Florida Senate - 2026                              CS for SB 806
       
       
        
       By the Committee on Agriculture; and Senator Truenow
       
       
       
       
       
       575-02256-26                                           2026806c1
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to consumers’ right to repair certain
    3         equipment; providing a directive to the Division of
    4         Law Revision; creating s. 559.971, F.S.; providing a
    5         short title; creating s. 559.972, F.S.; defining
    6         terms; creating s. 559.973, F.S.; requiring portable
    7         wireless device manufacturers to make certain items
    8         available to device owners and independent repair
    9         providers; prohibiting certain manufacturers from
   10         requiring authorized repair providers to continue
   11         purchasing certain information in a proprietary
   12         format; providing an exception; creating s. 559.974,
   13         F.S.; providing for enforcement; providing for
   14         damages; providing that a complaint may be filed in
   15         circuit court under certain circumstances; providing
   16         requirements for such complaint; providing that a
   17         violation is a deceptive and unfair trade practice;
   18         creating s. 559.975, F.S.; providing construction;
   19         creating s. 559.976, F.S.; providing applicability;
   20         creating s. 686.35, F.S.; defining terms; requiring
   21         original equipment manufacturers of agricultural
   22         equipment to make certain diagnostic and repair
   23         information available for no charge and in a certain
   24         manner to independent repair providers and owners;
   25         prohibiting original equipment manufacturers from
   26         excluding certain information concerning security
   27         related functions; providing construction; providing
   28         civil liability; providing an effective date.
   29          
   30  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   31  
   32         Section 1. The Division of Law Revision is directed to
   33  create part XIV of chapter 559, Florida Statutes, consisting of
   34  ss. 559.971-559.976, Florida Statutes, to be entitled “Digital
   35  Right to Repair.”
   36         Section 2. Section 559.971, Florida Statutes, is created to
   37  read:
   38         559.971Short title.—This part may be cited as the
   39  “Portable Wireless Device Repair Act.”
   40         Section 3. Section 559.972, Florida Statutes, is created to
   41  read:
   42         559.972Definitions.—As used in this act, the term:
   43         (1)“Authorized repair provider” means an individual or a
   44  business that is unaffiliated with the manufacturer and has an
   45  arrangement with the manufacturer under which the manufacturer
   46  grants to the individual or business a license to use a trade
   47  name, service mark, or other proprietary identifier for the
   48  diagnosis, maintenance, or repair of portable wireless devices
   49  under the name of the manufacturer, or any other arrangement
   50  with the manufacturer to offer services on behalf of the
   51  manufacturer. A manufacturer that offers the services of
   52  diagnosis, maintenance, or repair of portable wireless devices
   53  manufactured by the manufacturer or on the manufacturer’s
   54  behalf, or sold or otherwise supplied by the manufacturer, and
   55  that does not do so exclusively through one or more arrangements
   56  as described in this subsection with an unaffiliated individual
   57  or business, is deemed to be an authorized repair provider of
   58  portable wireless devices.
   59         (2)“Documentation” means a manual, a diagram, a reporting
   60  output, a service code description, a schematic, a security code
   61  or a password, or any other information used in the diagnosis,
   62  maintenance, or repair of portable wireless devices.
   63         (3)“Fair and reasonable terms,” for purposes of obtaining
   64  a part, a tool, or documentation, means costs and terms that are
   65  equivalent to the most favorable costs and terms under which the
   66  manufacturer offers the part, tool, or documentation to an
   67  authorized repair provider, accounting for any discount, rebate,
   68  convenient and timely means of delivery, means of enabling fully
   69  restored and updated functionality, rights of use, or other
   70  incentive or preference that the manufacturer offers to an
   71  authorized repair provider or any additional cost, burden, or
   72  impediment that the manufacturer imposes on an owner or
   73  independent repair provider. For documentation, including any
   74  relevant updates, the term also means at no charge, except that,
   75  when the documentation is requested in print form, a charge may
   76  be included for the reasonable actual costs of preparing and
   77  mailing the documentation.
   78         (4)“Independent repair provider” means an individual or a
   79  business that does not have an arrangement with a manufacturer
   80  as an authorized repair provider and that is not affiliated with
   81  any other individual or business that has such an arrangement
   82  with the manufacturer when that individual or business
   83  diagnoses, maintains, or repairs portable wireless devices. The
   84  term includes a manufacturer or an independent repair provider
   85  that diagnoses, maintains, or repairs portable wireless devices
   86  that are not manufactured by or on behalf of, or sold or
   87  otherwise supplied by, the manufacturer.
   88         (5)“Manufacturer” means an individual or a business that
   89  sells, leases, or otherwise supplies new portable wireless
   90  devices, or parts of new portable wireless devices, manufactured
   91  by or on behalf of the individual or business to another
   92  individual or business.
   93         (6)“Owner” means an individual or a business that lawfully
   94  acquires a portable wireless device purchased or used in this
   95  state.
   96         (7)“Part” means any replacement component made available
   97  by or to a manufacturer for the purpose of maintaining or
   98  repairing portable wireless devices manufactured by or on behalf
   99  of, sold by, or otherwise supplied by the manufacturer.
  100         (8)“Portable wireless device” means a product that
  101  includes a battery, microphone, speaker, and display designed to
  102  send and receive transmissions through a cellular radio-
  103  telephone service. The term does not include a motor vehicle or
  104  any product or service manufactured or sold by a motor vehicle
  105  manufacturer or motor vehicle dealer.
  106         (9)“Tool” means any software program, hardware implement,
  107  or other apparatus used for diagnosing, maintaining, or
  108  repairing portable wireless devices, including software or other
  109  mechanisms that program or repair a part, calibrate
  110  functionality, or perform any other function required to bring
  111  portable wireless devices back to fully functional condition.
  112         (10)“Trade secret” has the same meaning as in s. 688.002.
  113         Section 4. Section 559.973, Florida Statutes, is created to
  114  read:
  115         559.973Requirements.—
  116         (1)A manufacturer must make available to an owner of a
  117  portable wireless device and to an independent repair provider
  118  of such device, on fair and reasonable terms, documentation,
  119  parts, and tools, inclusive of any updates, for diagnosing,
  120  maintaining, or repairing such device. This subsection does not
  121  require a manufacturer to provide a part that is no longer
  122  available to the manufacturer.
  123         (2)A manufacturer that sells diagnostic, service, or
  124  repair information to an independent repair provider or any
  125  other third-party provider in a format that is standardized with
  126  other manufacturers, and in a manner and on terms and conditions
  127  more favorable than the manner and terms and conditions pursuant
  128  to which an authorized repair provider obtains the same
  129  diagnostic, service, or repair information, may not require an
  130  authorized repair provider to continue purchasing diagnostic,
  131  service, or repair information in a proprietary format, unless
  132  such proprietary format includes diagnostic, service, repair, or
  133  dealership operations information or functionality that is not
  134  available in such standardized format.
  135         Section 5. Section 559.974, Florida Statutes, is created to
  136  read:
  137         559.974Enforcement.—
  138         (1)(a)An independent repair provider or owner who believes
  139  that a manufacturer has failed to provide documentation, parts,
  140  or tools for diagnosing, maintaining, or repairing a portable
  141  wireless device as required by this part must notify the
  142  manufacturer in writing and give the manufacturer 30 days
  143  following receipt of notice to cure the failure. If the
  144  manufacturer responds to the notice and cures the failure within
  145  the cure period, damages are limited to actual damages in any
  146  subsequent litigation.
  147         (b)If a manufacturer fails to respond to the notice
  148  provided under paragraph (a), or if an independent repair
  149  provider or owner is not satisfied with the manufacturer’s cure,
  150  the independent repair provider or owner may file a complaint in
  151  the circuit court of the county in which the independent repair
  152  provider has his, her, or its principal place of business or in
  153  which the owner resides. The complaint must include the
  154  following:
  155         1.Written information confirming that the independent
  156  repair provider or owner has attempted to acquire and use,
  157  through the then-available standard support function provided by
  158  the manufacturer, relevant documentation, parts, and tools,
  159  including communicating with customer assistance.
  160         2.Evidence of manufacturer notification as required by
  161  paragraph (a).
  162         (2)In addition to the remedy provided under subsection
  163  (1), a violation of this part is a deceptive and unfair trade
  164  practice under the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices
  165  Act. All remedies, penalties, and authority granted to the
  166  enforcing authority by that act are available for the
  167  enforcement of this part.
  168         Section 6. Section 559.975, Florida Statutes, is created to
  169  read:
  170         559.975Limitations.—
  171         (1)This part does not require a manufacturer to divulge a
  172  trade secret, except as necessary to provide documentation,
  173  parts, and tools on fair and reasonable terms.
  174         (2)This part does not require a manufacturer or an
  175  authorized repair provider to provide an owner or independent
  176  repair provider access to nondiagnostic and nonrepair
  177  information provided by a manufacturer to an authorized repair
  178  provider.
  179         Section 7. Section 559.976, Florida Statutes, is created to
  180  read:
  181         559.976Applicability.—
  182         (1)This part applies to portable wireless devices sold or
  183  in use on or after July 1, 2026.
  184         (2)This part does not apply to portable wireless devices
  185  approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration,
  186  security or life-safety systems and devices, or manufacturers of
  187  security or life-safety systems and devices.
  188         Section 8. Section 686.35, Florida Statutes, is created to
  189  read:
  190         686.35Agricultural Equipment Fair Repair Act.—
  191         (1)As used in this section, the term:
  192         (a)“Authorized repair provider” means an individual or
  193  entity that has an arrangement for a definite or indefinite
  194  period in which an original equipment manufacturer grants to a
  195  separate individual or entity a license to use a trade name,
  196  service mark, or related characteristic for the purpose of
  197  offering repair services under the name of the original
  198  equipment manufacturer.
  199         (b)“Embedded software” means any programmable instructions
  200  provided on firmware delivered with equipment for the purpose of
  201  equipment operation, including all relevant patches and fixes
  202  made by the original equipment manufacturer for this purpose.
  203  The term includes, but is not limited to, a basic internal
  204  operating system, an internal operating system, a machine code,
  205  an assembly code, a robot code, or a microcode.
  206         (c)“Equipment” means digital electronic equipment, or a
  207  part for such equipment, which is originally manufactured for
  208  agricultural equipment, including combines, tractors,
  209  implements, self-propelled equipment, and related attachments
  210  and implements, and which is manufactured for distribution and
  211  sale in this state.
  212         (d)“Fair and reasonable terms” means an equitable price in
  213  light of relevant factors, including, but not limited to:
  214         1.The net cost to the authorized repair provider for
  215  similar information obtained from an original equipment
  216  manufacturer, excluding any applicable discount, rebate, or
  217  other incentive program;
  218         2.The cost to the original equipment manufacturer for
  219  preparing and distributing the information, excluding any
  220  research and development costs incurred in designing and
  221  implementing, upgrading, or altering the product, but including
  222  amortized capital costs for the preparation and distribution of
  223  the information;
  224         3.The price charged by other original equipment
  225  manufacturers for similar information;
  226         4.The price charged by original equipment manufacturers
  227  for similar information before the launch of original equipment
  228  manufacturer websites;
  229         5.The ability of aftermarket technicians or shops to
  230  afford the information;
  231         6.The means by which the information is distributed;
  232         7.The extent to which the information is used, including
  233  the number of users and the frequency, duration, and volume of
  234  use; and
  235         8.Inflation.
  236         (e)“Firmware” means a software program or set of
  237  instructions programmed on a hardware device to allow the device
  238  to communicate with other computer hardware.
  239         (f)“Independent repair provider” means a person or
  240  business operating in this state which is not affiliated with an
  241  original equipment manufacturer or an original equipment
  242  manufacturer’s authorized repair provider and which is engaged
  243  in the diagnosis, service, maintenance, or repair of equipment.
  244  However, an original equipment manufacturer meets the definition
  245  of an independent repair provider if such original equipment
  246  manufacturer engages in the diagnosis, service, maintenance, or
  247  repair of equipment that is not affiliated with the original
  248  equipment manufacturer.
  249         (g)“Original equipment manufacturer” means a person or
  250  business that, in the ordinary course of business, is engaged in
  251  the selling or leasing of new equipment to a person or business
  252  and is engaged in the diagnosis, service, maintenance, or repair
  253  of such equipment.
  254         (h)“Owner” means a person or business that owns or leases
  255  a digital electronic product purchased or used in this state.
  256         (i)“Part” means a replacement part, either new or used,
  257  which the original equipment manufacturer makes available to the
  258  authorized repair provider for the purpose of effecting repair.
  259         (j)“Trade secret” means anything, whether tangible or
  260  intangible, electronically stored or kept, which constitutes,
  261  represents, evidences, or records intellectual property,
  262  including secret or confidentially held designs, processes,
  263  procedures, formulas, inventions, or improvements or secret or
  264  confidentially held scientific, technical, merchandising,
  265  production, financial, business, or management information. The
  266  term also includes any other trade secret as defined in 18
  267  U.S.C. s. 1839.
  268         (2)For equipment sold and used in this state, the original
  269  equipment manufacturer shall make available diagnostic and
  270  repair information, including repair technical updates and
  271  corrections to embedded software, to any independent repair
  272  provider or owner of equipment manufactured by such original
  273  equipment manufacturer. The information must be made available
  274  for no charge or must be provided in the same manner as the
  275  original equipment manufacturer makes such diagnostic and repair
  276  information available to an authorized repair provider.
  277  Thereafter, the original equipment manufacturer is not
  278  responsible for the content and functionality of such
  279  aftermarket diagnostic tools, diagnostics, or service
  280  information systems.
  281         (3)Original equipment manufactured by the original
  282  equipment manufacturer which is sold or used in this state to
  283  provide security-related functions may not exclude from
  284  information provided to an owner or an independent repair
  285  provider any diagnostic, service, and repair information
  286  necessary to reset a security-related electronic function. If
  287  such information is excluded under this section, the information
  288  necessary to reset an immobilizer system or a security-related
  289  electronic module must be obtainable by an owner or an
  290  independent repair provider through the appropriate secure data
  291  release system.
  292         (4)This section may not be construed to do any of the
  293  following:
  294         (a)Require an original equipment manufacturer to divulge a
  295  trade secret.
  296         (b)Abrogate, interfere with, contradict, or alter the
  297  terms of an agreement executed and in force between an
  298  authorized repair provider and an original equipment
  299  manufacturer, including, but not limited to, the performance or
  300  provision of warranty or recall repair work by an authorized
  301  repair provider on behalf of an original equipment manufacturer
  302  pursuant to such authorized repair agreement, except that any
  303  provision in such an authorized repair agreement which purports
  304  to waive, avoid, restrict, or limit an original equipment
  305  manufacturer’s compliance with this section is void and
  306  unenforceable.
  307         (c)Require original equipment manufacturers or authorized
  308  repair providers to provide an owner or an independent repair
  309  provider access to nondiagnostic and nonrepair information
  310  provided by an original equipment manufacturer to an authorized
  311  repair provider pursuant to the terms of an authorized repair
  312  agreement.
  313         (5)An original equipment manufacturer found in violation
  314  of this section is liable for a civil penalty of not more than
  315  $500 for each violation.
  316         Section 9. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.