Senate bill · S4500 (2025-26)

Enacts the consumer wheelchair repair bill of rights act

Latest action Jun 2, 2026

New York State Senate

Same as A6569, the matching bill in the Assembly.

Sponsor

State Senator, District 46 · Democratic

Summary

Enacts the "consumer wheelchair repair bill of rights act" requiring manufacturers to make available certain documentation, parts, embedded software, firmware, or tools necessary for repairing equipment; establishes a timely repair for wheelchair program; deems all wheelchair repairs needed within 5 years of initial prescription medically necessary.

Summary from NY Open Legislation. How we handle summaries

Amends the General Business Law.

From NY Open Legislation, the NY Senate and Assembly, and official rosters. This record was last updated Oct 19, 2026. About our data

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Purpose, from the sponsor's memo

To require a manufacturer to provide parts, embedded software, firmware, tools, or documentation, such as diagnostic, maintenance, or repair manuals, diagrams, or similar information, to independent repair provid- ers and owners of the manufacturer's powered wheelchairs to allow an independent repair provider or owner to conduct diagnostic, maintenance, or repair services on the owner's powered wheelchair.

Filed with the bill. Read it on nysenate.gov (opens in a new tab)

Where it stands

Passed one of the two chambers; it still needs the other.

Introduced
In committee
Up for a vote
Passed one chamber
Passed
Enacted

Committee

Consumer Affairs and Protection · New York State Assembly

Also referred to Consumer Protection · New York State Senate.

Cosponsors

Angelo Santabarbara, Charles Lavine and 16 more on Agora

Showing the cosponsors who are on Agora, A to Z. The official record may list more.

Read on NY Senate

Democratic11
Republican7

This bill has cosponsors from more than one party.

Shown in neutral colors by design; Agora is non-partisan.

Show the full list (18 names)

The sponsor's argument

Why Patricia Fahy says this is needed

The ability to receive timely repairs is critical for the autonomy and freedom of wheelchair uses with mobility-related disabilities. When a wheelchair malfunctions it can severely hinder the user's day to day life, sometimes resulting in serious health complications. Currently, an owner of a powered wheelchair must seek repair services directly from the manufacturer. As it stands, there is a constrained market for wheel- chair service and repair, with just a few large, national suppliers controlling the market. This constrained market commonly causes delays for repair of weeks or even months. In a 2022 survey done by U.S. PIRG of 141 manual and power wheelchair users, 62% of respondents estimated that the average time it takes from an initial repair request to a completed repair is 4 or more weeks, and 40% of respondents estimated that it takes on average 7 or more weeks to get a repair completed. In addition, 93% of survey respondents indicated that they needed repair service in the past year, with 77% reporting that they needed two or more repairs in the past year. These statistics show that repairs are a frequent necessity for wheel- chair users, and that when repairs are required, long wait times are the norm. This legislation, the wheelchair repair bill of rights, addresses this issue by fostering an open market for wheelchair repair and service that offers real choice and price competition to consumers. This bill follows in the footsteps of Colorado, which passed a wheelchair right- to-repair bill in 2022, and builds on the precedent of New York's Digital Fair Repair Act.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.

Recorded votes

Vote: Floor vote
NY SenateJun 2, 2026Result: passed
(61) (0) (0) (2)
Vote: Committee vote · Consumer Protection
Senate Consumer ProtectionMay 20, 2026Result: passed
(7) (0) (0) (0)
Vote: Floor vote
NY SenateJun 12, 2025Result: passed
(59) (0) (0) (4)
Vote: Committee vote · Consumer Protection
Senate Consumer ProtectionMay 19, 2025Result: passed
(6) (0) (0) (1)

Full history

Jun 2, 2026
Sent to the executive
DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY
NY Senate
Jun 2, 2026
Passed a chamber
PASSED SENATE
NY Senate
Jun 2, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND PROTECTION
NY Assembly
May 29, 2026
Amend and Recommit to Consumer Affairs and Protection
AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND PROTECTION
NY Assembly
May 28, 2026
Amended
AMENDED ON THIRD READING 4500B
NY Senate

Show full history (16 earlier events)

May 26, 2026
Advanced to Third Reading
ADVANCED TO THIRD READING
NY Senate
May 21, 2026
2ND Report CAL.
2ND REPORT CAL.
NY Senate
May 20, 2026
1ST Report CAL.1294
1ST REPORT CAL.1294
NY Senate
Jan 7, 2026
Died in Assembly
DIED IN ASSEMBLY
NY Assembly
Jan 7, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND PROTECTION
NY Assembly
Jan 7, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO CONSUMER PROTECTION
NY Senate
Jun 12, 2025
Sent to the executive
DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY
NY Senate
Jun 12, 2025
Passed a chamber
PASSED SENATE
NY Senate
Jun 12, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND PROTECTION
NY Assembly
Jun 9, 2025
Amend and Recommit to Consumer Affairs and Protection
AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND PROTECTION
NY Assembly
Jun 9, 2025
Amended
AMENDED ON THIRD READING (T) 4500A
NY Senate
May 21, 2025
Advanced to Third Reading
ADVANCED TO THIRD READING
NY Senate
May 20, 2025
2ND Report CAL.
2ND REPORT CAL.
NY Senate
May 19, 2025
1ST Report CAL.1129
1ST REPORT CAL.1129
NY Senate
Mar 6, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND PROTECTION
NY Assembly
Feb 6, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO CONSUMER PROTECTION
NY Senate