States do-it-themselves: amid spotty federal enforcement, state legislatures are revamping right-to-repair laws at an unprecedented pace

At both the federal and state levels, product warranties and product-design features that may limit how consumers repair and service products have increasingly come under legal scrutiny. The Federal Trade Commission ("FTC") and class-action plaintiffs have filed complaints in recent years seeking to enforce warranties and challenge repair restrictions, though state legislatures have been most active recently, particularly as new and more complex technologies have become integrated into consumers' everyday lives. In 2023 alone, 30 state legislatures have either enacted or proposed new right-to-repair laws, creating a complex regulatory web for companies to navigate. This article examines these recent developments and offers best practices for complying with the emerging (and fast-changing) regulatory landscape.

Reproduced with permission from Competition Policy International. This publication is provided for your convenience and does not constitute legal advice. This publication is protected by copyright.