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S 6438

Promotes consumer choice by requiring manufacturers of digital electronic equipment to provide retail sellers with a one through ten repair score that will be displayed to consumers at point of sale

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Leroy Comrie and 2 co-sponsors

Requires digital electronics makers to provide retailers a 1–10 repairability score, which must be shown to buyers at point of sale to boost repairability transparency.

ADVANCED TO THIRD READING
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · S 6438

Summary of S.6438A – Repair Score Transparency for Digital Electronics

Overview

S.6438A, introduced March 13, 2025, titled Promotes consumer choice by requiring manufacturers of digital electronic equipment to provide retail sellers with a one through ten repair score that will be displayed to consumers at point of sale. The bill is currently in the amendment/recommit stage as PRINT NUMBER 6438A, with amended language advancing through the Consumer Protection committee process.

  • Primary sponsor: Leroy Comrie
  • Cosponsor: Patricia Fahy
  • Related bills: S 8332 (prior-session); A 3058 (companion)

What the bill would do

  • Require manufacturers of digital electronic equipment to furnish retail sellers with a repairability score for each product.
  • The score would be on a 1–10 scale and must be displayed to consumers at the point of sale.

This bill focuses on increasing transparency around repairability and explicitly ties consumer information to purchasing decisions at the retail level.

Key provisions (as indicated by the bill’s purpose)

  • Repair score: A numeric 1–10 score to indicate how repairable or serviceable a digital electronic device is.
  • Information flow: Manufacturers must provide this score data to retail sellers, who in turn present it to shoppers.
  • Display at sale: The score must be shown to consumers in the sale environment, presumably near the product or at checkout.

Note: The available information does not specify the scoring methodology, criteria, update frequency, enforcement mechanisms, or penalties for noncompliance.

Who would be affected

  • Manufacturers of digital electronic equipment: Responsible for generating and supplying the repair score data to retailers.
  • Retail sellers: Required to display the repair score to consumers at the point of sale.
  • Consumers: Benefit from increased price- and product-information transparency regarding repairability.
  • Potentially repair service ecosystems and parts suppliers, depending on how manufacturers implement scoring criteria.

Legislative history and status

  • 2025-03-13: Referred to Consumer Protection
  • 2025-05-27: Amended and Recommitted to Consumer Protection; Print Number 6438A
  • Current status: Print Number 6438A (amended version of the bill)

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Positive: Promotes informed purchasing decisions, incentivizes manufacturers to improve repairability, and enhances transparency for consumers.
  • Operational considerations: Manufacturers and retailers would incur compliance costs and logistics to generate, convey, and display the score; clarity on scoring methodology and enforcement would be important for effective implementation.
  • Policy alignment: Related to consumer protection and right-to-repair objectives, aligning with broader trends toward sustainable electronics and extended product lifecycles.

Next steps

Monitor committee action on the amended 6438A version and any floor votes. Review the final scoring criteria, enforcement provisions, and any companion/budget implications as they are released in subsequent bill text.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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