Bill Overview
Title: Fair Repair Act
Description: This bill requires an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) to make diagnostic, maintenance, and repair equipment available to independent repair providers and owners. Specifically, for digital electronic equipment manufactured by or otherwise supplied by an OEM, an OEM shall make documentation, parts, and tools available in a timely manner and on fair and reasonable terms. The bill provides for enforcement of its provisions by the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general.
Sponsors: Sen. Lujan, Ben Ray [D-NM]
Target Audience
Population: People who own or use digital electronic equipment
Estimated Size: 331000000
- The Fair Repair Act impacts anyone who owns digital electronic equipment, as it gives them more options for repair.
- Independent repair providers will be directly affected as the legislation allows them better access to necessary tools and information to perform repairs.
- OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) will be impacted as they will need to make tools and parts available to third parties, which they may not currently do.
- The legislation might affect consumers globally as many electronic devices are distributed worldwide, potentially influencing manufacturers' global policies.
Reasoning
- The Fair Repair Act could potentially benefit a wide range of individuals in the US due to the high penetration of digital devices. Since almost every household owns some form of digital electronic equipment, the ability to access affordable and convenient repair options is significant.
- Independent repair providers stand to gain substantially from this policy as it grants them access to parts and tools that were previously restricted to the OEMs. As such, these businesses may see growth in services offered and potential revenue increases.
- Consumers may experience a reduction in repair costs, which can improve financial wellbeing slightly, and increase satisfaction from extended device lifetime.
- OEMs may see an initial negative impact as they adjust to providing parts and tools to independent repairers, which could involve logistical changes and potential loss of repair services revenue. However, this adjustment is likely to stabilize over time.
- Given the global nature of the market for electronics, changes required by the Fair Repair Act in the US may influence global practices of OEMs, though this is likely a longer-term effect.
- The policy budget constraints prioritize maintaining regulation and enforcement personnel while providing support and resources. This means that the immediate effects are likely more pronounced in the repair markets than on individual consumers.
Simulated Interviews
Freelance Graphic Designer (Austin, TX)
Age: 28 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy sounds promising as it could potentially reduce my repair costs.
- Access to independent repair services means less downtime for my devices, which is critical for my work.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Independent Electronics Repair Technician (Chicago, IL)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy will likely boost my business as I can offer services for devices I couldn't before.
- Access to parts directly from OEMs means better service quality and reliability.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Manager at a smartphone manufacturing company (Detroit, MI)
Age: 56 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy could disrupt our current repair services revenue.
- We might need to change how we structure service agreements with third-party providers.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 7 |
College Student (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 22 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Having cheaper repair options could really help with budgeting as a student.
- I think this policy could make electronics ownership more sustainable.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Tech Entrepreneur (Seattle, WA)
Age: 34 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This can lead to more sustainable practices and new business opportunities.
- I'm hopeful that this will broaden the scope of our operations.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 10 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 10 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
OEM Repair Specialist (Boston, MA)
Age: 40 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I worry about losing business to independents now able to use OEM parts.
- Not sure how this will impact my job long term.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Retired (Miami, FL)
Age: 60 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Sounds like a good idea, though I'm not sure how much it affects me directly.
- I prefer to use official repair services for peace of mind.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Farmer (Rural Kansas)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- More available repair options would definitely ease my mind.
- Could save a lot on expensive brand-name service calls.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Software Developer (New York, NY)
Age: 30 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy aligns well with my environmental values.
- Hope it leads to a reduction in e-waste and promotes device longevity.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Retired Engineer (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 65 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I appreciate the opportunity to tinker with my devices freely.
- This could support personal interests and possible side income post-retirement.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $50000000 (Low: $30000000, High: $70000000)
Year 2: $52000000 (Low: $32000000, High: $72000000)
Year 3: $54000000 (Low: $34000000, High: $74000000)
Year 5: $60000000 (Low: $38000000, High: $80000000)
Year 10: $70000000 (Low: $45000000, High: $90000000)
Year 100: $100000000 (Low: $65000000, High: $120000000)
Key Considerations
- The bill significantly impacts OEMs who may resist compliance, potentially influencing cost estimates for enforcement.
- While primarily targeting U.S. consumers, the global nature of device manufacturing may lead to broader implications.
- Certain large OEMs might try to lobby for amendments, affecting cost projections and savings.