COLORADO, USA — A bill that establishes a "right to repair" in Colorado and allows farmers and ranchers the freedom to fix their farm equipment when it breaks down was signed into law Tuesday by Gov. Jared Polis.
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Right now, farmers must utilize mechanics “authorized” by the manufacturer in order to repair critical farm equipment like tractors and combines, the Colorado Senate Democrats said.
“I am proud to sign this important bipartisan legislation that saves hardworking farmers and ranchers time and money on repairs, and supports Colorado’s thriving agriculture industry," Polis said in a news release. "This is a common-sense bipartisan bill to help people avoid unnecessary delays from equipment repairs. Farmers and ranchers can lose precious weeks and months when equipment repairs are stalled due to long turnaround times by manufacturers and dealers. This bill will change that."
“Farmers have had to wait three or four weeks to get repairs done to equipment when they can do repairs themselves. That’s just unfathomable,” said Bill Midcap, whose son is a fifth-generation rancher on Colorado's eastern plains.
Lawmakers in at least 10 other states have introduced similar legislation, including in Florida, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, Texas and Vermont.
Colorado has taken the lead, but Democratic Rep. Brianna Titone, the bill's sponsor, and Dan Waldvogle, director of the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, said it's a potential launch pad for other states and even at the federal level where discussions about similar legislation are already underway.
The bill, HB23-1011, which will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2024, requires manufacturers to provide parts, software, tools, and diagnostic and maintenance manuals to independent repair providers and equipment owners.
The Senate approved the bill last month, following the House's passage in February.
“A broken tractor or combine during harvest season can be devastating, and makes an already difficult job that much harder," bill sponsor Sen. Janice Marchman (D-Loveland) said. "Farmers should be able to apply know-how and elbow grease to fix their own equipment instead of being forced to use an authorized dealer."
According to Colorado Politics, senators voted 25-8 in support of the bill. All Democrats voted "yes," while Republicans were split with three in support, eight in opposition and one excused. In the House, the bill passed 44-17, with all but one Democrat in support and all but two Republicans in opposition.
Polis on Tuesday also signed HB-1094, modifying the agricultural workforce development program.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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