automatic residential garage door operators manufactured on or after 1 January 1991 conform to the entrapment protection requirements of the 1988 version of ANSI/UL standard 325. A requirement for redundant entrapment-prevention devices was added in 1993; such a system can use an electric eye, a door edge sensor, or any other device that provides equivalent protection by reversing the travel of the closing door if an object is detected in its path. California Senate Bill No. 969 In California, Senate Bill No. 969 requires that any automatic residential garage door opener that is manufactured for sale, sold, offered for sale, or installed in a residence to have a battery backup function that is designed to operate when activated because of an electrical outage. The bill went into effect on July 1, 2019. Under the bill, any automatic garage door opener that is in violation is subject to a civil penalty of $1000. The bill was passed by Gov. Jerry Brown on Sept. 21, 2018, in response to the 2017 California Wildfires in which at least 5 individuals lost their lives because they couldn't open their garage door when the power went out. The Door and Access Systems Manufacturers Association International opposed the bill arguing that garage door openers with backup batteries require regular maintenance and that the bill should be amended to make this clear. In addition, they said that "garage door openers with backup batteries are not designed to serve as life safety devices, and should not be relied upon to prove a means of egress from a garage during an electrical outage." The bill passed, despite most garage doors having a release pull cord. References External links Official FCC notification on garage opener frequencies (PDF) Garage Door Opener Safety Tips (Washington Post) Safety Commission Rules For Automatic Garage Door Openers - U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. CPSC, 1992 Doors openers