Governor Kathy Hochul’s veto of a bipartisan measure to improve electric vehicle (EV) emergency training has drawn sharp criticism from local legislators who say the decision puts first responders and the public at risk.
The bill would have required the State Fire Administrator to create a hands-on EV emergency response and recovery training program for firefighters, police officers, and first responders statewide. Hochul vetoed the bill, labeling it “laudable” but claiming it would impose costs “not accounted for in the state’s financial plan.”
Assemblyman Joe DeStefano, a Medford Fire Commissioner, called the governor’s decision “a blow” to public safety.
“Firefighters, police, and EMS personnel face growing risks as electric vehicles become more common,” he said. “Instead of protecting our first responders, Governor Hochul vetoed the bill, saying it costs too much. Safety shouldn’t take a back seat to her priorities, such as free cell phones and rent for illegal immigrants. We owe it to our men and women in uniform—and the communities they protect—to ensure they have the tools and knowledge to respond safely to all emergencies.”
Legislator Dominick Thorne, chair of Suffolk’s Fire, Rescue, and Emergency Medical Services Preparedness Committee, said Hochul’s veto “endangers” personnel.
“Mandating the proliferation of lithium-ion battery storage units and electric vehicles while not providing the necessary training to protect our public is ludicrous,” Thorne said. “The governor should remember her first constitutional job is public safety.”
Both lawmakers vowed to keep the bill alive and rally support in the next legislative session, emphasizing that the rise in EV-related fires makes specialized training not just “laudable,” but essential.
“Hochul and the Democrats increased state spending to record levels by adding $12.5 billion to an already bloated $241.5 billion budget from last year,” DeStefano noted. “Now they can’t come up with money to train first responders?”