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Committee unanimously advances technical change to clarify quantum‑computing exemption in right‑to‑repair law
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Summary
The Business, Labor and Technology Committee unanimously moved House Bill 1330 to the Committee of the Whole, a technical clarification to ensure quantum‑computing equipment remains exempt from Colorado’s right‑to‑repair requirements.
The Business, Labor and Technology Committee advanced House Bill 1330 unanimously after a short hearing that sponsors said clarifies the 2024 right‑to‑repair law by explicitly exempting quantum computing equipment from the statute.
Senator Kevin Henriksen, citing earlier work on consumer right‑to‑repair, said quantum computing devices are “highly sophisticated technologies” that were never the intended focus of the consumer repair law and that the amendment simply makes that exemption explicit.
Lexmark International’s David DeVore testified in support of the technical clarification on behalf of his company’s Colorado operations, citing federal anti‑counterfeiting and security directives. DeVore told the committee that parts‑pairing rules for some imaging and secure devices can conflict with a broad right‑to‑repair mandate and urged a narrowly tailored exemption or technical correction so companies can comply with federal directives.
Consumer advocates also testified in favor. Danny Katz, executive director of a consumer advocacy group, said the measure is “a technical change, not a policy change,” and supported the clarification because quantum repair is not a consumer market issue at present.
The committee recorded a unanimous vote to send HB 1330 to the Committee of the Whole. Sponsors said they would file any minor cleanups necessary before floor action and that the change is intended to protect specialized, high‑security research and manufacturing equipment from unintended compliance conflicts with federal law.
