SB0986 • 2026

Public Safety - Stationary Energy Storage Systems

Energy

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Senator McKay
Last action: 2026-02-15
Official status: In the Senate - First Reading Senate Rules
Effective date: 2026-10-01

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Public Safety - Stationary Energy Storage Systems

Requiring an owner or operator of a stationary energy storage system to pay for certain fire response training and equipment for certain local fire departments with certain fire suppression responsibilities; and requiring the State Fire Marshal to administer and enforce the Act.

What This Bill Does

Requiring an owner or operator of a stationary energy storage system to pay for certain fire response training and equipment for certain local fire departments with certain fire suppression responsibilities; and requiring the State Fire Marshal to administer and enforce the Act.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2026-02-15 Senate
First Reading Senate Rules
Maryland General Assembly
Text - First - Public Safety - Stationary Energy Storage Systems

Official Summary Text

Requiring an owner or operator of a stationary energy storage system to pay for certain fire response training and equipment for certain local fire departments with certain fire suppression responsibilities; and requiring the State Fire Marshal to administer and enforce the Act.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0986*

SENATE BILL 986
E4, M5 6lr3618
SB 636/23 – EEE CF HB 1459
By: Senator McKay
Introduced and read first time: February 15, 2026
Assigned to: Rules

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 response 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 SENATE BILL 986

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