S157

The New York State Senate passed legislation Tuesday addressing a growing public safety crisis caused by lithium-ion batteries in e-bikes and e-scooters, voting 58-0 on Senate Print 157, sponsored by Sen. Krueger. The bill amends the General Business Law to regulate second-market reused batteries that have sparked hundreds of fires across New York City, displacing families and causing injuries. Supporters cited over 200 fire cases in 2022 alone, double the 100 cases reported in 2021, with particular devastation in immigrant and working-class neighborhoods where delivery workers rely on the vehicles for income. Sen. Chu described a single fire in her Southern Brooklyn district that displaced 140 families. Sen. Krueger clarified the legislation targets only smaller battery-powered products like e-bikes and electric mopeds, not larger industrial uses such as forklifts or electric vehicles, which she said will require separate regulatory attention in future bills. Sen. Ramos noted that delivery workers have turned to cheaper second-use batteries because major companies like Grubhub and DoorDash do not cover equipment costs. The bill takes effect 90 days after becoming law.