Maryland committee hears bipartisan push for 'right to repair' power wheelchairs

Delegate Aaron Kaufman asked the House Economic Matters Committee on Oct. 12 to back HB 31, legislation that would require manufacturers of powered wheelchairs to make replacement parts, embedded software, firmware and repair documentation available to wheelchair owners and independent repair providers.

The bill, which Kaufman described as modeled after a Colorado law passed in 2022, would treat a manufacturer’s failure to comply as a deceptive trade practice under Maryland law. Kaufman said long delays and limited repair options leave users isolated and at risk: "When wheelchairs are broken, it's as if our legs are bridled," he told the committee, describing delays that can prevent people from working or attending medical…