Bill > AB588

This bill requires the Office of the State Fire Marshal to establish a lithium battery working group to address safety concerns related to lithium batteries and their charging infrastructure in residential and commercial settings. The working group will include representatives from various organizations such as fire districts, fire chiefs associations, professional firefighters, the California Building Standards Commission, academic experts in battery chemistry, local building departments, fire safety consultants, parking facility owners, commercial and apartment property owners, and newly added members including a licensed electrical contractor and an electrician with energy storage certification. The group's primary tasks are to identify safety issues not already covered in the 2025 California Building Standards Code and recommend potential solutions, which may include informational bulletins, guidance documents, educational materials, and voluntary or mandatory building standards. The working group is required to deliver its initial research, findings, and recommendations by January 1, 2027. The bill will appropriate an unspecified amount from the Building Standards Administration Special Revolving Fund to support the working group's operational costs, research, guidance document development, educational materials creation, potential building standard formulation, and identification of practical solutions to mitigate risks associated with lithium battery fires.

Budget and Finance, Health and Social Services, Military Affairs and Security

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB588