Federal

Safe Charging Electrical Bikes and Scooters Act

Source: Congress.gov · 910 words in original text

What This Bill Does

This bill directs the Secretary of Transportation to create a grant program that gives money to local governments for installing charging stations where people can safely charge electric bicycles and scooters. The bill also requires the Secretary to educate the public about battery safety and to study how many unsafe batteries are currently sold in the United States.

Who It Affects

Local governments, electric bicycle and scooter users, electric bicycle and scooter manufacturers, lithium-ion battery manufacturers, consumer advocacy groups, labor unions, and consumer safety organizations.

Key Provisions

- The Secretary of Transportation must establish a grant program to award money to local governments for building safe charging stations for electric bicycles and scooters (Sec. 2(a)) - Eligible projects include acquiring or installing safe lithium-ion battery power stations and storage for electric bicycles or scooters in public places (Sec. 2(b)) - Charging stations must be located in publicly accessible locations like public roads, parking facilities at public buildings, public schools, libraries, public parks, or privately owned parking facilities open to the public (Sec. 2(c)) - The Secretary must develop an educational program within one year to teach the public about health and safety risks related to lithium-ion batteries, including recommendations to buy certified batteries, use compatible chargers, and store batteries in fireproof containers (Sec. 3(a)) - The Secretary must conduct a study within one year on how many uncertified batteries for electric bicycles and scooters are sold in the United States and report findings to Congress within 180 days after completing the study (Sec. 4)

What Changes

The Secretary of Transportation will now have authority to award grants to local governments for charging station projects. The federal government will spend up to $100,000,000 each year from 2024 through 2029 on this program. The Secretary will create and publish educational materials about battery safety on the Department of Transportation website.

Important Definitions

Safe charging stations: Stations that acquire or install safe lithium-ion battery power stations and storage for electric bicycles or scooters in public places. Nationally accredited testing laboratory: A facility that performs safety testing and certifies products (referenced but not formally defined in the bill).

I 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 1665 To direct the Secretary of Transportation to establish a program to provide grants to local governments to install publicly accessible safety charging stations for electric bicycles and scooters, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MARCH 17, 2023 Ms. VELA´ZQUEZ (for herself, Mr. ESPAILLAT, Ms. MENG, Ms. CLARKE of New York, and Mr. GOLDMAN of New York) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastruc- ture A BILL To direct the Secretary of Transportation to establish a program to provide grants to local governments to install publicly accessible safety charging stations for electric bicycles and scooters, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Safe Charging Elec- 4 trical Bikes and Scooters Act’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:14 Mar 30, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1665.IH H1665 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 1665 IH SEC. 2. SAFE CHARGING ELECTRICAL BICYCLE AND SCOOT- 1 ER GRANT PROGRAM. 2 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Transportation 3 shall establish a program under which the Secretary may 4 award grants to local governments for eligible projects to 5 construct safe charging stations located in eligible publicly 6 accessible locations. 7 (b) ELIGIBLE PROJECTS.—Eligible projects under 8 this section include any project to acquire or install safe 9 lithium-ion battery power stations and storage for electric 10 bicycles or scooters in public places. 11 (c) ELIGIBLE LOCATIONS.—An eligible project re- 12 ceiving a grant under this section shall be located in an 13 eligible publicly accessible location, including any public 14 road or other publicly accessible locations, such as parking 15 facilities at public buildings, public schools, libraries, and 16 public parks, or in publicly accessible parking facilities 17 owned or managed by private entities. 18 (d) FUNDING.—Notwithstanding section 151 of title 19 23, United States Code, the Secretary may use up to 20 $100,000,000 of the funds made available to carry out 21 such section for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2029 22 to carry out this section. 23 SEC. 3. CONSUMER EDUCATION PROGRAM AND CAMPAIGN. 24 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the 25 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Trans- 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:14 Mar 30, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1665.IH H1665 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 1665 IH portation shall develop an educational program and re- 1 lated resources to inform the public about the health and 2 safety risks relating to the following: 3 (1) The recommendation that customers should 4 always buy lithium-ion batteries and electric bicycles 5 and scooters that have been certified by a nationally 6 accredited testing laboratory, which performs safety 7 testing. 8 (2) Ensuring use of a charger that is compat- 9 ible with the lithium-ion battery that the charger is 10 charging. 11 (3) Lithium-ion batteries showing signs that 12 such batteries are in need of replacement if such 13 batteries heat up, expand, or take longer than usual 14 to charge. 15 (4) Recommendations from experts for storing 16 lithium-ion batteries in fireproof containers. 17 (b) PUBLIC AVAILABILITY.—The Secretary shall en- 18 sure that the educational program and related resources 19 developed under paragraph (1) are available to and readily 20 accessible by the public on the website of the Department 21 of Transportation. 22 SEC. 4. STUDY. 23 (a) STUDY.— 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:14 Mar 30, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1665.IH H1665 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 1665 IH (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after 1 the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 2 Transportation shall conduct a study on the number 3 of uncertified lithium-ion batteries for electric bicy- 4 cles and scooters that are currently available in the 5 United States market as well as affordability and 6 availability of certified lithium-ion batteries. 7 (2) ADDITIONAL IDENTIFICATION.—In carrying 8 out the study under this subsection, the Secretary 9 may identify market barriers to the availability of 10 certified and affordable lithium-ion batteries for elec- 11 tric bicycles and scooters. 12 (b) CONSULTATION.—In carrying out the study 13 under subsection (a), the Secretary shall consult with rel- 14 evant stakeholders, including United States manufactur- 15 ers of electric bicycles and scooters and lithium-ion bat- 16 teries, consumer advocacy groups, labor groups or unions, 17 and consumer safety organizations. 18 (c) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the com- 19 pletion of the study under subsection (a), the Secretary 20 shall submit to Congress a report on the results of such 21 study and any recommendations for legislative or regu- 22 latory action to ensure that more certified and affordable 23 VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:14 Mar 30, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1665.IH H1665 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 5 •HR 1665 IH lithium-ion batteries for electric bicycles and scooters are 1 available in the United States market. 2 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:14 Mar 30, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H1665.IH H1665 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS

Important: This plain English summary was generated by AI and is provided for informational purposes only. It is not legal advice. Always consult the official bill text on Congress.gov or a qualified attorney for legal matters.