New York Assembly Bill A00252

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/8/25
• Refer: 1/8/25
• Refer: 1/7/26

Caption

Requires the use of a fire-resistant blanket, bag or container when charging a bicycle with electric assist or an electric scooter; requires sellers of such vehicles to include a fire-resistant blanket, bag, or container with the sale of each e-bike or e-scooter; establishes fines.

Summary

This bill would require that every bicycle with electric assist and every electric scooter be sold with a fiberglass fire-resistant blanket, or an equivalent fire-resistant bag or container, to be used during charging. When charging, the lithium-ion battery pack must be placed under the blanket or inside the fire-resistant container; if the battery cannot be removed for separate charging, the blanket must cover the entire vehicle. The bill defines “fire-resistant” by reference to the state fire code. The measure also requires sellers to provide the appropriate fire-resistant blanket, bag, or container with each sale of an e-bike or e-scooter. It creates a civil penalty of $500 for a first violation and an additional $500 for each subsequent violation. The bill takes effect immediately and would add new sections to the Vehicle and Traffic Law governing e-bikes and e-scooters.

Impact

The bill would amend the Vehicle and Traffic Law by adding new sections 1244 and 1290, creating statewide requirements for the sale and charging of electric-assist bicycles and electric scooters. It would impose a new product-inclusion obligation on sellers, a new charging-safety requirement on users, and a fine structure for violations. The practical effect would be to shift some responsibility for lithium-ion battery fire prevention to both retailers and consumers, while tying compliance to the state fire code’s definition of fire resistance.

Sentiment

No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate or formal support/opposition in the available materials. Based on the bill text and caption, the measure appears motivated by safety concerns related to lithium-ion battery fires and is framed as a preventive consumer-protection requirement. The overall tone of the proposal is precautionary rather than controversial on its face, though the lack of legislative history makes the level of support uncertain.

Contention

The main likely points of contention are the cost and practicality of requiring a fire-resistant blanket or container to be included with every sale, and the burden placed on riders to use it every time they charge. Retailers and consumers may object to added compliance costs, questions about what products satisfy the “fire-resistant” standard, and how the rule would apply to vehicles with non-removable batteries. Another possible issue is enforceability, since the bill relies on fines for violations but does not specify an inspection or enforcement mechanism in the text provided.