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Delegate Hornberger renews push for 'right to repair' tractors in Maryland hearing on HB 842
Summary
Delegate Kevin Hornberger introduced House Bill 842, the “farmer right to repair,” asking the House Economic Matters Committee to allow farmers and independent shops access to parts and diagnostic tools to keep tractors and heavy equipment running.
Delegate Kevin Hornberger introduced House Bill 842 on the floor of the House Economic Matters Committee as legislation to give farmers and independent repair providers greater access to parts, diagnostic tools and software needed to repair tractors and other heavy equipment.
“Gonna start off with HB 8 42. This is the farmer right to repair,” Delegate Kevin Hornberger said at the start of the presentation. Hornberger framed the bill as a response to what he called manufacturer limits on repairs that create downtime during seasonal harvests.
The bill’s sponsor said a 2023 US Public Interest Research Group study found that farmers lose roughly $3,500 per year to downtime caused by repair restrictions, and argued that the problem is large enough nationally to raise costs substantially. “When I buy something, do I own it? Right. If I pay…
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