© 2026 Improve the News Foundation.
All rights reserved.
Version 7.2.2
This is a corporate giveaway dressed up as a security measure, with Cisco and IBM deliberately pushing vague "critical infrastructure" language to exempt nearly any IT equipment from Colorado's repair laws. Colorado built the strongest right-to-repair framework in the country, and gutting it hands manufacturers a ready-made template to kill repair rights nationwide. Restricting rights doesn't make critical systems safer, but more dependent on monopolized service contracts.
Not all products deserve the same right-to-repair treatment, as complex, high-stakes technology requires trained hands and controlled access to function safely. Manufacturers invest heavily in proprietary tools and software, and forcing them to hand that over to unlicensed third parties creates real risks that go beyond ideology. Smart policy draws clear distinctions between a consumer gadget and mission-critical infrastructure rather than applying a one-size-fits-all repair mandate.