Assembly approves bill requiring repairability scores on products

The Assembly voted to pass legislation that would require manufacturers selling goods in New York to disclose a standardized repairability score on packaging and online, lawmakers said on the floor March 18.

Sponsor remarks said the measure is intended to give consumers clear information about how easy a product is to disassemble and repair. "Consumers should know the repairability of the products that they purchase in New York State," the bill sponsor said in explanation on the floor.

Under the measure, the Department of State would develop the scoring standards — considering factors such as ease of disassembly and availability of replacement parts — and manufacturers would apply the score. The sponsor said the attorney general would have the authority to bring enforcement actions against manufacturers that provide inaccurate scores; the bill text discussed civil penalties for violations.

Members raised questions about how scores would be verified and whether manufacturers might avoid selling products in New York rather than comply. In response, the sponsor pointed to regulatory models used abroad and argued that the state's large market would make participation attractive to firms.

The bill passed by roll call, with the clerk recording Ayes 98, Nos 41. The Assembly advanced the measure to the next step in the legislative process.

The action follows a broader national and international conversation about product longevity, consumer information and e-waste reduction.

The clerk read the bill's effective date language on the floor before the vote; members requested a party vote prior to the roll-call tally.