Bill Sponsors
Read, Noret, Cotter, Casey, Shanley, Casimiro, Hull, Corvese, Serpa, and Paplauskas
Committee
House State Government & Elections
Summary
Select
This legislation mandates the creation of a specific database for electric and hybrid motor vehicles that utilize high-voltage lithium-ion batteries. The Office of the State Fire Marshal must coordinate with the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to maintain this system. Twice a year, on January 1 and July 1, the DMV is required to share specific vehicle details—including the make, model, year, and the location address—with the local fire department or district responsible for that address. This ensures local firefighters are aware of where these specific vehicles are located within their jurisdiction.
Sponsor
Analysis
Pros for Progressives
- Enhances the safety of first responders and the community by ensuring fire departments are prepared to handle high-intensity chemical fires associated with lithium-ion batteries.
- Facilitates the safe transition to green energy by modernizing infrastructure and emergency response protocols to accommodate new technologies without banning or restricting them.
- Promotes government efficiency and inter-agency cooperation, ensuring that data collected by one branch (DMV) is utilized effectively to protect public welfare through another (Fire Services).
Cons for Progressives
- Raises significant privacy concerns by creating a government surveillance list of individuals based on their environmentally conscious consumer choices.
- Could potentially stigmatize electric vehicle ownership, inadvertently discouraging the adoption of green technology by treating these vehicles as unique hazards.
- Diverts administrative resources and time within the DMV and Fire Marshal's office toward database management rather than direct social services or safety inspections.
Pros for Conservatives
- Prioritizes public safety and the protection of property by equipping local fire departments with the intelligence needed to manage complex fires effectively.
- Empowers local control by ensuring that critical data is pushed down to municipal and volunteer fire districts rather than remaining siloed in a state bureaucracy.
- Establishes clear operational mandates for government agencies, ensuring the DMV supports emergency services without creating new taxes or fees for the public.
Cons for Conservatives
- Creates a government registry of private assets, which could be viewed as an invasion of privacy and a stepping stone toward targeted regulation or taxation of specific vehicle owners.
- Expands government bureaucracy by mandating the creation and maintenance of a new database, potentially leading to increased administrative bloat and spending.
- Singles out a specific class of property owners for government tracking, potentially setting a precedent for monitoring other legal purchases under the guise of safety.
Constitutional Concerns
None Likely
Impact Overview
Groups Affected
- Electric Vehicle Owners
- Hybrid Vehicle Owners
- Local Fire Departments
- Division of Motor Vehicles Staff
- Office of the State Fire Marshal
Towns Affected
All
Cost to Taxpayers
Amount unknown
Revenue Generated
None
BillBuddy Impact Ratings
Importance
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Freedom Impact
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Public Services
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Regulatory
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Clarity of Bill Language
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Enforcement Provisions
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Environmental Impact
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Privacy Impact
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Bill Status
Current Status
Held
Comm Passed
Floor Passed
Law
History
• 01/15/2026 Introduced, referred to House State Government & Elections
Bill Text
SECTION 1. Chapter 23-28.2 of the General Laws entitled "Office of State Fire Marshal" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:
23-28.2-31. Electric and hybrid motor vehicle identification database.
(a) The office of the state fire marshal ("office") shall, in coordination with the division of motor vehicles ("division"), create and maintain a vehicle identification database for electric or hybrid motor vehicles powered in whole or in part by a high-voltage lithium-ion storage battery.
(b) The office shall compile a contact list of all departments and districts that provide fire- fighting services and shall provide the division with the list which would enable the division to transfer the information required to be collected pursuant to subsection (c) of this section directly to the fire department or fire district that provides fire protection services to the address of the vehicle owner. The office shall provide an updated contact list to the division as necessary.
(c) The information to be transferred by the division pursuant to this section shall be limited to:
(1) The vehicle registration information;
(2) A vehicle description including the make, model and year of the vehicle; and
(3) The address of the structure where the vehicle is located.
(d) The division shall forward the information collected pursuant to subsection (c) of this section to the municipal or volunteer fire department or fire district that provides fire protection services where the vehicle is located by January 1, and July 1, of each year.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect six (6) months after passage.
23-28.2-31. Electric and hybrid motor vehicle identification database.
(a) The office of the state fire marshal ("office") shall, in coordination with the division of motor vehicles ("division"), create and maintain a vehicle identification database for electric or hybrid motor vehicles powered in whole or in part by a high-voltage lithium-ion storage battery.
(b) The office shall compile a contact list of all departments and districts that provide fire- fighting services and shall provide the division with the list which would enable the division to transfer the information required to be collected pursuant to subsection (c) of this section directly to the fire department or fire district that provides fire protection services to the address of the vehicle owner. The office shall provide an updated contact list to the division as necessary.
(c) The information to be transferred by the division pursuant to this section shall be limited to:
(1) The vehicle registration information;
(2) A vehicle description including the make, model and year of the vehicle; and
(3) The address of the structure where the vehicle is located.
(d) The division shall forward the information collected pursuant to subsection (c) of this section to the municipal or volunteer fire department or fire district that provides fire protection services where the vehicle is located by January 1, and July 1, of each year.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect six (6) months after passage.