NYT: Want a McFlurry? Call your state legislator.
When the ice cream machines stop working at McDonald’s, they set off particularly strong emotions in disappointed customers.Credit...
In New York State, a bill known as the “Digital Fair Repair Act” would require manufacturers to make their diagnostic and repair information available to independent repair technicians and customers.
Since 2021, 25 states have introduced similar bills, but the legislation in New York has gained more traction, said State Senator Kevin Thomas, a prime sponsor of the bill whose district includes parts of Nassau County.
The legislation was passed by the State Senate last year, he said, making it the first of its kind to clear a legislative chamber. It was stalled in the Assembly, Mr. Thomas said.
He said that there had been strong lobbying by manufacturers against the bill, but that he was hopeful that consumer demands would overtake that resistance.
“For a faster McFlurry,” Mr. Thomas said, “you must pass this bill.”