,i #aaith ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #fidh ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,january #f1 #bjbf,mr4 ,latimer 7for himself and ,mr4 ,fitzpatrick7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce ,a ,,bill ,to amend title #di1 ,united ,states ,code1 to require each new electric and hybrid vehicle to be equipped with technology that allows the timely extinguishment of an electric vehicle battery fire1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,electric and hybrid vehicle standards 7a7 ,electric and hybrid vehicles ,subchapter ,,ii of chapter #cja of title #di1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by adding at the end the following new section3 #cjacj ,electric and hybrid vehicles 7a7 ,battery safety 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #b years after the date of the enactment of this section1 the ,secretary shall promulgate a final motor vehicle standard to mitigate unreasonable risk of fire1 explosion1 reignition1 stranded energy1 thermal runaway1 fire breaching the passenger compartment1 loss of electrical power1 and any other safety risk related to the battery used in any new electric or new hybrid vehicle manufactured for sale1 sold1 offered for sale1 or introduced or delivered for introduction in interstate commerce in the ,united ,states4 7#b7 ,consultation ,the ,secretary shall promulgate such standard in consultation with a representative from each of the following3 7,a7 ,major electric vehicle and hybrid vehicle manufacturers4 7,b7 ,an accredited standards development organization with expertise in fire protection4 7,c7 ,an organization that represents professional firefighters4 7,d7 ,an organization that represents volunteer firefighters4 7,e7 ,an organization that represents fire chiefs4 7#c7 ,minimum standard ,the final motor vehicle standard described in paragraph 7#a7 shall require any new electric or hybrid vehicle manufactured for sale1 sold1 offered for sale1 or introduced or delivered for introduction in interstate commerce in the ,united ,states to be equipped1 at a minimum1 with-- 7,a7 first responder access technology that allows immediate access to the battery for purposes of timely extinguishment of an electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle battery fire2 7,b7 technology that suppresses thermal runaway if an electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle battery cell is damaged2 7,c7 safeguards to delay breaching of the passenger compartment by an electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle battery fire1 sufficient to permit escape or rescue of the vehicle operator and all passengers within a reasonable period of time from a collision or battery malfunction2 and 7,d7 battery and first responder access placed in uniform1 standardized locations within the vehicle1 subject to industry standards1 in order to assist firefighters in recognizing and responding to battery fires4 7#d7 ,guidance for firefighters ,not later than #a year after the promulgation of the final motor vehicle standard described in paragraph 7#a71 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 firefighters4 7b7 ,mechanical door release ,not later than #b years after the date of the enactment of this section1 the ,secretary shall promulgate a final motor vehicle safety standard that requires any new electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle manufactured for sale1 sold1 offered for sale1 or introduced or delivered for introduction in interstate commerce 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 vehicle4 7c7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,electric vehicle ,the term electric vehicle means a passenger motor vehicle that is propelled by an electric motor drawing current from a rechargeable storage battery1 fuel cell1 or other portable source of electrical current1 which may include a nonelectrical source of power designed to charge any such battery and component thereof4 7#b7 ,hybrid vehicle ,the term hybrid vehicle means a passenger motor vehicle propelled by a combination of an electric motor and an internal combustion engine or other power source and component thereof4 7#c7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,transportation4 4 7b7 ,civil penalty ,section #cjafe7;a77#a7 of such title is amended by inserting #cjacj1 after #cjabg14 7c7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of sections for subchapter ,,ii of chapter #cja of title #di1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by adding at the end the following3 ,sec4 #cjacj4 ,electric and hybrid vehicles 4 7d7 ,application ,the amendments made by this ,act shall apply to each new electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle manufactured for sale1 sold1 offered for sale1 or introduced or delivered for introduction in interstate commerce in the ,united ,states on and after the date that is #b years after the date on which the ,secretary promulgates the final motor vehicle safety standard pursuant to section #cjacj7;a7 of title #di1 ,united ,states ,code 7as added by subsection 7a774 #b4 ,study on the health impacts of electric and hybrid vehicle battery fires on first responders 7a7 ,study ,not later than #a year after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services shall conduct a study on the health effects of electric and hybrid vehicle battery fires on first responders4 7b7 ,report ,not later than #a year after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services shall submit to ,congress1 and make publicly available on the website of the ,department of ,health and ,human ,services1 a report that includes the following3 7#a7 ,the findings of the study under subsection 7a74 7#b7 ,input from at least one representative from the following3 7,a7 ,an accredited standards development organization with expertise in fire protection4 7,b7 ,an organization that represents professional firefighters4 7,c7 ,an organization that represents volunteer firefighters4 7,d7 ,an organization that represents fire chiefs4 7#c7 ,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 batteries4