Requires micromobility devices, mopeds, and bicycles with electric assist to have a red tag attached to the charging cord which states to unplug when not in use.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A8102A
SPONSOR: Eachus
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the general business law, in relation to requiring
charging cords for micromobility devices, mopeds, and bicycles with
electric assist to have a red tag attached
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To require bicycles with electric assist, mopeds, and other micromobili-
ty devices to have a red tag attached to the charging cord which
contains consumer safety information regarding safe usage of the product
and its charging equipment.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 adds a new § 399-nnn to the general business law to:
*Require any bicycle with electric assist, moped, or other micro-mobili-
ty device be affixed with,a tag that clearly and conspicuously states
"UNPLUG WHEN NOT IN USE" affixed to the charging cord of the product;
*Requires the tag to include additional consumer safety information
regarding safe usage of the product and its charging equipment
*Directs DOS to promulgate rules and regulations providing guidance on
the consumer safety information required to be on the tag
*Requires DOS to make and post a model tag containing the information
required to be on the tag
Section 2 provides the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
With fires caused due to lithium-ion battery charging on the rise, now
is the time for the legislature to take action. One simple way that
could help prevent a fire from becoming large and uncontrollable by an
individual is to unplug the charging device from the power source when
the battery or product is not in use.
Simply unplugging the device can be one step to help prevent lithium-ion
battery fires. Requiring a small, bright red tag with clear instructions
on the physical cord itself could be enough of a reminder to reduce the
number of lithium-ion battery fires.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New Bill.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
8102--A
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
October 13, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. EACHUS, GUNTHER, COLTON, JACOBSON, McDONOUGH,
GRAY, DeSTEFANO, GONZALEZ-ROJAS, ZINERMAN, GALLAGHER, SAYEGH, SHIMSKY,
REYES, SIMONE, TAYLOR, BENEDETTO, ARDILA, CHANG, K. BROWN, BEEPHAN,
HYNDMAN, BICHOTTE HERMELYN, LEVENBERG, FAHY, DAVILA, ROZIC -- read
once and referred to the Committee on Consumer Affairs and Protection
-- recommitted to the Committee on Consumer Affairs and Protection in
accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -- committee discharged, bill
amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said commit-
tee
AN ACT to amend the general business law, in relation to requiring
charging cords for micromobility devices, mopeds, and bicycles with
electric assist to have a red tag attached
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The general business law is amended by adding a new section
2 399-nnn to read as follows:
3 § 399-nnn. Tags on charging cords of micromobility devices, mopeds,
4 and bicycles with electric assist. 1. No person, firm, partnership,
5 association, or corporation shall manufacture, distribute, assemble,
6 recondition, sell or offer for sale at retail any micromobility device,
7 moped, or bicycle with electric assist as defined in section one hundred
8 two-c of the vehicle and traffic law unless there is a red tag affixed
9 to the charging cord of such micromobility device, moped, or bicycle
10 with electric assist which clearly and conspicuously states "UNPLUG WHEN
11 NOT IN USE". Such tag shall include additional consumer safety informa-
12 tion regarding safe usage of the product and its charging equipment and
13 shall be affixed to the cord near the end which is plugged into the
14 electricity source.
15 2. The department of state shall promulgate rules and regulations
16 providing guidance on the consumer safety information required to be on
17 the tag pursuant to subdivision one of this section.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13238-04-4
A. 8102--A 2
1 3. The department of state shall post a model tag containing the
2 information outlined in subdivision one of this section that persons,
3 firms, partnerships, associations, and corporations can affix to such
4 charging cords as outlined in subdivision one of this section.
5 4. For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall have
6 the following meanings:
7 (a) "Lithium-ion battery" means a storage battery in which an elec-
8 trical current is generated by lithium ions embedded in a carbon carbo-
9 nate mixture or gelled polymer electrolyte.
10 (b) "Micromobility device" means an electric scooter as defined in
11 section one hundred fourteen-e of the vehicle and traffic law, an elec-
12 trical personal assistive mobility device as defined in section one
13 hundred fourteen-d of the vehicle and traffic law, or other personal
14 mobility device equipped with a lithium-ion or other storage battery,
15 including, but not limited to, a skateboard, unicycle, or other similar
16 wheeled device. The term "micromobility device" shall not include bicy-
17 cles with electric assist as defined in section one hundred two-c of the
18 vehicle and traffic law, wheelchairs or other electrically driven mobil-
19 ity assistance devices as defined in section one hundred thirty-a of the
20 vehicle and traffic law, or any vehicle that is capable of being regis-
21 tered with the department of motor vehicles.
22 (c) "Moped" means a limited use motorcycle as defined in section one
23 hundred twenty-one-b of the vehicle and traffic law.
24 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.