Personal Mobility Device Battery Safety Standards:
HB 291 would amend Florida’s battery safety law to add a new defined category of “personal mobility device,” covering small, lightweight, one-person vehicles powered by rechargeable lithium-ion batteries such as electric bicycles, electric skateboards, and electric scooters. The bill focuses on the battery used in those devices, not the vehicles themselves, and would prohibit commercial sellers from selling a personal mobility device unless its battery is certified by a recognized certification organization as meeting an internationally accepted ingress protection standard for electrical enclosures.
The bill specifies that an IPX6-certified battery, under IEC Standard 60529, satisfies the requirement. In practical terms, the measure is aimed at reducing risks associated with battery exposure to water and temporary submersion, which can contribute to battery failure, fire, or other safety hazards. The act would take effect July 1, 2025.
HB 291 would expand section 403.7192, Florida Statutes, by adding a statutory definition of “personal mobility device” and creating a new sales restriction for commercial sellers of those devices. It would also establish an enforcement mechanism through administrative fines of up to $1,000 for a first violation, $5,000 for a second, and $10,000 for a third or subsequent violation, with collected fines deposited into the General Revenue Fund. The Department would have authority to assess fines and may suspend them if compliance conditions are met.
The available record shows no committee transcript or recorded votes, so there is no detailed public debate to characterize. The bill’s subject matter and structure suggest a safety-oriented approach with a regulatory focus on consumer protection and battery fire prevention. Its final status indicates it died in the Commerce Committee, which suggests it did not advance despite the policy rationale.
Because there are no transcripts or votes provided, specific points of contention are not documented. Potential areas of concern inherent in the bill include the compliance burden on sellers, the cost and availability of certified batteries, and whether the IPX6 standard is the appropriate threshold for all covered devices. The bill’s enforcement penalties and the scope of the new definition of personal mobility device would likely be the main issues for stakeholders such as retailers, manufacturers, and consumer safety advocates.