RELATING TO COMMERCIAL LAW -- GENERAL REGULATORY PROVISIONS --, AGRICULTURAL EQUIPMENT RIGHT TO REPAIR ACT
H7476 creates a new chapter in Rhode Island commercial law called the Agricultural Equipment Right to Repair Act. The bill requires original equipment manufacturers of electronics-enabled agricultural equipment to make available, on fair and reasonable terms, the documentation, parts, tools, and related updates needed to diagnose, maintain, and repair covered equipment. Covered equipment includes farm machinery and attachments that rely in whole or in part on embedded digital electronics, such as tractors, combines, irrigation equipment, balers, and unmanned aircraft systems, but excludes motor vehicles and consumer electronics.
The bill defines key terms such as authorized repair provider, independent repair provider, embedded software, firmware, trade secret, and repair. It also limits what counts as repair under the act, making clear that the law does not require manufacturers to allow actions such as bypassing immobilizer systems, reprogramming engine control units, changing emissions- or safety-related settings, or accessing proprietary source code. Manufacturers are not required to disclose trade secrets except as necessary to provide the required repair materials, and the bill preserves existing warranty and recall arrangements while voiding any contract terms that would waive the act’s requirements.
If enacted, the bill would expand repair access rights for owners and independent repair businesses working on agricultural equipment in Rhode Island by imposing affirmative disclosure and supply obligations on manufacturers. It would create a private right of action for damages, attorneys’ fees, and costs, and authorize the attorney general to seek injunctive or other equitable relief. The statute would apply to electronics-enabled agricultural equipment and parts sold or used in the state, and it would take effect immediately upon passage.
The available record shows no committee transcript and no recorded votes, so there is no documented debate or formal sentiment history to assess. Based on the bill text, the measure appears to be framed as a consumer- and farmer-oriented repair access bill, with a strong emphasis on independent repair rights and equipment uptime. At the same time, the bill includes protections for manufacturers’ trade secrets, intellectual property, safety, and emissions compliance, suggesting an effort to balance repair access with industry concerns.
The main points of potential contention are likely to be the scope of manufacturer obligations, the meaning of “fair and reasonable terms,” and the extent to which independent repair providers may access software, tools, and diagnostics. Manufacturers may object to any requirement that could expose proprietary information or create compliance burdens, while independent repair providers and equipment owners are likely to support broader access to manuals, parts, software updates, and diagnostic tools. The bill’s explicit limits on source code access, immobilizer resets, and emissions or safety changes indicate that lawmakers anticipated concerns about misuse, security, and regulatory compliance.