The Consumer Right to Repair Agriculture Equipment Act passed 46-14 in Colorado's Senate late on Tuesday, after winning approval in the state House of Representatives in February.
The bill garnered bipartisan support as farmers grew increasingly frustrated with costly repairs and inflated input prices denting their profits.
Colorado Governor Jared Polis has 10 days to sign the bill into law and he is expected to do so, according to a spokesperson.
Colorado's legislation would mandate that farm machinery manufacturers like Deere and rival CNH Industrial (CNHI.MI) provide farmers with diagnostic tools, software documents, and repair manuals starting Jan 1.
A spokesperson for Deere & Co responded to the passage of the bill, saying that it supports farmers right to repair but believes that the legislation is "unnecessary and will carry unintended consequences.".
State lawmakers are pushing right to repair legislation even though Deere and CNH signed a memorandum of understanding with the American Farm Bureau Federation to allow farmers to fix their equipment, or go to a third-party repair shop.
The agreement does not give farmers total access for repairs, said Kevin O'Reilly, director for the campaign of right to repair at the U.S. Public Interest Research Group. »
