The proposed bill, known as the Digital Right to Repair Act, aims to enhance the rights of consumers and independent service providers regarding the diagnosis, maintenance, and repair of digital products. It mandates that digital product manufacturers must provide necessary documentation, parts, and tools to independent service providers or product owners, ensuring they have access to the same resources as authorized service providers. This includes any updates or changes made to software or firmware. Additionally, if a digital product has security features that are disabled during repair, manufacturers are required to supply the necessary tools and documentation to reset these features. However, manufacturers are not obligated to provide parts that are no longer available.

The bill also introduces a new unlawful act under the Alaska Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Act for violations of these provisions. It clarifies that manufacturers cannot charge independent service providers or owners more than what they charge authorized service providers for the same resources. Furthermore, the bill specifies that it does not apply to motor vehicles and includes a saving clause to protect existing contracts. The act is set to take effect on January 1, 2026, and will apply to digital products sold or leased in the state after that date.

Statutes affected:
SB0111A, AM SB 111, introduced 02/26/2025: 45.45.800, 45.45.890, 45.45.810, 45.45.820, 45.45.830, 45.45.840, 45.45.850, 45.45.860, 45.50.940, 45.45.870, 45.45.880, 45.50.471