Texas Protected the Right to Repair Electronics. Drivers Deserve the Same Freedom.

This September, a new Texas law takes effect that recognizes a commonsense principle: when people own a product, they should have access to the information and tools needed to repair it. The law requires manufacturers of consumer electronics to make the parts, tools, and documentation needed to repair devices like smartphones, laptops, and tablets more readily available. Governor Greg Abbott signed the legislation last year, making Texas the first Republican-led state to enact a statewide right-to-repair law.

But the products Texans rely on most every day were left out.

Whether it's a pickup truck on a ranch, a work van serving customers across town, or a family SUV getting kids to school, today's vehicles have become rolling computers. Modern repairs rely on software, diagnostic systems, and vehicle data just as much as they depend on engines, transmissions, and replacement parts. That presents a growing challenge for the independent automotive aftermarket, from the suppliers that provide replacement parts to the repair shops that install them.

Today's aftermarket suppliers manufacture the parts that keep modern vehicles running, but doing that requires access to diagnostic information and technical vehicle data. Without that information, independent repair shops have fewer options to serve their customers, competition suffers, and drivers are left with fewer choices when it's time to repair their vehicles.

That matters in Texas more than almost anywhere else. Texas exported more than $25 billion in motor vehicles and automotive parts last year, and the auto industry as a whole contributes $109 billion to the state's economy, supporting roughly one in twenty-five Texas jobs. In a state where so much of the economy depends on a strong automotive aftermarket, barriers to repair information don't just affect individual businesses. They affect competition, consumer choice, and the health of one of Texas's most important industries.

Congress now has an opportunity to strengthen competition throughout the independent automotive aftermarket. Congressman Neal Dunn’s REPAIR Act would ensure vehicle owners and the independent repair professionals they choose have access to the diagnostic information, software, and tools needed to service modern vehicles. It would also help ensure aftermarket suppliers can provide the replacement parts that independent repair shops and drivers rely on. It doesn't dictate where consumers repair their vehicles, require the use of specific parts, or give anyone special treatment. It simply ensures competition is driven by innovation, price, service, and quality—not access to information.

Texas has already recognized that expanding access to repair information benefits consumers, supports local businesses, and strengthens competition. Senator Ted Cruz, who chairs the key committee to pass the bill, Senate Commerce Committee, should make sure Congress finishes the job. Passing the REPAIR Act would give Texans the freedom to choose who repairs the vehicles that get them to work, school, and everywhere in between.