A right-to-repair electronics bill is sitting on the Washington governor’s desk, while a bill that would again delay the state’s extended producer responsibility program for solar panels is now law.
Gov. Bob Ferguson has 20 days to sign the bills into law after the date they are delivered to his desk.
Right to repair
HB 1483 would apply to covered products first sold or used in the state on or after July 1, 2021. It would ban parts pairing for devices sold after Jan. 1, 2025, which is the use of software to ensure a device will only operate with specific individual parts – typically OEM parts.
The bill’s forward momentum comes at a time of high legislative activity around the right to repair, with more than 16 states exploring the approach for electronics and even more looking to apply it to other devices, such as wheelchairs and farm equipment.
Legislators in Washington have been trying to pass similar legislation for years. This version was approved by the House 94-1 on March 4, then passed out of the Senate on April 10 on a bipartisan vote of 48-1. It was delivered to Ferguson on April 22.
If the bill is signed into law, Washington would be the sixth U.S. state to give consumers the right to repair their own devices, following New York, Colorado, Minnesota, Oregon and California.
In a PIRG press release, bill sponsor Rep. Mia Gregerson, a Democrat representing the district that covers SeaTac, said the act is “about fairness, affordability, and putting power back into the hands of everyday Washingtonians.”
“Whether it’s a smartphone or a household device, people deserve access to the tools, parts and information needed to repair devices they’ve already paid for,” she added.
Heather Trim, executive director of Zero Waste Washington, added that “saving money and being able to repair your own items is supported across party lines as shown by the strong bipartisan votes.”
Solar panel EPR
In 2017, Washington became the first state to pass a bill establishing EPR for solar panels. It was intended to come into effect in July 2023 but has faced a series of delays.
The majority of solar panel manufacturers missed a July 1, 2024, deadline to submit a plan, and SB 5175 was introduced in response. It pushes the effective date to Jan. 31, 2028, with a full ban on producers who are not part of the program coming into play a year later.
The delay has garnered both support and opposition. Dave Bennett, communications manager for the solid waste management program run by the state’s Department of Ecology, previously said that the legislative proposal “will establish a facilitated advisory committee to identify concerns with the law and develop recommendations to overcome setbacks.”
“Modifying the law will make the solar takeback program stronger and remove barriers to increased deployment of solar in Washington, helping the state achieve clean energy goals,” he added.
However, Bret Manley, executive director of the Energy Fair Trade Coalition, said in a letter to the state that the law should be enforced.
“This glaring oversight threatens consumers’ ability to responsibly recycle their solar panels,” he wrote. “Washington resources are precious, and ensuring a clean environment for future generations is paramount.”
SB 5175 passed out of the Senate on March 5 on a vote of 49-0, and the House on April 10 with a vote of 58-37. The governor signed it on April 22.
