Senate committee holds first hearing on 'right to repair' bill modeled on New York law

Senate Bill 176 received its first hearing before the Senate Small Business and Economic Opportunity Committee, where sponsor Senator Blessing urged lawmakers to make Ohio a "right to repair" state and to require manufacturers to supply manuals, parts and diagnostic tools that allow consumers and independent shops to fix electronic devices.

The bill is modeled on a digital fair-repair law that recently passed in New York and would, according to the sponsor's testimony, reduce barriers that leave consumers dependent on manufacturers for repairs. Senator Blessing said the measure is about returning agency to consumers and reducing waste: "You purchased a product, own it, and should be able to repair it." He added, "Ohio should become a right to repair state."

Senator Blessing told the committee the legislation would require manufacturers to provide items "without which independent repair would be all but impossible, such as manuals, parts, and diagnostic tools." He framed the measure as both pro-market and pro-consumer, referencing a 2022 column arguing the issue can draw bipartisan support and faulting practices such as end-user licensing agreements and planned obsolescence for giving manufacturers effective monopolies on repair. "Do we wanna be a throwaway state and nation? I sure hope not," he said, calling repair and reuse more sustainable than disposal.

Committee leadership identified the meeting as the bill's first hearing; there were no questions from committee members after the testimony and no formal committee action on the bill. The record shows the hearing concluded with an invitation for questions that produced none.

The bill will remain in committee for further consideration and potential amendment. No vote on the underlying bill was taken at this hearing.