SACRAMENTO – Senator John Laird (D-Santa Cruz) today introduced SB 283, legislation designed to strengthen safety standards for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). The bill mandates that new facilities adhere to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 855 standards – the most comprehensive and widely recognized guidelines for battery storage safety and hazard mitigation.
 
“As California expands battery storage to meet its clean energy goals, we must prioritize safety at every step," said Senator Laird. “SB 283 ensures that future BESS facilities adhere to the highest fire safety standards, protecting first responders, local communities, and the integrity of our renewable energy transition.”
 
Under SB 283, prior to submitting a BESS application through either the local approval process or the California Energy Commission (CEC) AB 205 process, developers are required to engage and confer with local fire authorities. This consultation must address facility design, assess potential risks, and integrate emergency response plans, such as those required under SB 38 (Laird, 2023).
 
A facility will be required to undergo a safety inspection by local fire officials or by the State Fire Marshal, if the local jurisdiction defers its authority, before the facility can go online. SB 283 ensures that the facility owner covers the cost of inspections, reinforcing accountability in the permitting process.
 
Under existing practice, the state provides limited guidance to local governments regarding the permitting and approval of battery storage facilities, except requirements that exist in the building standards. However, current building standards do not account for the enhanced and comprehensive requirements in NFPA 855. SB 283 adds these enhanced safety standards to future BESS projects.  
 
As the bill moves forward, SB 283 will be amended to prohibit the development of BESS in indoor combustible buildings. 
 
Backed by the California Professional Firefighters and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), SB 283 reinforces the critical need for stronger safety protocols as battery storage technology expands. Their support highlights the bill’s role in protecting both frontline workers and communities while ensuring a secure and reliable clean energy future.
 
“We applaud Senator Laird for introducing SB 283 which will require increased safety, local coordination, and inspections of battery energy storage systems in California,” said Brian K. Rice, President of the California Professional Firefighters. “California's firefighters have been called on to respond to increasingly complex and intense fires at battery energy storage facilities, during which some firefighters have suffered significant injuries. SB 283 provides an important step forward in improving the safety of these facilities and we look forward to working with Senator Laird and the IBEW on this proposal.”
 
“Battery storage facilities built and staffed by highly trained electrical workers are crucial to their safe operation and California’s renewable power future,” said John Doherty, President of the State Association of Electrical Workers. “Holding the construction of these facilities to well-conceived, national standards will ensure the safety of those workers and of surrounding communities.”

“There are three major energy goals in California,” said Senator Laird. “Move away from fossil fuels to a greener electrical grid, have safe – and I repeat, safe – reliable, renewable energy sources and keeping the lights on. Achieving all three simultaneously is no small task. These goals cannot be compromised or pitted against one another; they must be met together.”
 
SB 283 provides a crucial tool and safeguard to ensure battery storage facilities are built and maintained with the highest level of safety and oversight by our local fire officials.
 
                                                                 ### 
 
Senator John Laird represents the 17th State Senate District, which includes all of Santa Cruz, San Benito, and Monterey Counties, as well as the majority of San Luis Obispo County. More information on Senator Laird can be found here.