The Committee on Emergency Management advances a measure that would place a new duty on the State Fire Marshal, in consultation with the Office of Emergency Services, to develop fire prevention, response, and recovery measures for utility-grade lithium-ion battery storage facilities. The measures would address health and safety considerations for emergency services personnel and establish best practices for owners and operators to share timely and accurate incident information with local emergency managers and public safety agencies. The bill does not specify enforcement mechanisms or provide funding, and it does not set a deadline for developing or implementing the measures.
The proposal directs the measures to be developed through collaboration between the State Fire Marshal and the Office of Emergency Services and to cover fire prevention, response, and recovery for the specified facilities. The measures must include (a) best practices for the health and safety of emergency personnel and (b) best practices for information-sharing between facility operators and local emergency managers/public safety agencies. The bill uses the term “best practices” without defining terms such as “utility grade” or “lithium-ion battery storage facility,” and it does not indicate whether these measures would function as guidance or mandatory standards, nor whether they would be enforceable or subject to future rulemaking.
Contextual considerations indicate this proposal aligns with the State Fire Marshal’s broader mission to promote fire prevention and disseminate information, while narrowing focus to lithium-ion battery storage facilities. It leaves unresolved questions about definitional scope, the form of the measures (guidance versus regulation), timelines for development, mechanisms for dissemination or adoption, and potential resource needs. The fiscal note framework is noted, with no explicit appropriation in the bill text but a fiscal analysis required; implementation could imply staff, training, or coordination costs for the SFM and OES and potential downstream costs for facilities if the measures influence practice or regulation in the future. The bill’s legislative history shows clear progress through the 2025–2026 session, culminating in enrollment in September 2025.
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The Committee on Emergency Management advances a measure that would place a new duty on the State Fire Marshal, in consultation with the Office of Emergency Services, to develop fire prevention, response, and recovery measures for utility-grade lithium-ion battery storage facilities. The measures would address health and safety considerations for emergency services personnel and establish best practices for owners and operators to share timely and accurate incident information with local emergency managers and public safety agencies. The bill does not specify enforcement mechanisms or provide funding, and it does not set a deadline for developing or implementing the measures.
The proposal directs the measures to be developed through collaboration between the State Fire Marshal and the Office of Emergency Services and to cover fire prevention, response, and recovery for the specified facilities. The measures must include (a) best practices for the health and safety of emergency personnel and (b) best practices for information-sharing between facility operators and local emergency managers/public safety agencies. The bill uses the term “best practices” without defining terms such as “utility grade” or “lithium-ion battery storage facility,” and it does not indicate whether these measures would function as guidance or mandatory standards, nor whether they would be enforceable or subject to future rulemaking.
Contextual considerations indicate this proposal aligns with the State Fire Marshal’s broader mission to promote fire prevention and disseminate information, while narrowing focus to lithium-ion battery storage facilities. It leaves unresolved questions about definitional scope, the form of the measures (guidance versus regulation), timelines for development, mechanisms for dissemination or adoption, and potential resource needs. The fiscal note framework is noted, with no explicit appropriation in the bill text but a fiscal analysis required; implementation could imply staff, training, or coordination costs for the SFM and OES and potential downstream costs for facilities if the measures influence practice or regulation in the future. The bill’s legislative history shows clear progress through the 2025–2026 session, culminating in enrollment in September 2025.
| Ayes | Noes | NVR | Total | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 39 | 0 | 1 | 40 | PASS |
| No results. | |||