An Act to create 100.204 of the statutes; Relating to: the right to repair agricultural equipment, and providing a penalty. (FE)
SB148 would create a new state law establishing a “right to repair” for agricultural equipment. It requires manufacturers, upon request and at fair costs and fair terms, to make available to owners and independent repair providers the documentation, data, embedded software, firmware, parts, and tools needed to diagnose, maintain, and repair covered farm equipment. The bill defines covered equipment broadly to include machinery such as tractors, combines, sprayers, implements, and attachments used in farming and ranching, while excluding most road vehicles and certain other equipment.
The bill also limits how manufacturers may use trade-secret claims to refuse access, while allowing redaction or withholding of trade-secret information so long as repair usability is not diminished. It creates protections for manufacturers and dealers by stating they are not liable for faulty repairs performed by owners or independent repair providers, and it preserves existing contracts, safety laws, emissions laws, and intellectual property protections. The bill authorizes enforcement by the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, the Department of Justice, district attorneys, and private parties, including damages, injunctions, and forfeitures for violations.
SB148 would add a new statutory section, s. 100.204, to Wisconsin law and would directly regulate the relationship between agricultural equipment manufacturers, dealers, owners, and independent repair providers. It would require manufacturers to provide repair-related information and tools on request, prohibit contract terms that waive those obligations, and create civil and administrative remedies for noncompliance. The bill would also affect trade secret handling, warranty and service arrangements, and the availability of repair resources for farm equipment owners and third-party repair businesses.
The available record shows no committee transcript or recorded votes, so there is no detailed public debate captured in the provided materials. Based on the bill’s sponsorship and structure, the measure appears to have been introduced as a pro-farmer, pro-consumer repair access bill aimed at expanding repair options and reducing dependence on manufacturers. Its final status indicates it failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1, suggesting it did not secure enough legislative support to become law.
The main points of contention are likely to have centered on whether manufacturers should be compelled to share diagnostic software, firmware, tools, and data with non-affiliated repair providers, and whether the bill goes too far in limiting trade-secret protections and manufacturer control over repair ecosystems. Manufacturers and equipment dealers would likely object to mandatory disclosure and potential enforcement exposure, while farm owners and independent repair providers would support broader access to repair information and parts. The bill also draws a boundary around safety, emissions, and intellectual property concerns, indicating those issues were likely important in shaping the legislation.