HB261 Summary

• Creates the Alabama Consumer Repair Bill of Rights Act requiring agricultural equipment manufacturers to provide documentation, parts, software, and tools to owners and independent repair providers at fair and reasonable costs and terms.

• Prohibits manufacturers from requiring parts or software to be registered, paired with, or approved by the manufacturer before operation, and prevents mandatory conditions that owners become authorized repair providers.

• Allows manufacturers to withhold trade secrets but prohibits refusing access to necessary repair documentation, parts, or software on grounds that the items themselves are trade secrets.

• Shields manufacturers and equipment dealers from liability for faulty repairs performed by owners or independent repair providers, and protects manufacturers that share data from liability for how that data is used.

• Takes effect October 1, 2024, and automatically repeals if the United States Congress enacts federal legislation establishing a right to repair for boating and agricultural equipment.