. In contrast, she says a friend’s father faced delays at a smaller facility when its lone MRI machine was down for repair. It was six months before the man received the scan, and by that time, the cancer that was present in his system was far advanced.

“Prompt diagnosis is essential,” says Gordon-Byrne. “The smaller hospital did not have multiple machines. Used machines that might have been useful are not deployed because of manufacturer service limitations on repair and a refusal to share patches and fixes to known defects beyond an arbitrary ‘End of Service Life’ date.”

Nathan Proctor, senior director of the campaign for the Right to Repair at PIRG, says, “There are many cases in which the inability of a health delivery organization, like a hospital, to use its own in-house engineers to diagnose and repair equipment in a timely way, negatively impacts patient treatment.”

He adds, “Some patient needs a procedure that requires a piece of equipment. The equipment is offline because they’re waiting for the manufacturer to come in, and there’s no other way to get it repaired, given the way that the manufacturer has programmed it or restricted the information or parts or other necessary materials to complete those repairs.”

However, Jim Jeffries, senior vice president and head of public affairs with Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed), who advocates for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in the Right to Repair debate, contends “there is no credible evidence that providers have had any delays to medical device repairs.” 

He points to a 2018 FDA report estimating that more than 21,000 servicers operate in the US, which he says demonstrates a competitive repair market with ample provider options.² “In fact, many OEMs are hired to perform third-party service on their competitors’ products,” he says. 

Balancing Repair Access and Intellectual Property Protections

AdvaMed highlighted in its annual report its successful lobbying last year to block a medical device Right to Repair provision from being added to the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2025. In a joint letter with other industry associations, the group raised concerns that the provision—Section 828 of S. 4638—would have required companies to provide repair materials and information to the federal government at regulated prices and without protections for trade secrets, potentially discouraging participation in the defense supply chain.

More broadly, AdvaMed and other industry groups say that many Right to Repair efforts threaten to erode critical intellectual property protections across the board. “Proponents of Right to Repair policies have made expansive demands for extensive intellectual property access, including proprietary servicing materials from OEMs, such as service manuals, software keys, schematics, and tools,” says Jeffries. “The wide release of proprietary servicing materials, and the investment they represent, will create an irreversible loss of trade secret protection for innovators, damaging competition and innovation.”

Gordon-Byrne’s position is that intellectual property isn’t at risk when it comes to medical devices. “It is legal to modify equipment under copyright law, but the FDA does not allow modifications without formal approval,” she says. “Modifications and customizations that are common in the IT world are not allowed for medical equipment.”

She argues that such concerns are often used to obscure a more fundamental motive: profit. Limiting repair options, she contends, helps OEMs preserve high-margin service contracts and maintain control over the aftermarket. Proctor supports this view, noting that industry profit margins for repair and maintenance services can reach as high as 80%.

“OEMs are not harmed by repair,” says Gordon-Byrne. “There are no legal risks to copyrights, patents, or trade secrets. Personal injury law is not altered. Hospitals remain fully responsible for work done under their roof.” She adds that once a device is sold, the OEM has already been compensated for its design and production costs and that restricting service materials afterward amounts to limiting competition.

Safety Concerns Cited in the Repair Discussion

According to AdvaMed’s Jeffries, repairing and servicing highly complex and sensitive medical devices without extensive training and expertise poses a risk to patient health. “For this reason, quality service is dependent on more than just the possession of manuals and materials,” says Jeffries. “Expertise, adherence to a quality system, and compliance with regulatory requirements set by the FDA are essential to ensuring medical devices are serviced properly and safely.”

Jeffries explains that medical device manufacturers are regulated by the FDA, whereas third-party service providers are not. “Allowing non-regulated repair companies to tinker with sophisticated FDA-regulated medical devices needlessly raises patient safety risks,” says Jeffries. “In fact, a 2018 FDA report found more than 4,300 adverse events, including 294 serious injuries and 40 deaths, from devices repaired by unauthorized third-party repair companies.”²

PIRG’s Proctor disagrees with Jeffries’ reading of that FDA study. Adverse events also took place from devices repaired by technicians authorized by the manufacturers.

“The FDA report on the quality, safety, and effectiveness of servicing of medical devices found that there was no difference in outcomes between manufacturers and third-party medical device servicing organizations,” says Proctor. “Therefore, restrictions on which repairs could be done by those independent service organizations (ISO) were unjustified based on the review of the data.”

Further, Gordon-Byrne asserts that ISOs hired by hospitals, physicians, and health technology managers aren’t just “tinkering” with these medical devices. “Technicians are selected for their credentials and are fully supervised,” she says. 

Growing Support, Lingering Gaps

According to a PIRG survey that included more than 100 US-based repair professionals, hospitals and independent technicians face challenges due to repair limitations.¹ The survey found that nearly 70% cited lack of access to board schematics as a common repair barrier, and enterprise IT technicians reported little to no improvement in accessing necessary tools or documentation.

However, Gordon-Byrne points to growing international momentum for Right to Repair legislation as a sign that resistance to broader access may be weakening. In 2024, several countries—including the European Union, Canada, New Zealand, Brazil, and Colombia—introduced or advanced repair-friendly policies. Yet most still exclude medical devices, reflecting the same limitations seen in US laws.

Access to medical device servicing materials remains restricted, and the broader debate over how to balance safety, access, and innovation continues. Whether future laws will include medical technology—or remain carved out—may depend on how policymakers weigh the competing priorities of safety, transparency, and market competition.

References

1. ​Proctor N, Goodrich J. The state of right to repair: repair access is improving, but more needs to be done to ensure our devices get fixed. US PIRG Education Fund. 2025 Jan. Available at https://publicinterestnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/State-of-Right-to-Repair_USPEF_Jan_.2025.pdf
2. ​US Food and Drug Administration. FDA report on the quality, safety, and effectiveness of servicing of medical devices. 2018 May. Available at https://www.fda.gov/media/113431/download 

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The Right to Repair coalition reached a milestone last week: All 50 US state legislatures now have considered Right to Repair bills over the last eight years, according to the nonprofit organization PIRG. 

Right to Repair legislation, which requires manufacturers to allow consumers and independent businesses to access parts, tools, and documentation needed to repair a range of electronic products, is currently active in 24 states. Lawmakers have filed or carried over some 50 bills filed in 2025. Seven different states have passed a total of nine versions of this legislation since 2020. 

“Now that Wisconsin filed their first Right to Repair legislation, we’ve completed the sweep of getting bills filed in all 50 states. Our legislative map no longer has any blanks,” says Gay Gordon-Byrne, executive director at Repair.org, in a release. “This proves that Right to Repair is needed everywhere—and we are well on our way towards making that happen.”

As support for the Right to Repair has grown, more manufacturers have evolved from opponents into proponents, supporting legislation. For instance, Google, Microsoft, and Apple have all supported legislation in different states. 

“This is more than a legislative landmark—it’s a tipping point. We’ve gone from a handful of passionate advocates to a nationwide call for repair autonomy,” said Kyle Wiens, CEO of iFixit. “People are fed up with disposable products and locked-down devices. Repair is the future, and this moment proves it.”

Below is the full list of legislation filed or carried over in 2025, with 50 bills in 24 states, focused on everything from medical devices to consumer and farm equipment (there will be additional states that refile legislation over the course of the year): 

• Connecticut – Consumer Products – SB3. 
• Florida – 3 bills. Two Wheelchair bills – SB 412 and HB 311 – and a bill covering cellphones – HB 235. 
• Hawaii – Autos – SB 795 and HB 1464. 
• Illinois – 5 bills. Farm equipment – HB 1909. Home and business electronics and appliances – HB 2549, SB 122. Two wheelchair bills, HB 3490 and HB 3677.
• Indiana – Consumer & Farm equipment – HB 1060. 
• Kansas – Autos – HB 2288. 
• Maine – Autos – HB 292. Instructs legislature to support findings of a working group concerning the ballot question on wireless repair data. 
• Maryland – 4 bills. Two Wheelchair bills – HB 31 and SB 382. Autos – HB 843. Farm equipment – HB 842. 
• Massachusetts – Consumer products – SD 732 and HD 3779. 
• Missouri – 4 bills. 2 broad bills (everything but cars) HB 582 and SB 420. Motorcycles – HB 110. Farm equipment – HB 146. 
• Montana – Farm equipment – HB 390. 
• New Jersey – 3 bills. Two covering farm and lawn equipment – S3322 and A3809. One broad (everything but cars) – S1723. 
• New Mexico – Consumer devices – SB 69. 
• New York – 2 bills. A bill covering wheelchairs S 4500 and a bill to expand New York’s existing statute, S 4655. 
• Oregon – Wheelchairs – SB 550. 
• Rhode Island – 4 bills. Broad legislation – SB 60 and H 5246. Wheelchairs – H 5017. Farm equipment – H 5159. 
• South Dakota – Farm equipment – HB 1151. 
• Tennessee – Farm equipment – HB0432 and SB0499.
• Texas – Consumer equipment (but not appliances) – HB 2963. 
• Vermont – 2  bills – H. 160 (medical devices), and H. 161 (all devices except cars and medical devices). 
• Virginia – Broad (just omitting medical and autos) – HB 2483. 
• Wisconsin – Farm equipment – LRB-0923/2. 
• West Virginia – 3 bills, 2 farm equipment bills and one broad template bill. HB 2373 and SB 242 cover farm equipment. HB 2155 covers all non-car electronic devices. 
• Washington – 4 bills. Consumer devices – HB 1483 and SB 5423. Wheelchairs – HB 1826 and SB 5680. 

“Here, there and everywhere—people just want to fix their stuff,” says PIRG’s senior Right to Repair campaign director Nathan Proctor in a release. “Americans are fed up with all the ways in which manufacturers of everything from toasters to tractors frustrate or block repairs. Lawmakers are hearing that and taking action.”

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Summary:

The Right to Repair movement reached a key milestone, with all 50 US states having considered Right to Repair legislation over the past eight years. In 2025, lawmakers have introduced or carried over 50 bills across 24 states, covering a range of industries, including consumer electronics, farm equipment, medical devices, and wheelchairs. Since 2020, seven states have passed nine versions of the legislation. Advocates say the growing legislative interest reflects increasing public demand for repair access, and major tech companies such as Apple, Microsoft, and Google have started supporting certain bills.

Key Takeaways:

1. All 50 States Have Considered Right to Repair Legislation – With Wisconsin filing its first bill, every US state has now introduced or debated Right to Repair laws over the past eight years.
2. Right to Repair Bills Are Active in 24 States in 2025 – Lawmakers have filed or carried over 50 bills this year, addressing repair access for consumer electronics, medical devices, farm equipment, and more.
3. Industry Support Is Growing – While manufacturers once opposed these bills, companies like Apple, Microsoft, and Google have begun supporting certain Right to Repair measures in various states.