Supervisor Bilal Mahmood wants to crack down on lithium-ion batteries, which power e-bikes and scooters but have caused dozens of fires in recent years.
Citing a blaze in December caused by a malfunctioning battery that displaced 130 residents from a Tenderloin apartment building in his district, Mahmood on Tuesday will introduce legislation that would prohibit the sale of uncertified lithium-ion batteries and powered devices. The ordinance, developed with the San Francisco Fire Department, requires that the batteries carry certification from a recognized laboratory stating that they meet safety standards.
Violations would carry penalties of up to $1,000…