Oregon’s landmark right-to-repair law is coming soon—SB 1596 passed the Oregon Legislature today and will go to Governor Tina Kotek for her signature or veto within the next five days.This is a big deal because Oregon’s law will be the first to ban “parts matching,” a practice where companies can prevent you from using components (and sometimes Official ) unless the company’s software thinks they belong.
Similar to California’s right-to-repair law, Oregon’s bill also requires companies to provide any vehicle owner with the same parts, tools and repair documentation that they provide to authorized repair shops at no charge.
However, it doesn’t specify how many years companies would have to offer the products — California mandates seven years, while Oregon’s bill suggests companies could simply stop making them. It also features typical engravings of video game consoles, medical equipment, HVAC equipment, energy storage, various engines… and an electric toothbrush.
Like the laws in California and Minnesota, it doesn’t apply to phones sold before July 1, 2021. But for all other devices, it goes all the way back to July 1, 2015.
However, the parts-mating ban does not apply to any existing devices—only consumer electronics manufactured after January 1, 2025.
On our October show, we talked with iFixit CEO Kyle Weins about parts pairing and how the battle for repair rights is just beginning. Edge Broadcast:
Today, Wayans says he is “incredibly proud that my hometown passed the strongest electronics right-to-repair bill to date.”