An act relating to the Vermont Fair Repair Act
H.161, the Vermont Fair Repair Act, would require original equipment manufacturers of certain agricultural, electronic, and forestry equipment to make available to independent repair providers and equipment owners the same parts, tools, and documentation that they provide to authorized repair providers. The bill is aimed at ensuring that farmers, technicians, and owners can diagnose, maintain, and repair covered equipment in a timely manner, including access to materials needed to address electronic security locks, parts pairing, calibration, and related repair functions.
The bill defines key terms broadly, including agricultural equipment, electronic equipment, forestry equipment, independent repair provider, parts, tools, documentation, and repair. It also limits the bill’s reach by excluding motor vehicles and medical devices, and by stating that it does not require disclosure of trade secrets or authorize use of repair materials to evade other laws. The bill would take effect January 1, 2026, and violations would be treated as unfair and deceptive acts in trade and commerce enforceable by the Attorney General.
If enacted, the bill would add a new chapter to Title 9 of Vermont law establishing a right-to-repair framework for agricultural, electronic, and forestry equipment. Manufacturers would have affirmative duties to sell or otherwise provide parts, tools, and documentation to independent repair providers and owners on terms comparable to those offered to authorized repair providers, and they could not impose unreasonable restrictions, mandatory authorization requirements, or unnecessary pairing/registration burdens. The bill would also create enforcement authority for the Attorney General under Vermont consumer protection law, while preserving federal preemption limits and excluding motor vehicles and medical devices from the chapter’s scope.
The bill text and available context suggest a generally pro-repair, consumer- and access-oriented policy approach, with the stated purpose emphasizing equitable access, timely repair, safety, reliability, and sustainability. Because there are no committee transcripts or recorded votes in the provided materials, there is no documented legislative debate or formal vote history to indicate broader support or opposition. The bill appears designed to align Vermont with the broader right-to-repair movement.
The main likely points of contention are the obligations imposed on manufacturers and the limits on proprietary control over repair ecosystems. Manufacturers may object to requirements to provide parts, tools, documentation, and security-related access, especially where software, parts pairing, or embedded systems are involved, while independent repair providers and equipment owners would favor those access rights. The bill attempts to address manufacturer concerns by preserving trade secrets, excluding motor vehicles and medical devices, and disclaiming liability for negligent third-party repairs, but those carveouts and the scope of required access could still be disputed.