California Governor Newsom signs the Right to Repair Act into law, effective for devices made and sold after July 1, 2021, minus game consoles and alarm systems
California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed SB 244, or the Right to Repair Act, into law, making it easier for owners …
Context & Ripple Effects
California’s enactment follows New York’s earlier electronics repair legislation and Minnesota’s broad right-to-repair law, placing another major state behind a policy model that expands owners’ access to repair.
Apple had already backed California’s proposal before it became law. The measure matters because it advances repair access while retaining carve-outs for game consoles and alarm systems.
First-order effects
- Owners and independent repair providers gain a clearer route to repair covered devices made and sold after July 1, 2021; game-console and alarm-system repairs remain outside this law’s scope.
- Manufacturers selling covered products in California must adapt to the new repair-access regime, while the exempt categories preserve their existing manufacturer-controlled model.
Second-order effects
- Apple’s prior support may make compliance less contentious for it, but other device makers face pressure to align their California repair practices rather than maintain a separate restrictive approach.
- Independent repair businesses can pursue demand around covered devices, while console and alarm-system owners remain dependent on the access choices of those product makers.
Third-order effects
- California adds momentum to a state-led repair policy patchwork, increasing the incentive for manufacturers to standardize repair access across markets rather than build state-specific programs.
- The policy debate is likely to move beyond basic access toward product design and software controls: later coverage identifies software locks and unsustainable designs as the movement’s next unresolved issues.
The trend: Right-to-repair policy is broadening from isolated state bills into a sustained challenge to manufacturers’ control over device maintenance, parts, and software-enabled repairs.
Related: The Right to Repair Act · California · Apple backs California’s Right to Repair Act · Minnesota signs broad right-to-repair law · What comes next for right to repair · Console-to-service flywheel
Related Coverage
- California Right to Repair Signed into Law iFixit News · Elizabeth Chamberlain
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- Apple-Backed Right To Repair Is Now A Law In California: Here's What It Means For You Benzinga · Rounak Jain
- California signs the Right to Repair bill into law, effective July 1, 2024 PhoneArena · Sebastian Pier
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- California's ‘right to repair’ bill is now California's ‘right to repair’ law Engadget · Andrew Tarantola
- Right-to-Repair Law for Electronics Enacted in California Bloomberg Law · Titus Wu
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Discussion
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@sensusaneggman
Senator Susan Eggman
on x
This afternoon the California Right to Repair Act (#SB244) was signed into law. I often hear folks ask when they hear “right to repair,” “don't we already have the ability to fix our stuff?” And the answer is that it really depends! https://pirg.org/...
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@sensusaneggman
Senator Susan Eggman
on x
This has been a six year effort to bring this law to California, and I'm grateful @cawrecycles, @iFixit, and @CALPIRG have been with us along the way!
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@ifixit
@ifixit
on x
Governor @GavinNewsom has officially signed the California Right to Repair Act, SB 244, into law. The tech revolution started here in California, so it's appropriate that we're working to fix the problems of Big Tech here. Read more at the link below. https://www.ifixit.com/...
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@banditelli
@banditelli
on x
Newsom signed one of the strongest right to repair bills in America today, along with 83 other bills, and no one will even know about it because he vetoed 5 or 6 bills we DO all know about. #SB244
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@jennengstrom
Jenn Engstrom
on x
Breaking! @CAGovernor @GavinNewsom just signed #SB244 for the #RightToRepair! Getting what we need to fix our stuff is a win for the consumers and the planet, and it just makes sense. Thanks to years of advocacy from @SenSusanEggman @CALPIRG @iFixit @cawrecycles @RepairCoalition …
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@paulfroberts
Paul Roberts
on x
Congrats to everyone who fought - for years - to make this happen. @CALPIRG @kwiens @iFixit @RepairCoalition and all the great repair pros and #RightToRepair advocates who came out to testify.
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@eff
@eff
on x
Victory! Californians: your right to repair is now law. Thanks to an advocacy coalition led by @calpirg, individuals and independent repair shops will have more access to the materials and information they need to fix their electronics and appliances.
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r/Android
r
on reddit
Right-to-repair is now the law in California
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@calprivacy
@calprivacy
on x
We applaud @CAgovernor for signing SB 362, the CA Delete Act, which the CPPA Board unanimously voted to support in July. SB 362 is consistent with CPPA's mission to further Californians' privacy by making it easier for consumers to exercise their rights. #innovation [image]
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@robertjbateman
Robert Bateman
on x
The California Delete Act has been signed into law. I finally (ghost)wrote something about this law and it is pretty substantial Obviously it's an opt-out model (because this is California) but the most effective element could be the law's registration and audit requirements 🧵 [i…
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@robertjbateman
Robert Bateman
on x
That's a big deal and explains the heavy lobbying from brokers. But alongside the data deletion thing is a new set of registration, reporting, and audit requirements.
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r/California
r
on reddit
Newsom signs bill that would make it easier to delete online personal data
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r/privacy
r
on reddit
Newsom signs bill that would make it easier to delete online personal data
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@saranormous
@saranormous
on x
VC firms in California... “must report, for example, the race of the people they back, as well as their disability status and sexual orientation.” High on the list of things I do not want to *annually survey* founders I work with about: orientation. Still gay? Cool, cool. ಠ_ಠ
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@cailen
@cailen
on x
Yah, I'd worry too when everyone you back looks the same (and also looks like you)
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@natfriedman
Nat Friedman
on x
“California will require VC firms to report founder diversity statistics” Does this mean investors have to ask founders who they like to have sex with? https://www.axios.com/...
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@luke_metro
@luke_metro
on x
I'm sure this will accomplish as much as the diversity reports published by the major tech companies for the last 10 years
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@quinnypig
Corey Quinn
on x
“We don't invest in Black people” is exactly the intent of this bill and I'm here for it. But I'd sure as hell not want to be the VC who has to poll founders about their disability status and sexual orientation.
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@seehafer
Jared Seehafer
on x
Asking these questions of employees would get a California employer in serious trouble. Yet VCs investing in California will soon be required to ask them of founders. Founders should rally together and pledge to respond “none of California's business”.