Massachusetts has long been a leader in the Right to Repair movement, thanks to a combination of principled lawmakers and a motivated citizenry that refuses to back down when well-heeled lobbyists subvert the legislative process.

In 2012, Massachusetts became the first US state to enact Right to Repair legislation, with an automotive law that protected the right of drivers to get their cars repaired by independent mechanics if they preferred them to the manufacturers' service depots. Though wildly popular, it took the threat of a ballot initiative to get the legislature to act, an initiative that ultimately garnered 86% of the vote. The initiative led to strong protections for independent repair in Massachusetts and set the stage for a compromise agreement leading to better access to repair information for most of the country.

Now Bay Staters are back in the legislature: in the years since the original automotive Right to Repair law was enacted, manufacturers have redesigned their products in ways that exploit loopholes in the 2012 law, effectively shutting out independent repair.

House Bill 4122 closes the loopholes in the 2012 law, and in-state advocates are gathering signatures for another ballot initiative should lobbyists defeat the bill in the legislature.

EFF was pleased to submit comments to the Massachusetts Legislature's Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure for a hearing on January 13 in support of HB4122.

In those comments, sent to each member of the Committee, EFF Special Consultant Cory Doctorow wrote: