This week, a Right to Repair bill specific to agricultural equipment was introduced. House Bill 4362 sponsored by Representative Brent Money (R-Greenville) was filed and has not been assigned to a committee yet. The bill is being introduced somewhat late in the session.
The bill contains many of the problematic provisions we typically see in Right to Repair bills. The bill forces manufacturers to provide parts and tools to owners and independent repair shops at the lowest cost they provide them to authorized dealers. While the bill specifically states that authorized dealers are not required to sell at cost, the bill would still have the effect of turning our suppliers into our competitors and jeopardize investment in parts inventory. The bill also contains language we’ve seen in other jurisdictions this year that prohibits the manufacturer from requiring an internet connection to use software tools, which nobody has yet to make sense of.
