Sponsors
The bill strengthens safety for transport workers, responders, and communities through clearer definitions, stricter shipment tests and SoC limits, and funding for suppression research and equipment—at the tradeoff of higher compliance and logistics costs for industry, some added federal spending, potential administrative delays, and possible inequities for smaller or rural departments.
Transportation workers, commercial carriers, shippers, and the traveling public will face lower risk of lithium‑ion battery fires during shipment because the bill limits state-of-charge (30%), strengthens UN transport tests (adds an impact test), and clarifies handling for damaged/defective/recalled cells.
Firefighters and emergency responders will have improved safety and incident outcomes because the bill funds testing of suppression technologies, produces evidence-based guidance on suppressing thermal runaway, and supports validated mitigation and SoC verification methods.
Local communities and the environment will see reduced exposure and cleanup costs because the bill clarifies safe handling/packaging/disposal for damaged or recalled batteries and funds environmental monitoring and runoff control after thermal runaway incidents.
Shippers, manufacturers, and small businesses will likely incur higher compliance and logistics costs because the 30% SoC limit, new UN test requirements, reconfigured packaging, testing burdens, and exception processes raise operational complexity and may slow shipments.
Taxpayers will fund new programs (including up to $10 million authorized for PHMSA testing over FY2027–2031 and additional unspecified grant funding), increasing federal spending to support suppression research and local equipment grants.
Small manufacturers, utilities, and battery handlers may face regulatory confusion and gaps because narrow, technical definitions and ties to specific CFR subsections could exclude emerging chemistries or force detailed cross-referencing with complex hazardous-materials rules.
Based on analysis of 5 sections of legislative text.
Tightens transport safety for lithium‑ion batteries: adds impact testing, caps commercial state‑of‑charge at 30% (with waivers), issues damaged‑battery rules, and creates testing and fire‑department grants.
Introduced March 12, 2026 by Alice Costandina Titus · Last progress March 12, 2026
Requires the Department of Transportation and PHMSA to strengthen safety rules and supporting programs for transporting lithium‑ion cells and batteries. It directs DOT to add an impact test with the UN for batteries shipped under UN 3536, limit commercial battery shipments to a maximum 30% state of charge unless specially approved, issue guidance for damaged/defective/recalled batteries, and review rules every five years. Creates two grant programs: a PHMSA‑run competitive testing grants program (authorized $10 million for FY2027–2031) to fund facilities that study fire suppression, state‑of‑charge effects, and diagnostics for transported batteries; and a competitive grant program for volunteer and career fire departments to buy equipment and capabilities to respond to lithium‑ion thermal runaway incidents.