Intern Bailey Davis briefs committee on right-to-repair proposals for medical devices; members request state comparisons

Bailey Davis, introduced herself to the committee as a committee intern from Norwich University and presented on right-to-repair rules for medical devices during the March 27 meeting of the Brevard House Committee on Commerce & Economic Development.

Davis said the central feature of the medical-device right-to-repair concept is requiring equipment manufacturers to provide hospitals and independent technicians the same service documentation, replacement parts and diagnostic tools that manufacturers supply to their own service staff. She described the problem most commonly as a "software lock" or security bypass, where devices detect non-OEM parts and disable certain features, limiting third-party repairs.

Davis cited Vermont bill H 1 60 as the subject-matter example being examined and described a patchwork of state approaches. She said a 2020 federal bill that inspired many state proposals did not pass, and that Colorado enacted a package in 2022 targeting powered wheelchairs (HB 22). Davis also pointed to California and Maryland measures addressing powered wheelchairs and said Minnesota’s broader right-to-repair framework is often regarded as the "gold standard" for including multiple key criteria. She said Maine is drafting language that would require manufacturers to supply parts and repair information for devices that affect mobility or are otherwise critical to users.

Committee members pressed Davis for specifics on how Colorado’s law is written and whether medical devices are explicitly exempted or included in that state’s consumer-oriented right-to-repair bills. Davis said she would follow up with staff to confirm Colorado’s exemptions, whether any lawsuits have been filed since Colorado’s Jan. 1 effective date, and whether Minnesota planned updates to exclusions in 2026.

Members discussed real-world examples where repair restrictions have tangible consequences — notably motorized wheelchairs — and asked Davis to look for implementation data, including any litigation that would help the committee understand likely effects here. No formal action was taken; the presentation served to inform the committee’s forthcoming review of bills, including H 1 60 and other related proposals.

The committee thanked Davis and asked staff to track state-level follow-ups and provide additional research ahead of future hearings.