The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) recently provided comments to the legislatures in Oregon and Massachusetts on state bills proposing to require broader access to equipment manufacturer repair/diagnostic software and information.

OPEI continues to stress the concerns of member OEMs that such laws are not necessary as consumer needs are already being met, and more importantly, broadened access to such tools could increase the risks that products are improperly repaired/modified in ways which impair or disable critical safety and emission controls. OPEI has worked with allied industries to address these concerns in some 20 states considering the same legislation this year.