SIA supports major wins on state right to repair policies

SILVER SPRING, Md.—The Security Industry Association (SIA) announced its support for new measures recently signed into law in Washington and Oregon that ensure security manufacturers will not be required to disclose sensitive technical information regarding their products.

These right to repair laws protect the integrity of security and life safety systems and the lives of those who depend on them, the association noted.

On May 22, 2025, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek signed into law SB 959, which added an exemption omitted in the state’s right to repair measure applicable to consumer and household electronics enacted in 2024, as part of a larger measure expanding the state’s definition of “burglary tools” to include Wi-Fi or signal jammers. This makes it illegal under state law to possess a Wi-Fi jammer with the intent of using it against an alarm system to disable it, further disincentivizing bad actors from using these devices due to the additional charges against them.

SB 959’s right to repair provision exempts from the 2024 law “An alarm system that consists of an assembly of software, equipment, wiring or devices that is installed and arranged for the purpose of detecting and signaling a physical hazard or a condition or situation that differs substantially from a specified norm.”

George Sewell, SIA manager of government relations, noted that the association supported SB 959 as part of an industry coalition advocating for its enactment.

On May 19, Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson signed into law HB 1483. Applicable generally to consumer and household electronic products, the measure requires manufacturers to provide those claiming to be independent repair providers or owners with access to parts, tools and extensive documentation.

However, the new law contains significant security protections by ensuring it does not apply to a “Life safety system, fire alarm system, or intrusion detection device, including its components, that is provided or configured to be provided with a security monitoring service; and physical access control equipment, including electronic keypads and similar building access control electronics.”

Sewell explained that SIA has been fighting to ensure similar exclusions in any right to repair legislation. “The integrity of security and life safety systems and the lives of those who depend on them would be unnecessarily put at risk if manufacturers are forced to make sensitive technical information and other means of compromising security systems broadly available,” he stated.

If such requirements become applicable in just one state, such information will eventually circulate globally. SIA was instrumental in securing such security and life safety exemptions in the first state right to repair measures enacted in California and New York. This trend now continues across the six states with such laws in place.

“We acknowledge the importance of providing consumers with greater access to repair options for personal electronic devices, finding effective ways to extend the electronics and reducing electronic waste; however, policymakers have fortunately acknowledged that, far beyond fixing broken smartphones, right to repair legislation has the potential to create real risks if applied too broadly,” Sewell pointed out.

SIA will continue to work with industry leaders, allied organizations and policymakers across the country to ensure such legislation adequately protects security and life safety systems.