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Committee backs working group to draft right‑to‑repair bill after farmers, consumer groups press for change
Summary
After briefings from Legislative Service Office and public testimony from farmers, consumer advocates and repair advocates, the committee asked staff to form a working group and directed members to draft and vet right‑to‑repair legislation focused initially on agricultural equipment with options for broader coverage.
The committee heard an LSO overview of right‑to‑repair law, followed by public testimony from farmers, consumer advocates and repair advocates urging legislation to give owners and independent mechanics access to diagnostic tools, parts and software necessary to repair products they own.
Clarissa Nord, Legislative Service Office, told the committee that right‑to‑repair proposals typically cover diagnostic tools, repair parts, and embedded software and that five states (California, Colorado, Minnesota, New York and Oregon) had enacted right‑to‑repair laws as of March 2025. She reviewed Wyoming’s earlier efforts (farm equipment bills in 2017 and 2018 that failed to pass the House of Representatives) and described Colorado’s incremental expansion of protections, beginning with wheelchairs and then farm equipment and broader consumer electronics.
Speakers supporting reform included Nathan Proctor of the Public Interest Research Groups, who said manufacturers have incentives to limit independent repair and that fair access to parts and diagnostics would save consumers money (he cited an estimate of about $382 per household per year in consumer savings from repair over replacement and an estimated $4 billion annual loss for farmers due to repair restrictions). Tyler Gare and other representatives of Rocky Mountain Farmers Union explained consolidation among equipment dealers and said farmers need access to diagnostic software and firmware so they can repair equipment during planting and harvest seasons. Kyle Wiens, CEO of iFixit, described copyright and software licensing as the primary legal mechanisms that prevent aftermarket parts and tools from being available and urged narrowly tailored law restoring access to tools dealers already use.
Public testimony and committee discussion centered on two practical points: (1) whether to target farm equipment only or to draft broader consumer electronics language, and (2) how to preserve manufacturers’ legitimate intellectual‑property and safety concerns while ensuring owner repair rights. Speakers and members repeatedly noted that Colorado’s ag law is proving useful but that some large manufacturers have not yet provided affordable, practical access for farmers.
Action: the committee formed a working group to draft right‑to‑repair legislation and asked Leader Yin and Senator Crago to lead stakeholder negotiations and draft text for the next committee meeting.
Why it matters: legislators framed right‑to‑repair as a property and competition issue for owners, farmers and small repair shops; members said a focused, well‑scoped draft (initially emphasizing ag equipment) would be more likely to advance than a single broad bill covering all electronics at once.
What’s next: staff and the working‑group legislators will meet with stakeholders and present a bill draft at the next select committee meeting or the following meeting if additional time is needed.
