Alaska bill would give owners and shops repair access for digital products

Manufacturers would have to make repair instructions, parts, and tools available to product owners and independent repair shops. The rules cover products sold at retail for personal, family, or household use that rely partly or fully on digital electronics. They exclude products sold under business-to-business or business-to-government contracts. Instructions and tools generally would be free. Manufacturers could charge reasonable, actual costs for requested physical copies or tools. Parts would be offered on terms at least as favorable as those given to authorized repair shops. A manufacturer would not have to provide a part it no longer has available. The rules would exclude medical devices, motor vehicles and their repair, fire and life-safety systems, monitored intrusion systems, and building access equipment. The rules would apply to covered products sold or leased in Alaska on or after January 1, 2027.

Manufacturers could not use parts-pairing software or other technology to block or impair certain replacement parts. The restriction applies to covered digital products and replacement parts. The restriction covers technology that blocks installation or activation of a functional part the manufacturer has not approved, or that reduces product function or performance or causes alerts the owner cannot immediately dismiss. Manufacturers would not have to provide tools that disable or override anti-theft or privacy protections enabled by the owner. Federal law may limit how the rule applies. The restriction would apply to covered products sold or leased in Alaska on or after January 1, 2027.

A violation of the repair rules would count as an unlawful act under Alaska consumer protection law. These provisions concern manufacturers, authorized service providers, owners, and independent repair shops covered by the repair rules. The rules would not require disclosure of trade secrets except as needed to provide required repair materials. Manufacturers and authorized service providers could not be held civilly liable for damage or injury caused by an owner or independent repair shop during repair. The bill would not change license or contract terms already in effect immediately before its effective date. The bill would take effect January 1, 2027. Its repair rules would apply to covered products sold or leased in Alaska on or after that date.