AB 1163 (Eggman)—Right to Repair

Overview: This bill establishes the California Recycling Market Development Act which seeks to update and revise gaps in existing California recycling policy, and seeks to balance California’s ambitious environmental goals with changing market realities.

CAW Position: Sponsor

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Status: Active in Assembly Privacy and Consumer Protections Committee

In Context: For 30 years, California has required that manufacturers making an express warranty provide access to replacement parts and service materials for electronics and appliances to the manufacturer’s authorized repairers in the state. This bill extends this requirement to also provide the same parts and service materials, under fair and reasonable terms, to independent service dealers regulated by the Department of Consumer Affairs and to individual owners. This will create a more competitive repair marketplace ensuring that consumers aren’t forced to pay a manufacturer’s designated, high cost repair service, or be forced to invest in a new item altogether due to their inability to affordably repair broken electronics and appliances

Bill Summary: Among other things, AB 1583:

  • Reauthorizes AB 199 (Eggman) Recycling Sales Tax Exemption, which sunsets in 2020.

  • Reauthorizes the Recycling Market Development Zone (RMDZ) Program, which sunsets in 2020

  • Establishes a “Statewide Commission on Recycling Markets and Curbside Recycling” of private and public curbside recycling operators to identify uniform product design suggestions to facilitate compatibility with MRF’s and end markets, and to advise CalRecycle on the recyclability of products and packaging

  • Eliminates the requirement to have “chasing arrows” around Resin ID Codes (RIC), thereby reducing consumer confusion about what is recyclable.

Current language, analysis, and votes

Supporters:

  • Californians Against Waste (co-sponsor)

  • CALPIRG (Co-Sponsor)

  • Consumer Reports (Sponsor)

  • The Electronic Frontier Foundation (Sponsor)

  • iFixIt

CAW Staff Contact: Robert Nunez, (916)443-5422