Responder and Recovery Safety in EV Fires Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 8307
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Transportation and Public Works
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-04-15: Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
- Last Updated
- 2026-04-24T18:01:54Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Responder and Recovery Safety in EV Fires Act (H.R. 8307) aims to improve safety for emergency responders, towing personnel, and the public by addressing risks from electric vehicle (EV) fires. It requires the Secretary of Transportation to create a working group that reviews incidents, develops best practices, and provides guidance for responding to EV fires on public roads.
Key Provisions
- Establishment of Working Group: The Secretary must form the "Electric Vehicle Fire Response Working Group" within 90 days of enactment, with at least 22 members from diverse groups (see Stakeholders below). It terminates after 10 years.
- Duties:
- Continuously review EV fire risks, existing standards, and roadside incidents (e.g., fires on roads, shoulders, medians, public charging stations, or parking areas).
- Issue or update best practices and guidance for EV fire response.
- Database Reporting: The group reports EV fire incidents to the U.S. Fire Administration's National Emergency Response Information System (NERIS), including details like location, time, weather, response procedures, and outcomes. The database is publicly updated.
- Annual Reports: Submit summaries of guidance issued, updates made, and ongoing issues to Congress and make them public.
- Administration: No pay for members; Secretary provides support using existing funds. Exempt from the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), which normally governs advisory groups.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Introduces a new federal working group specifically for EV fire response, which did not previously exist.
- Enhances the NERIS database (under the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974) by mandating EV incident reporting and coordination for better data collection—no prior requirement for EV-specific roadside fire data.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Increases workload for the Department of Transportation (DOT), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), and others to support the group, report data, and implement guidance using existing funds.
- Citizens and Responders: Improves training and procedures for handling EV fires (which can be harder to extinguish due to battery issues), potentially reducing risks during incidents on public roads.
- Industry: Encourages EV manufacturers and towing services to adopt standardized practices, enhancing road safety amid rising EV use.
- No notable impacts on international relations.
Main Stakeholders
- Emergency Responders (at least 6 reps, e.g., from fire chiefs, firefighters, police, EMS, public works).
- Towing Industry (at least 2 reps, e.g., from Towing and Recovery Association of America).
- Automotive Industry (at least 6 reps from EV makers, bus/truck manufacturers, battery makers, charging equipment providers).
- Research and Standards Groups (at least 4 reps, e.g., National Fire Protection Association, Society of Automotive Engineers).
- Federal Agencies (reps from NTSB, NHTSA, FHWA, USFA, and possibly DOT, Energy, or law enforcement).
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: FACA exemption allows the group to operate more flexibly without standard advisory committee rules (e.g., public meetings, balanced membership). Uses existing funds, avoiding new appropriations.
- Constitutional: None identified; falls under Congress's authority to regulate transportation safety and interstate commerce.
- Political: Bipartisan sponsorship (Republican Mr. Obernolte and Democrat Ms. DelBene); addresses safety gaps as EV adoption grows, referred to House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (1)
Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1]
Recent Actions
- 2026-04-15: Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
- 2026-04-15: Introduced in House
- 2026-04-15: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Responder and Recovery Safety in EV Fires Act — issued 2026-04-15 — PDF (11 pages)