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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1459*
HOUSE BILL 1459
E4, M5 6lr3208
CF 6lr3618
By: Delegates Jacobs, Adams, Arentz, Ghrist, and Hutchinson
Introduced and read first time: February 13, 2026
Assigned to: Environment and Transportation
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Public Safety – Stationary Energy Storage Systems 2
FOR the purpose of requiring an owner or operator of a stationary energy storage system 3
to pay for certain fire respo nse training and equipment for certain local fire 4
departments with certain fire suppression responsibilities; requiring the State Fire 5
Marshal to administer and enforce this Act; and generally relating to battery energy 6
storage system safety. 7
BY adding to 8
Article – Public Safety 9
Section 12–707 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 12
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 13
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 14
Article – Public Safety 15
12–707. 16
(A) (1) SUBJECT TO PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION, AN OWNER OR 17
OPERATOR OF A STATIO NARY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM SHALL PAY FOR 18
SPECIALIZED FIRE RESPONSE TRAINING, INCLUDING SPECIALIZED EQUIPMENT FOR 19
BATTERY ENERGY FIRE SUPPRESSION, FOR EACH LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT 20
HAS FIRE SUPPRESSION RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE AREA IN WHICH THE STATIONARY 21
ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM IS LOCATED. 22
(2) THE FIRE RESPONSE TRA INING PROVIDED UNDER PARAGRAPH 23
(1) OF THIS SUBSECTION S HALL COMPLY WITH THE NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION 24
2 HOUSE BILL 1459
ASSOCIATION (NFPA) 855 STANDARD FOR THE INSTALLATION OF STATIONARY 1
ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS. 2
(B) THE STATE FIRE MARSHAL: 3
(1) SHALL ADMINISTER AND ENFORCE THIS SECTION; AND 4
(2) MAY ADOPT REGULATIONS TO IMPLEMENT THIS SECTION. 5
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 6
October 1, 2026. 7