Tech companies are trying to neuter Colorado’s landmark right-to-repair law

A coalition of tech manufacturers, led by Cisco and IBM, is pushing Colorado lawmakers to pass SB26-090, a bill that would create a major exemption to the state's landmark right-to-repair law. The legislation, which unanimously passed a Senate committee, seeks to exclude "information technology equipment intended for use in critical infrastructure" from consumer repair rights. This broad, undefined category could encompass everything from internet routers and servers to enterprise computers, effectively allowing these companies to maintain control over tools, parts, and software needed for repairs. The manufacturers argue this carve-out is necessary to protect cybersecurity and intellectual property for sensitive systems.

Repair advocates and consumer groups, including CoPIRG, iFixit, and the Repair Association, fiercely oppose the bill, calling its language a cynical and vague attempt to gut the law. They contend that terms like "critical infrastructure"—borrowed from post-9/11 federal legislation—and "information technology" are not clearly defined, creating a loophole big enough to drive a server rack through. During the hearing, advocates warned that the bill's passage would set a dangerous national precedent, empowering other industries to seek similar exemptions and undermining the growing right-to-repair movement that has seen laws passed in eight states.