Bill Text: NJ A1540 | 2026-2027 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Requires certain products with electric motor and batteries to have red tag attached to charging cord that warns to unplug product when not in use.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2)

Status: (Introduced) 2026-01-13 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee [A1540 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2026-A1540-Introduced.html

ASSEMBLY, No. 1540

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

 

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

 


 

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman CLINTON CALABRESE

District 36 (Bergen and Passaic)

Assemblywoman LINDA S. CARTER

District 22 (Somerset and Union)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Requires certain products with electric motor and batteries to have red tag attached to charging cord that warns to unplug product when not in use.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.

  


An Act concerning certain products with electric motors and batteries and supplementing Title 56 of the Revised Statutes.

 

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.    a.  As used in this section:

     "Division" means the Division of Consumer Affairs in the Department of Law and Public Safety.

     "Lithium-ion battery" means any button, coin, cylindrical, rectangular, or other-shaped dry cell battery consisting of lithium and other chemicals commonly used in electrical devices.

     "Low-speed electric bicycle" means the same as that term is defined in R.S.39:1-1.

     "Low-speed electric scooter" means the same as that term is defined in R.S.39:1-1.

     "Motorized bicycle" means the same as that term is defined in R.S.39:1-1 and includes only those motorized bicycles that are powered by an electric motor and shall not include wheelchairs or other mobility devices designed for use by persons with disabilities.

     "Motorized scooter" means the same as that term is defined in R.S.39:1-1 and includes only those motorized scooters that are powered by an electric motor and shall not include wheelchairs or other mobility devices designed for use by persons with disabilities.

     "Motorized skateboard" means the same as that term is defined in R.S.39:1-1 and includes only those motorized skateboards that are powered by an electric motor.

     "Storage battery" means a battery or cell used for storing electrical energy.

     b.    A person shall not sell, lease, rent, or otherwise distribute, or offer for sale, lease, rental, or distribution, a low-speed electric bicycle, low-speed electric scooter, motorized bicycle, motorized scooter, or motorized skateboard, or any lithium-ion or storage battery used to power such product, unless there is a red tag affixed to the charging cord of such product near the end that is plugged into the electricity source, which tag clearly and conspicuously states "UNPLUG WHEN NOT IN USE."

     c.    The Division of Consumer Affairs in the Department of Law and Public Safety shall post, on the division's Internet website, a model tag containing the information outlined in this section that persons selling, leasing, renting, or otherwise distributing a low-speed electric bicycle, low-speed electric scooter, motorized bicycle, motorized scooter, or motorized skateboard, or any lithium-ion or storage battery used to power such product, can affix to such charging cords as required by this section.

 

     2.    This act shall take effect 180 days following enactment.

STATEMENT

 

      This bill prohibits a person from selling, leasing, renting, or otherwise distributing, or offering to sell, lease, rent, or otherwise distribute, a low-speed electric bicycle, low-speed electric scooter, motorized bicycle, motorized scooter, or motorized skateboard, or any lithium-ion or storage battery used to power such product, unless there is a red tag affixed to the charging cord of such product near the end that is plugged into the electricity source.  Under the bill, the tag is required to clearly and conspicuously state "UNPLUG WHEN NOT IN USE." 

      In addition, the Division of Consumer Affairs (division) is required to post, on its Internet website, a model tag containing this warning so that any person selling, leasing, renting, or otherwise distributing a low-speed electric bicycle, low-speed electric scooter, motorized bicycle, motorized scooter, or motorized skateboard, or any lithium-ion or storage battery used to power such product, can affix the tag to the charging cord of such products. 

feedback