colorado / right-to-repair / cisco

A Republican-backed effort to repeal Colorado’s 2022 right-to-repair law failed, preserving rules that require manufacturers to provide diagnostic data, repair documentation and parts to independent repair shops and consumers. The law, aimed at electronics, appliances and other devices, was opposed by industry trade groups who argued it threatened safety and intellectual property, while consumer advocates and repair businesses supported it for improving competition and reducing e-waste. The failed repeal keeps in place legal access to tools and information that enable independent repairs, a win for right-to-repair proponents and a continuing challenge for manufacturers that have resisted broader repair obligations. The outcome matters for device makers, repair markets and digital consumer rights.

A Colorado bill (SB26-090) that would have carved a broad “critical infrastructure” exception into the state’s 2024 Consumer Right to Repair Digital Electronic Equipment law has been defeated after a contentious House committee hearing. The proposal, backed by companies including Cisco and IBM and initially passed by a Senate committee and the full Senate, faced organized opposition from repair and consumer groups — PIRG, Repair.org, iFixit, Consumer Reports, CoPIRG — plus local recyclers and environmental organizations. Opponents argued the exception was too vague and could undermine repair access to phones, computers and routers; supporters cited security and operational concerns. The bill’s failure preserves Colorado’s repair protections and is seen as a test case for industry efforts to roll back right-to-repair laws nationwide.

A Colorado bill (SB26-090) that would have created a broad “critical infrastructure” exception to the state’s 2024 Consumer Right to Repair Digital Electronic Equipment law failed after a contentious House committee hearing and was postponed indefinitely in a 7-4 vote. The repeal effort, backed by companies including Cisco and IBM and initially passing a Senate hearing and vote, faced organized opposition from repair advocates and environmental groups—CoPIRG, PIRG, Repair.org, iFixit, Consumer Reports, Blue Star Recyclers and others—who warned the exception could undermine repair access for phones, computers and routers. The defeat preserves repair access and is being watched as a bellwether for national right-to-repair fights involving tech firms.

Colorado’s controversial bill SB26-090, which sought to carve a “critical infrastructure” exception into the state’s 2024 Consumer Right to Repair Digital Electronic Equipment law, has been shelved after a 7–4 committee vote to postpone it indefinitely. The proposal, backed by companies including Cisco and IBM, aimed to limit repair access on cybersecurity grounds; proponents warned open access to tools and documentation could enable reverse engineering of routers and other networked gear. Opponents—including CoPIRG, Repair.org, iFixit, Consumer Reports, recyclers, and cybersecurity experts—argued the exception was overly broad and that most attacks exploit remote vulnerabilities, not physical repair tools. The defeat preserves Colorado’s repair protections for now and is a win for right-to-repair and sustainability advocates.