Washington Bill Would Make it Illegal to Sell Electronics That Don’t Have Easily Replaceable Batteries

[Jim K 14,465]

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A bill that would make it easier to fix your electronics is rapidly hurtling through the Washington state legislature. The bill’s ascent is fueled by Apple’s iPhone-throttling controversy, which has placed a renewed focus on the fact that our electronics have become increasingly difficult to repair.

 

“It was introduced before [the throttling] news broke, but that’s become something constituents and legislators have sunk their teeth into,” Jeff Morris, a Washington representative who introduced the bill told me on the phone. “They can say ‘this is what we’re talking about’ and point to this as the type of thing that is accelerating the demise of their technology so they have to buy the next model.”

 

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The bill is cosponsored by 11 other representatives across the political spectrum and Thursday was moved out of Morris’s Committee on Technology & Economic Development, an important step toward passage that puts it ahead of bills introduced in many other states. If passed in Washington, information and parts made available there would likely filter out to the rest of the United States.

 

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Unsurprisingly, tech companies have lined up to oppose the pro-consumer bill.

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Full article at Motherboard

HB 2279 - 2017-18 (the Washington bill)

 

If this does pass ... and other states (or the Federal government) pass similar legislation... it's gonna be interesting.

[+warwagon 13,519]

 

There was an Asus laptop I worked on recently that had a non-removable battery. It wasn't a thin one either, so there was no reason not to have a removable battery other than asus just being an ######. It wouldn't turn on and was a white power light on and holding the power button down for 10 seconds wouldn't kill the power. There was also no pinhole on the back or no hotkey on the keyboard. Upon searching the manual couldn't find any way to kill power other than taking it apart and unplugging it from the motherboard.  To make it worse, the palm rest had to come off to get to the battery and the battery didn't disconnect via a connector on the motherboard or lift out from the battery connector, the motherboard had to be removed and pulled out of the battery connector. Then the light went out. Once reassembled it turned on just fine.

[FloatingFatMan 19,492]

As much as I don't think this will go anywhere, this sort of legislation NEEDS to happen, worldwide.  I'm sick and tired of throwaway electronics... It's going to seriously bite us in the ass eventually. Electronic waste is a major problem...