I 
119TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6948 
To amend title 49, United States Code, to require each new electric and 
hybrid vehicle to be equipped with technology that allows the timely 
extinguishment of an electric vehicle battery fire, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 6, 2026 
Mr. LATIMER (for himself and Mr. FITZPATRICK) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To amend title 49, United States Code, to require each 
new electric and hybrid vehicle to be equipped with tech-
nology that allows the timely extinguishment of an elec-
tric vehicle battery fire, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. ELECTRIC AND HYBRID VEHICLE STANDARDS. 
(a) ELECTRIC AND HYBRID VEHICLES.—Subchapter 
II of chapter 301 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new section: 
‘‘§ 30130 Electric and hybrid vehicles 
‘‘(a) BATTERY SAFETY.— 
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‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years 
after the date of the enactment of this section, the 
Secretary shall promulgate a final motor vehicle 
standard to mitigate unreasonable risk of fire, explo-
sion, reignition, stranded energy, thermal runaway, 
fire breaching the passenger compartment, loss of 
electrical power, and any other safety risk related to 
the battery used in any new electric or new hybrid 
vehicle manufactured for sale, sold, offered for sale, 
or introduced or delivered for introduction in inter-
state commerce in the United States. 
‘‘(2) CONSULTATION.—The Secretary shall pro-
mulgate such standard in consultation with a rep-
resentative from each of the following: 
‘‘(A) Major electric vehicle and hybrid ve-
hicle manufacturers. 
‘‘(B) An accredited standards development 
organization with expertise in fire protection. 
‘‘(C) An organization that represents pro-
fessional firefighters. 
‘‘(D) An organization that represents vol-
unteer firefighters. 
‘‘(E) An organization that represents fire 
chiefs. 
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‘‘(3) MINIMUM
STANDARD.—The final motor 
vehicle standard described in paragraph (1) shall re-
quire any new electric or hybrid vehicle manufac-
tured for sale, sold, offered for sale, or introduced 
or delivered for introduction in interstate commerce 
in the United States to be equipped, at a minimum, 
with— 
‘‘(A) first responder access technology that 
allows immediate access to the battery for pur-
poses of timely extinguishment of an electric ve-
hicle or hybrid vehicle battery fire; 
‘‘(B) technology that suppresses thermal 
runaway if an electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle 
battery cell is damaged; 
‘‘(C) safeguards to delay breaching of the 
passenger compartment by an electric vehicle or 
hybrid vehicle battery fire, sufficient to permit 
escape or rescue of the vehicle operator and all 
passengers within a reasonable period of time 
from a collision or battery malfunction; and 
‘‘(D) battery and first responder access 
placed in uniform, standardized locations within 
the vehicle, subject to industry standards, in 
order to assist firefighters in recognizing and 
responding to battery fires. 
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‘‘(4) GUIDANCE FOR FIREFIGHTERS.—Not later 
than 1 year after the promulgation of the final 
motor vehicle standard described in paragraph (1), 
the Secretary shall publish guidance on responding 
to fire incidents involving batteries used in electric 
vehicles and hybrid vehicles to be used as the basis 
for training firefighters. 
‘‘(b) MECHANICAL DOOR RELEASE.—Not later than 
2 years after the date of the enactment of this section, 
the Secretary shall promulgate a final motor vehicle safety 
standard that requires any new electric vehicle or hybrid 
vehicle manufactured for sale, sold, offered for sale, or in-
troduced or delivered for introduction in interstate com-
merce in the United States to have clearly marked interior 
and exterior mechanical door releases on each door and 
hatch that allows safe exit of such vehicle in case of failure 
of the electric system of such vehicle. 
‘‘(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) ELECTRIC VEHICLE.—The term ‘electric 
vehicle’ means a passenger motor vehicle that is pro-
pelled by an electric motor drawing current from a 
rechargeable storage battery, fuel cell, or other port-
able source of electrical current, which may include 
a nonelectrical source of power designed to charge 
any such battery and component thereof. 
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‘‘(2) HYBRID VEHICLE.—The term ‘hybrid vehi-
cle’ means a passenger motor vehicle propelled by a 
combination of an electric motor and an internal 
combustion engine or other power source and compo-
nent thereof. 
‘‘(3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘Secretary’ means 
the Secretary of Transportation.’’. 
(b) CIVIL PENALTY.—Section 30165(a)(1) of such 
title is amended by inserting ‘‘30130,’’ after ‘‘30127,’’. 
(c) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
for subchapter II of chapter 301 of title 49, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘Sec. 30130. Electric and hybrid vehicles’’. 
(d) APPLICATION.—The amendments made by this 
Act shall apply to each new electric vehicle or hybrid vehi-
cle manufactured for sale, sold, offered for sale, or intro-
duced or delivered for introduction in interstate commerce 
in the United States on and after the date that is 2 years 
after the date on which the Secretary promulgates the 
final motor vehicle safety standard pursuant to section 
30130(a) of title 49, United States Code (as added by sub-
section (a)). 
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SEC. 2. STUDY ON THE HEALTH IMPACTS OF ELECTRIC 
AND HYBRID VEHICLE BATTERY FIRES ON 
FIRST RESPONDERS. 
(a) STUDY.—Not later than 1 year after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and 
Human Services shall conduct a study on the health ef-
fects of electric and hybrid vehicle battery fires on first 
responders. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and 
Human Services shall submit to Congress, and make pub-
licly available on the website of the Department of Health 
and Human Services, a report that includes the following: 
(1) The findings of the study under subsection 
(a). 
(2) Input from at least one representative from 
the following: 
(A) An accredited standards development 
organization with expertise in fire protection. 
(B) An organization that represents pro-
fessional firefighters. 
(C) An organization that represents volun-
teer firefighters. 
(D) An organization that represents fire 
chiefs. 
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(3) Recommendations for legislative action to 
protect first responders from the health effects of 
electric and hybrid vehicle battery fires and improve 
the safety of electric and hybrid vehicle batteries. 
Æ 
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