Your Right to Repair
What to know: Texas’ “Right to Repair” bill has been signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott.
The TPPF take: The new law establishes a Right to Repair for consumers who purchase personal electronic equipment across the state.
“When Texans buy a product, they should truly own it, including the right to repair it,” said TPPF’s Greyson Gee. “HB 2963 restores the balance between manufacturers’ intellectual property rights and individual property rights and equips Texans with the tools and parts necessary to repair the property they own.”
For more on Right to Repair, click here.
Shrinking Support for Subsidies
What to know: Public support for renewable energy subsidies—including offshore wind—is dropping, the AP reports.
The TPPF take: Those subsidies have made energy more expensive, not less.
“Policymakers, energy market participants, and voters must wake up to the fact that the primary results of energy subsidies have been the distortion of energy markets,” says TPPF’s Brent Bennett. “We should stop repeating the mistakes of the past and eliminate all state and federal energy subsidies so that energy markets can do what they have done well for decades, namely, creating wealth and environmental quality for billions of people around the world.”
For more on energy subsidies, click here.
Cell Phones in Schools
What to know: Oregon has become the latest state to ban cell phones in public school classrooms.
The TPPF take: The widespread use of personal devices—including smartphones, smartwatches, tablets, laptops, and gaming devices—has become a significant challenge in schools.
“While technology plays an essential role in education, personal devices often serve as a distraction rather than a learning tool,” says TPPF’s David Dunmoyer. “Studies indicate that students check their phones more than 100 times per day on average, reducing their ability to focus on classroom instruction.”
For more on cell phones in classrooms, click here.