Colorado Passes Major Law Making It Easier to Repair Your Electronics

Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed a new law in May 2024 that makes it easier for people to fix their broken electronics instead of throwing them away and buying new ones. The law, known as HB24-1121, takes effect on January 1, 2026, and covers almost any electronic device with a computer chip inside — from smartphones and laptops to appliances and gaming consoles.

The law passed with support from both political parties. It won 53 votes in favor and only 9 against in the state House, and passed the Senate 21-13. This broad agreement is unusual and signals that people across the political spectrum want the right to fix things they own.

What the Law Actually Requires

Starting in 2026, electronics manufacturers will have to give customers and independent repair shops access to spare parts, repair manuals, and the special tools needed to fix devices. If you own a device, you'll be able to get the parts you need to replace a broken screen or battery without having to go to an official company repair center.

The law specifically targets a practice called "parts pairing," which is when manufacturers use software to lock replacement parts so they only work with the original device. Think of it like a lock that says: if you replace this battery with one from another company, the phone won't turn on. Colorado's law prohibits that.

Why This Matters: The Farm Equipment Connection

Colorado didn't start with electronics. The state passed a right-to-repair law for farming equipment in 2023, requiring companies like John Deere to let farmers and local repair shops access the tools and information needed to fix tractors. The new electronics law builds on that success.

For the past several decades, companies have moved away from purely mechanical repairs toward systems controlled by software and embedded computers. Farm equipment was one of the first places where this became a problem — farmers wanted to fix their own equipment but couldn't because the software was locked down. The same issue is now happening across consumer products.

The pattern is worth noting. What started as companies using physical locks and special fasteners has evolved into digital locks embedded in software. The legal response has followed a similar path, starting with politically sympathetic cases like farmers before expanding to everyday consumer products that affect millions of people.

What About Federal Law

Colorado's law includes a clause that says it will automatically disappear if Congress passes a federal right-to-repair law instead. This is a strategic move. Because devices are manufactured and sold across state lines, having different rules in different states could be complicated for companies. By including this sunset provision, Colorado is essentially pushing the federal government to step in with a national standard.

What Comes Next

Manufacturers now have nearly two years to prepare. Companies will need to redesign how they build devices and set up their supply chains to provide parts and documentation to repair shops. For companies that design new products years in advance, these decisions need to be made soon.

How the law will actually be enforced and what penalties exist for companies that don't comply are still being worked out. It will take real-world cases to clarify exactly what "digital electronic equipment" covers — for instance, what happens with connected devices like smart home products, or medical equipment that has both mechanical and computer parts.

There is a genuine practical challenge here. Some devices, like medical equipment or car computers, have legitimate safety and security concerns. Allowing anyone to modify them could introduce risks. Manufacturers will need to figure out how to let people make genuine repairs while still protecting devices where unauthorized changes could be dangerous.

The bigger picture is straightforward: Colorado has just created what looks like the broadest right-to-repair law in the country. Whether it works smoothly, and whether other states and the federal government follow, will likely influence how repair rights develop across the United States.