House Bill 3617 would have required manufacturers of machinery like tractors and combines to make parts or tools needed for diagnosing, maintaining and repairing available to equipment owners and independent repairers.
Rep. Mark Lawson, R-Sapulpa, and Sen. Casey Murdock, R-Felt, authored the measure. In an interview with KOSU, Lawson said many farmers and ranchers were supportive of the bill.
The measure made it past the House of Representatives Energy and Natural Resources Oversight Committee, and then the House Agriculture Committee with strong support from lawmakers.
But it didn't make it to the House floor before a key deadline last week.
American Farmers & Ranchers Cooperative, which is also the Oklahoma Farmers Union, supports right-to-repair efforts. In a social media post, officials with the union expressed their gratitude with the bill's authors.
"The bill was held up by house leadership due to an onslaught of pressure from agriculture equipment manufacturers and was not allowed to receive consideration by the full House where it enjoyed significant support," official wrote.
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