Copyright Free Software Main Topic Patents Right to Repair

Digital Right of Repair Bills Need Your Help

With computers in more and more of the things we buy, it is vital that have a digital right of repair so we truly control the things we own. Corporations must not be able to lock down their products so that we have to pay them exorbitant amounts to fix them or prevent people from determining their security vulnerabilities or even making improvements.

The activists at Right of Repair and iFixit have put forward two bills to support a digital right of repair: H.143 in the Massachusetts House and S.96 in the Senate. H.143 has 38 co-sponsors in the House. S.96 has 13 co-sponsors in the Senate. Massachusetts is the last state to have not sidelined digital right of repair bills. We have to get it passed here!

The Joint Committee on Consumer Protection will hear testimony on the bill today. The hearing will be 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM in Room B-1 of the State House. If you can offer three minute long testimony in support of it, please do.

Right now, we need to help get more legislators to support it and get it out of committee. Please find your legislators’ contact info and call to urge them to support these bills. If they are already a co-sponsor (listed below), thank them for supporting the bill.

If your state representative or state senator are on the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection, all the better. Committee members are:

Senate Committee Members

Barbara A. L’Italien, Chair
Michael D. Brady (co-sponsor)
Sal N. DiDomenico
Ryan C. Fattman

House Committee Members

Tackey Chan, Chair
Daniel J. Hunt, Vice Chair (co-sponsor)
Ruth B. Balser
James Arciero
Smitty Pignatelli
Jay D. Livingstone
Jonathan D. Zlotnik
José F. Tosado
Juana Matias
Steven S. Howitt (co-sponsor)
Joseph D. McKenna

And Digital Right of Repair bill supporters are:

Senate Supporters

Name District/Address
Michael D. Brady Second Plymouth and Bristol
Thomas J. Calter 12th Plymouth
James E. Timilty Bristol and Norfolk
Walter F. Timilty Norfolk, Bristol and Plymouth
Joan B. Lovely Second Essex
Josh S. Cutler 6th Plymouth
William N. Brownsberger Second Suffolk and Middlesex
Gailanne M. Cariddi 1st Berkshire
Carmine L. Gentile 13th Middlesex
Thomas M. Stanley 9th Middlesex
Kathleen O’Connor Ives First Essex
Peter V. Kocot 1st Hampshire
Steven Ultrino 33rd Middlesex

House Supporters

Name District/Address
Claire D. Cronin 11th Plymouth
David M. Nangle 17th Middlesex
John H. Rogers 12th Norfolk
Robert M. Koczera 11th Bristol
Bruce J. Ayers 1st Norfolk
Denise Provost 27th Middlesex
Brian M. Ashe 2nd Hampden
Timothy R. Whelan 1st Barnstable
Louis L. Kafka 8th Norfolk
John J. Lawn, Jr. 10th Middlesex
Carole A. Fiola 6th Bristol
Steven S. Howitt 4th Bristol
James J. Dwyer 30th Middlesex
Chris Walsh 6th Middlesex
David Paul Linsky 5th Middlesex
Paul McMurtry 11th Norfolk
Thomas J. Calter 12th Plymouth
Marjorie C. Decker 25th Middlesex
Danielle W. Gregoire 4th Middlesex
Paul Tucker 7th Essex
James M. Cantwell 4th Plymouth
Kate Hogan 3rd Middlesex
Kenneth I. Gordon 21st Middlesex
Angelo L. D’Emilia 8th Plymouth
Joseph W. McGonagle, Jr. 28th Middlesex
Stephen Kulik 1st Franklin
Gerard Cassidy 9th Plymouth
John J. Mahoney 13th Worcester
Jeffrey N. Roy 10th Norfolk
Kay Khan 11th Middlesex
Aaron Michlewitz 3rd Suffolk
Shaunna L. O’Connell 3rd Bristol
Sean Garballey 23rd Middlesex
Lori A. Ehrlich 8th Essex
Jonathan Hecht 29th Middlesex
Michelle M. DuBois 10th Plymouth
Thomas M. Stanley 9th Middlesex
Daniel J. Hunt 13th Suffolk

Thanks!

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