Delaware State Rep. Introduces HB 279 Right to Repair

(DOVER, Del) – A Sussex County Representative is introducing a bill to help boaters potentially make repairs at a faster rate.

Delaware legislators introduced a bipartisan bill, HB 279.

It’s known as the Marine Equipment Right to Repair Act. The new bill would require boat manufacturers to provide access to tools, parts and software needed to perform repairs.

The bill is co-sponsored by 41st District Representative, Rich Collins and State Senator, Russell Huxtable.

Collins believes some people are being priced off the water.

Representative Collins tells WMDT, “I think, the average person, frankly, is being excluded from boating in today’s world because everything about it is getting so incredibly expensive. And I really believe this computerization and the cost of repair is a big part of that…”

Collins cites a similar bill brought up involving the right to repair for agricultural equipment a few years earlier.
He says that boaters shouldn’t potentially lose time when they could be waiting weeks for a proper repair.

“So it is very, very common to, in the best of conditions, to lose a large portion of the summer if your boat breaks down in the summer. So the more options that a person has to repair their own boat, the better, the more chance you’re going to get it repaired,” says Collins.

The bill is currently pending action in Delaware’s House Transportation Committee.