Busted iPhone? This new California law makes it easier to get it repaired.

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NEWSOM SIGNS ‘RIGHT TO REPAIR’ ACT

Got a busted iPhone and can’t make it to the nearest Apple Store?

Soon, any repair shop in California will be able to take it in, as Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday signed SB 244, the “Right to Repair Act,” into law.

Speaking of Apple, the tech giant had been one of the main opponents of the legislation in years past. But it reversed course and threw its endorsement behind the bill, which was authored by Sen. Susan Eggman, D-Stockton, and sponsored by CALPIRG, Californians Against Waste and iFixit.

Apple’s change of heart came about as other states, including Colorado, Minnesota and New York passed similar “Right to Repair” laws.

In a statement, Eggman expressed her gratitude to groups that had advocated for the law, which requires electronics manufacturers to provide access to the parts, tools and information needed to repair them.

“This is a common sense bill that will help small repair shops, give choice to consumers, and protect the environment,” Eggman said.

Jenn Engstrom of CALPIRG said in a statement that “right now, we mine the planet’s precious minerals, use them to make amazing phones and other electronics, ship these products across the world, and then toss them away after just a few years’ use. What a waste.”

Under the new law, which goes into effect in July 2024, Californians will be able to repair those phones instead of throwing them away.

NEWSOM ALSO SIGNS THE DATA DELETION BILL INTO LAW

Newsom on Tuesday also signed SB 362, giving Californians greater ability to have their personal information deleted by data brokers who collect and sell it.

The tech industry lobbied hard against the bill, arguing in a letter to lawmakers that “without data, companies would not be able to deliver critically important products and services consumers benefit from today, sometimes without even being aware of how this data supports their safety and enjoyment of everyday life.”

The bill, dubbed the “Delete Act,” strengthens the California Consumer Privacy Act by requiring data brokers to register with the California Privacy Protection Agency and create a “one-stop shop” by January 2026 where Californians can easily go to have their data deleted, free of charge. Data brokers that fail to adhere to the law will be subject to civil penalties and administrative fines.

“Data brokers possess thousands of data points on each and every one of us, and they currently have the ability to use this data related to reproductive healthcare, geolocation, and purchasing data to sell it to the highest bidder,” bill author Sen. Josh Becker, D-Menlo Park, said in a statement after the bill passed out of the Legislature.

WAHAB RESPONDS TO NEWSOM SB 403 VETO

Days after Newsom vetoed a bill to add caste to the list of statuses protected against discrimination, SB 403’s author Sen. Aisha Wahab, D-Hayward, broke her silence.

“The question of whether our laws are sufficient to account for incidents of caste discrimination is what prompted this legislation in the first place; through this process, we shined a light on a long-hidden form of discrimination that persists across multiple communities in California,” Wahab said in a statement provided to The Bee.

The bill had the support of many Californians in the South Asian community, but received pushback from others who claimed that it amounted to “reverse discrimination.”

In his veto statement, Newsom argued that California anti-discrimination law already protects people who face caste-based discrimination and that the civil rights protections “should be liberally construed.”

“Because discrimination based on caste is already prohibited under these existing categories, this bill is unnecessary,” Newsom said.

Wahab said laws “need to be more explicit especially in times when we see civil rights being eroded across the country. We cannot take anything for granted.”

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Gavin Newsom just vetoed when your dog rests its head on a favorite toy in a cute way.”

- Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings, via Bluesky.

Best of The Bee:

• The layoffs at Capital Public Radio were bad enough — then emerged a series of devastating blows detailing financial peril. And, at the center, remained employees battered by the turmoil, via Ishani Desai.

• Yes, gasoline prices in California — which have been nearly a dollar per gallon higher than in any other state — should come down soon and fast, via David Lightman.

• It’s that time of year again when we turn back our clocks one hour and mutter to ourselves — “Didn’t we vote to stop this?” Daylight saving time is ending on Sunday, Nov. 5, and despite widespread support in California to end the biannual time change, clocks still need to be adjusted, via Hanh Truong.

• Baseball great Steve Garvey announced Tuesday that he is running as a Republican to be the next senator from California. He enters a crowded race currently dominated by Democratic Reps. Adam Schiff, Katie Porter and Barbara Lee, via Andrew Sheeler.