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*sb0553*
SENATE BILL 553
M3, M5 (6lr2897)
ENROLLED BILL
— Education, Energy, and the Environment/Environment and Transportation —
Introduced by Senator Augustine
Read and Examined by Proofreaders:
_______________________________________________
Proofreader.
_______________________________________________
Proofreader.
Sealed with the Great Seal and presented to the Governor, for his approval this
_______ day of ________ _______ at ________________________ o’clock, ________M.
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President.
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Commission to Advance Lithium–Ion Battery Safety in Maryland – 2
Reestablishment 3
FOR the purpose of reestablishing the Commission to Advance Lithium–Ion Battery Safety 4
in Maryland with an altered membership and mandate; and generally relating to the 5
Commission to Advance Lithium–Ion Battery Safety in Maryland. 6
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 7
That: 8
(a) There is a Commission to Advance Lithium–Ion Battery Safety in Maryland. 9
(b) The Commission consists of: 10
2 SENATE BILL 553
(1) the following members serving on the Commission on December 31, 1
2025: 2
(i) one representative of the Department of the Environment, 3
appointed by the Secretary of the Environment; 4
(ii) the following members, appointed by the Director of the 5
Maryland Energy Administration: 6
1. one representative of the Maryland Energy 7
Administration; 8
2. one representative of a lithium–ion battery manufacturer 9
or a lithium–ion battery manufacturer trade group; and 10
3. one representative of a vehicle propulsion battery 11
manufacturer; 12
(iii) the State Fire Marshal, or the Fire Marshal’s designee; 13
(iv) one representative of the Power Plant Research Program, 14
appointed by the Secretary of Natural Resources; 15
(v) one representative of the Public Service Commission, appointed 16
by the Chair of the Public Service Commission; 17
(vi) the following members, appointed by the President of the 18
Maryland Association of Counties: 19
1. one representative with a background in emergency 20
response; 21
2. one representative with a background in public works; and 22
3. one representative with a background in climat e, clean 23
energy, and infrastructure; 24
(vii) one representative of the Professional Firefighters of Maryland, 25
designated by the President of the Professional Firefighters of Maryland; 26
(viii) one representative of the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Associat ion, 27
designated by the President of the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association; 28
(ix) one representative of the Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute, 29
designated by the Director of the Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute; 30
SENATE BILL 553 3
(x) one citizen representative, d esignated by the President of the 1
Maryland State Firefighters Association; 2
(xi) one representative of a public utility in the State; 3
(xii) one representative of the Maryland Recycling Network; 4
(xiii) one representative of the Maryland –Delaware Solid Waste 5
Association; 6
(xiv) one representative of the vehicle dismantling sector; 7
(xv) one representative of a battery recycling trade group; and 8
(xvi) one representative of the grid scale battery energy storage 9
industry; and 10
(2) the following additional members: 11
(i) one representative of the Maryland Port Administration, 12
appointed by the Secretary of Transportation; 13
(ii) one representative of the ocean freight shipping industry, 14
appointed by the Secretary of Transportation; 15
(iii) one representative of the property casualty insurance industry, 16
appointed by the Maryland Insurance Commissioner; 17
(iv) one representative of the commercial insurance industry, 18
appointed by the Maryland Insurance Commissioner; 19
(v) one representa tive of the Land and Materials Administration, 20
appointed by the Secretary of the Environment; and 21
(vi) one representative of the Towing and Recovery Professionals of 22
Maryland; and 23
(vii) one representative of the Maryland Turfgrass Council; and 24
(vii) (viii) any other members as determined necessary by the 25
Commission. 26
(c) The member serving as chair of the Commission on December 31, 2025, shall 27
continue to serve as chair of the Commission. 28
(d) The Office of the State Fire Marshal shall provide staff for the Commission. 29
4 SENATE BILL 553
(e) A member of the Commission: 1
(1) may not receive compensation as a member of the Commission; but 2
(2) is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard State 3
Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget. 4
(f) The Commission shall study and make legislative, regulatory, programmatic, 5
or other recommendations regarding: 6
(1) best practices, standards, and guidelines: 7
(i) to prevent, detect, and suppress lithium–ion battery fires in: 8
1. consumer and transportation applications; and 9
2. utility applications, with review and consideration of the 10
National Fire Prevention Association 855 Standards for Grid Scale Storage and Safety; 11
(ii) to prevent, detect, and suppress lithium –ion fires at r ecycling 12
facilities; 13
(iii) for reusing, recycling, and decommissioning lithium –ion 14
batteries; and 15
(iv) for collecting, storing, and recycling lithium–ion batteries; 16
(2) the viability of extended producer responsibility for lithium –ion 17
batteries; 18
(3) training, education, and other information to better inform the public 19
and first responders regarding lithium–ion battery safety; 20
(4) battery risks at the Port of Baltimore and on roads, rail, and tunnels 21
throughout Maryland; 22
(5) the impacts of battery risk on insurance providers and insurance 23
coverage availability; 24
(6) the integration of pending federal regulations and emerging 25
third–party standards; and 26
(7) any other global issues the Commission may consider useful for 27
enhancing the safety and reuse of batteries in the State. 28
(g) At the discretion of the Commission, the Commission may seek advice and 29
consultation from outside individuals and entities. 30
SENATE BILL 553 5
(h) (1) On or before December 1, 2026, the Commission shall submit an interim 1
report on the progress and status of the Commission to the Legislative Policy Committee, 2
in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article. 3
(2) On or before December 1, 2027, the Commission shall report its findings 4
and recommendations to the Gov ernor and, in accordance with § 2 –1257 of the State 5
Government Article, the General Assembly. 6
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect June 7
1, 2026. It shall remain effective for a period of 2 years and 1 month and, at the end of June 8
30, 2028, this Act, with no further action required by the General Assembly, shall be 9
abrogated and of no further force and effect. 10
Approved:
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Governor.
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President of the Senate.
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Speaker of the House of Delegates.