[Updated 2021] What is Massachusetts Right To Repair Initiative?

By now you have likely heard of “right to repair” if you live in Massachusetts. But even if you do not, this new ballot initiative may protect your rights too.

Essentially right to repair means that you get to choose who makes repairs to your property.

While it’s true that the “right to repair” your automobile now exists in Massachusetts…

As of 2021, no such initiative exists for your electronic devices like your cell phone, computer or your other smart electronics.

But that is about to change! Here’s what you need to know…

What is Right to Repair?

Whether you are in the state of Massachusetts or New York, the principle behind right to repair is the same.

Simply put, right to repair is about preserving the rights of the consumer by preventing businesses from controlling who can repair their devices.

In the age of the smart car, repairs are more complex than ever. But MA’s last right to repair initiative now protects the right to choose where your repairs are conducted.

According to the Repair Preservation Group Action Fund:

“Right to Repair is the concept that you should be able to choose who repairs the device you own. We believe you should not be stuck going back to the manufacturer or dealer because parts, chips, manuals or tools are restricted by the manufacturer.”
“Right now, manufacturers collude with a number of companies on a regular basis to keep repair shops & end users from being able to buy parts to fix their devices, going so far as to restrict access to a battery charging IC – one of the most common chips to fail in modern consumer electronics!“

Whether that control comes in the form of requiring repair shops to be licensed to conduct repairs on their products. Or by controlling the supply chain of repair parts.

This is important because by limiting a repair shop’s ability to make repairs on devices. The cost of getting repairs rises. Eventually this type of control can lead to a market were getting your device repaired isn’t feasible, essentially forcing you to purchase another device.

Right to Repair is About Owning Your Devices

Think about it, if you can’t make simple repairs to your devices on your own, and it’s not feasible to pay a repair shop to do so.

You are left with one option, purchase a new device.

Meaning you never truly own the full rights to your device in the first place. If all industries did this, we could end up in an economy with no private property ownership. Where everything is rented, or borrowed from corporations, but never truly owned.

That is why this new Right to Repair ballot initiative in Massachusetts is so important. Such an initiative would allow consumers in Massachusetts to choose who will repair their devices. Keeping the cost of repairs lower, and making the ownership of property feasible.

The 2021 Right to Repair Ballot Initiative in Massachusetts

To combat this issue, Louis Rossmann of the Rossmann Repair Group has set up a nonprofit to get the infinitive passed. As with any state constitution, MA allows voters to vote on bills directly.

You can support the Initiative here

Rossmann has long been an advocate of the right to repair movement, flying around the country and lobbying to get legislation passed to protect consumers rights.

However, he has changed his tactics and is now aiming to get a direct ballot initiative passed in Massachusetts.

This initiative would allow Massachusetts residents to vote on the issue directly. And because they already voted to pass the right to repair for motor vehicles in 2020. It is likely they would vote to pass this initiative as well.

Right to Repair Massachusetts Will Change Nationwide Production.

Whether you live in Massachusetts or not, this initiative will likely impact you as well.

You see with the Question One initiative passed in 2020, car manufactures changed the way they produced cars nationwide. It simply makes no sense to make one class of cars for MA and another for the rest of the country. So they simply changed the way they were made everywhere.