Sponsor Statement for HB 451

Warranties for Assistive Technology and Mobility Aids

HB 451 establishes an express warranty for technology designed to assist physically disabled persons. Under the terms of the bill, if a consumer reports a nonconformity to a manufacturer within a year of delivery, the manufacturer must repair or replace the equipment, or offer a refund of the purchase price.

Assistive technology and mobility aids for the physically disabled are not covered by "lemon laws" and consumer protection statutes in title 45. The automobile lemon law in chapter 45 makes no mention of wheel chairs. Similarly, the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Act, found in chapter 50, makes no mention of assistive equipment. Yet, 11 states have passed such laws, and others are considering doing so.

Non-working assistive equipment can be not only inconvenient, but dangerous. Many of us have experienced the frustration of dealing with a non-responsive salesperson far from Alaska; imagine doing so without the benefit of the equipment you depend upon to communicate, or get around. When people lose their mobility, or ability to communicate, they may not be aware of, or may not be able to remove themselves from, dangerous situations. Assistive technology allows the physically disabled to operate in a manner most of us take for granted.

I ask for your support in enacting a law that affords basic protection to a group of consumers who already face obstacles unimagined by most of us.