Existing federal law establishes the standard time of the United States for each of 9 zones and advances the standard time of each zone by one hour during the period commencing at 2 a.m. on the 2nd Sunday of March of each year and ending at 2 a.m. on the first Sunday of November of each year. Existing state law, the Daylight Saving Time Act, which was adopted as an initiative measure by the voters at the November 8, 1949, special election, provides that the standard time within the state is that which is known, described, and designated by federal law as United States Standard Pacific Time. The act also requires, from 1 a.m. on the last Sunday of April, until 2 a.m. on the last Sunday of October, the standard time within the state to be one hour in advance of United States Standard Pacific Time.

This bill would repeal the Daylight Saving Time Act and would require the standard time within the state to be that of the 5th zone designated by federal law as Pacific standard time. The bill would require the advancement of this time by one hour during the daylight saving time period commencing at 2 a.m. on the 2nd Sunday of March of each year and ending at 2 a.m. on the first Sunday of November of each year, and would authorize the Legislature to amend these provisions by a ²/₃ vote to change the dates and times of the daylight saving time period, consistent with federal law. The bill would also authorize the Legislature to amend these provisions by a ²/₃ vote to provide for the application of year-round daylight saving time when authorized by federal law.

The California Constitution authorizes the Legislature to amend or repeal an initiative statute by another statute that becomes effective when approved by the electors.

This bill would provide that it would become effective only upon approval of the voters. It would also provide for submission of this measure to the voters for approval at the next statewide general election.

Existing federal law establishes the standard time of the United States for each of 9 zones and advances the standard time of each zone by one hour during the period commencing at 2 a.m. on the 2nd Sunday of March of each year and ending at 2 a.m. on the first Sunday of November of each year. Existing state law, the Daylight Saving Time Act, which was adopted as an initiative measure by the voters at the November 8, 1949, special election, provides that the standard time within the state is that which is known, described, and designated by federal law as United States Standard Pacific Time. The act also requires, from 1 a.m. on the last Sunday of April, until 2 a.m. on the last Sunday of October, the standard time within the state to be one hour in advance of United States Standard Pacific Time.

This bill would repeal the Daylight Saving Time Act and would require the standard time within the state to be that of the 5th zone designated by federal law as Pacific standard time. The bill would require the advancement of this time by one hour during the daylight saving time period commencing at 2 a.m. on the 2nd Sunday of March of each year and ending at 2 a.m. on the first Sunday of November of each year, and would authorize the Legislature to amend these provisions by a ²/₃ vote to change the dates and times of the daylight saving time period, consistent with federal law. The bill would also authorize the Legislature to amend these provisions by a ²/₃ vote to provide for the application of year-round daylight saving time when authorized by federal law.

The California Constitution authorizes the Legislature to amend or repeal an initiative statute by another statute that becomes effective when approved by the electors.

This bill would provide that it would become effective only upon approval of the voters. It would also provide for submission of this measure to the voters for approval at the next statewide general election.

Existing federal law establishes the standard time of the United States for each of 9 zones and advances the standard time of each zone by one hour during the period commencing at 2 a.m. on the 2nd Sunday of March of each year and ending at 2 a.m. on the first Sunday of November of each year. Existing state law, the Daylight Saving Time Act, which was adopted as an initiative measure by the voters at the November 8, 1949, special election, provides that the standard time within the state is that which is known, described, and designated by federal law as United States Standard Pacific Time. The act also requires, from 1 a.m. on the last Sunday of April, until 2 a.m. on the last Sunday of October, the standard time within the state to be one hour in advance of United States Standard Pacific Time.

This bill would repeal the Daylight Saving Time Act and would require the standard time within the state to be that of the 5th zone designated by federal law as Pacific standard time. The bill would require the advancement of this time by one hour during the daylight saving time period commencing at 2 a.m. on the 2nd Sunday of March of each year and ending at 2 a.m. on the first Sunday of November of each year. year, and would authorize the Legislature to amend these provisions by a ²/₃ vote to change the dates and times of the daylight saving time period, consistent with federal law. The bill would also authorize the Legislature to amend these provisions by a²/₃ vote to provide for the application of year-round daylight saving time when authorized by federal law.

The California Constitution authorizes the Legislature to amend or repeal an initiative statute by another statute that becomes effective when approved by the electors.

This bill would provide that it would become effective only upon approval of the voters. It would also provide for submission of this measure to the voters for approval at the next statewide general election.

Existing federal law establishes the standard time of the United States for each of 9 zones and advances the standard time of each zone by one hour during the period commencing at 2 a.m. on the 2nd Sunday of March of each year and ending at 2 a.m. on the first Sunday of November of each year. Existing state law, the Daylight Saving Time Act, which was adopted as an initiative measure by the voters at the November 8, 1949, special election, provides that the standard time within the state is that which is known, described, and designated by federal law as United States Standard Pacific Time. The act also requires, from 1 a.m. on the last Sunday of April, until 2 a.m. on the last Sunday of October, the standard time within the state to be one hour in advance of United States Standard Pacific Time.

This bill would repeal the Daylight Saving Time Act and would require the standard time within the state to be that of the 5th zone designated by federal law as Pacific standard time. The bill would require the advancement of this time by one hour during the daylight saving time period commencing at 2 a.m. on the 2nd Sunday of March of each year and ending at 2 a.m. on the first Sunday of November of each year, and would authorize the Legislature to amend these provisions by a ²/₃ vote to either change the dates and times of the daylight saving time period, consistent with federal law, or to remain on standard time on a year-round basis. year. The bill would also authorize the Legislature to amend these provisions by a²/₃ vote to provide for the application of year-round daylight saving time when authorized by federal law.

The California Constitution authorizes the Legislature to amend or repeal an initiative statute by another statute that becomes effective when approved by the electors.

This bill would provide that it would become effective only upon approval of the voters. It would also provide for submission of this measure to the voters for approval at the next statewide general election.

Existing federal law establishes the standard time of the United States for each of 9 zones and advances the standard time of each zone by one hour during the period commencing at 2 a.m. on the 2nd Sunday of March of each year and ending at 2 a.m. on the first Sunday of November of each year. Existing state law, the Daylight Saving Time Act, which was adopted as an initiative measure by the voters at the November 8, 1949, special election, provides that the standard time within the state is that which is known, described, and designated by federal law as United States Standard Pacific Time. The act also requires, from 1 a.m. on the last Sunday of April, until 2 a.m. on the last Sunday of October, the standard time within the state to be one hour in advance of United States Standard Pacific Time.

This bill would repeal the Daylight Saving Time Act and would require the standard time within the state to be that of the 5th zone designated by federal law as Pacific standard time. The bill would require the advancement of this time by one hour during the daylight saving time period commencing at 2 a.m. on the 2nd Sunday of March of each year and ending at 2 a.m. on the first Sunday of November of each year, and would authorize the Legislature to amend these provisions by a majority ²/₃ vote to either change the dates and times of the daylight saving time period, consistent with federal law, or to remain on standard time on a year-round basis. The bill would also authorize the Legislature to amend these provisions by a majority²/₃ vote to provide for the application of year-round daylight saving time when authorized by federal law.

The California Constitution authorizes the Legislature to amend or repeal an initiative statute by another statute that becomes effective when approved by the electors.

This bill would provide that it would become effective only upon approval of the voters. It would also provide for submission of this measure to the voters for approval at the next statewide general election.

Existing federal law establishes the standard time of the United States for each of 9 zones and advances the standard time of each zone by one hour during the period commencing at 2 a.m. on the 2nd Sunday of March of each year and ending at 2 a.m. on the first Sunday of November of each year. Existing state law, the Daylight Saving Time Act, which was adopted as an initiative measure by the voters at the November 8, 1949, special election, provides that the standard time within the state is that which is known, described, and designated by federal law as United States Standard Pacific Time. The act also requires, from 1 a.m. on the last Sunday of April, until 2 a.m. on the last Sunday of October, the standard time within the state to be one hour in advance of United States Standard Pacific Time.

This bill would repeal the Daylight Saving Time Act and would require the standard time within the state to be that of the 5th zone designated by federal law as Pacific standard time. The bill would require the advancement of this time by one hour during the daylight saving time period commencing at 2 a.m. on the 2nd Sunday of March of each year and ending at 2 a.m. on the first Sunday of November of each year, and would authorize the Legislature to amend these provisions by a majority vote to either change the dates and times of the daylight saving time period, consistent with federal law, or to remain on standard time on a year-round basis. The bill would also authorize the Legislature to amend these provisions by a majority vote to provide for the application of year-round daylight saving time when authorized by federal law.

The California Constitution authorizes the Legislature to amend or repeal an initiative statute by another statute that becomes effective when approved by the electors.

This bill would provide that it would become effective only upon approval of the voters. It would also provide for submission of this measure to the voters for approval at the next statewide general election.

CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS

CSA1 Bill Id:AB 807

Author:(Chu and Gonzalez Fletcher)

As Amended Ver:July 18, 2017

Majority vote

Original Committee Reference: G.O.

SUMMARY: Would place a ballot initiative before the voters to repeal the Daylight Saving Time Act (DST Act). Specifically, this bill:

1. Requires the standard time within the state to be that of the 5th zone designated by federal law as Pacific Standard Time (PST).
2. Requires the advancement of this time by one hour during the daylight saving time (DST) period commencing at 2 a.m. on the 2nd Sunday of March of each year and ending at 2 a.m. on the first Sunday of November of each year.
3. Authorizes the Legislature to amend these provisions by a 2/3 vote to change the dates and times of the daylight saving time period to be consistent with federal law.
4. Authorizes the Legislature to amend these provisions by a two-thirds vote to provide for the application of year-round DST when authorized by federal law.
5. Provide for submission of the initiative to repeal DST act for voter approval at the next statewide general election.
6. Expresses that the intent of this act is to encourage the Legislature to consider the potential impacts of year-round daylight saving time on communities along the border between California and other states and between California and Mexico.

The Senate amendments adds intent language that encourages the Legislature to consider the potential impacts of year-round daylight saving time on communities along the border between California and other states and between California and Mexico.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Establishes, under federal law, the standard time of the United States (U.S.) for each of nine zones and advances the standard time of each zone by one hour during the period commencing at 2:00 a.m. on the second Sunday of March of each year and ending at 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday of November of each year.
2. Provides that under the DST Act, which was adopted as an initiative measure by the voters at the November 8, 1949, special election, the standard time within the state is that which is known, described, and designated by federal law as United States Standard Pacific Time.
3. Requires, from 1:00 a.m. on the last Sunday of April, until 2:00 a.m. on the last Sunday of October, the standard time within the state to be one hour in advance of United States Standard Pacific Time.

FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown

COMMENTS:

Purpose of the Bill: According to the Author's Office, "AB 807 is aimed to dramatically improve public health. Studies have shown that when we switch our clocks, that action alone increases the chances for heart attacks, workplace injuries, crime and traffic accidents.

"DST was established as an effort to save energy during World Wars I and II. According to a 2008 study conducted by the National Bureau of Economics, there are no actual energy savings under our current system – residential electricity usage increased when comparing lighting and the demand for heating and cooling.

"Daylight saving time year round will provide tremendous public health benefits throughout the State. For commuters, eliminating the need for our clocks switching back and forth, we reduce traffic during the periods in which drivers are adjusting to the time change. For families, there will be more daylight for after-school activities, as well as for those who look to engage in exercise after work.

"Other states, such as Arizona and Hawaii do not switch their clocks during the year. California needs to do the same and AB 807 establishes an important pathway to stay on daylight saving time year round."

Background: DST has been used in the U.S. and in many European countries since World War I. At that time, in an effort to conserve fuel needed to produce electric power, Germany and Austria began saving daylight at 11:00 p.m. on April 30, 1916, by advancing the hands of the clock one hour until the following October. Other countries immediately adopted this 1916 action: Belgium, Denmark, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Turkey, and Tasmania. Nova Scotia and Manitoba adopted it as well, with Britain following suit three weeks later, on May 21, 1916. In 1917, Australia and Newfoundland began saving daylight.

An Act to preserve daylight and provide standard time for the U.S. was enacted on March 19, 1918. It both established standard time zones and set summer DST to begin on March 31, 1918. DST was observed for seven months in 1918 and 1919. After the War ended, the law proved so unpopular (mostly because people rose earlier and went to bed earlier than people do today) that it was repealed in 1919 with a Congressional override of President Wilson's veto. DST became a local option, and was continued in a few states, such as Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and in some cities, such as New York, Philadelphia, and Chicago.

During World War II, President Franklin Roosevelt instituted year-round DST, called "War Time," from February 9, 1942 to September 30, 1945. From 1945 to 1966, there was no federal law regarding DST, so states and localities were free to choose whether or not to observe DST and could choose when it began and ended. This understandably caused confusion, especially for the broadcasting industry, as well as for railways, airlines, and bus companies. Because of the different local customs and laws, radio and TV stations and the transportation companies had to publish new schedules every time a state or town began or ended DST.

In the early 1960s, observance of DST was quite inconsistent, with a hodgepodge of time observances, and no agreement about when to change clocks. The Interstate Commerce Commission, the nation's timekeeper, was immobilized, and the matter remained deadlocked. Many business interests were supportive of standardization, although it became a bitter fight between the indoor and outdoor theater industries. The farmers, however, were opposed to such uniformity. State and local governments were a mixed bag, depending on local conditions.

The Uniform Act (Federal Law): By 1966, some 100 million Americans were observing DST based on their local laws and customs. Congress decided to step in and end the confusion, and to establish one pattern across the country. The Uniform Time Act of 1966 (15 United States Code (U.S.C.) Section 260a), signed into law on April 12, 1966, by President Lyndon Johnson, created DST to begin on the last Sunday of April and to end on the last Sunday of October. Any State that wanted to be exempt from DST could do so by passing a state law – only Arizona and Hawaii have done so. The Federal Law does not, however, give states the option to remain on DST year-round (Permanent DST).

The Uniform Time Act of 1966 established a system of uniform (within each time zone) DST throughout the U.S. and its possessions, exempting only those states in which the legislatures voted to keep the entire state on standard time.

In 1972, Congress revised the law to provide that, if a state was in two or more time zones, the state could exempt the part of the state that was in one time zone while providing that the part of the state in a different time zone would observe DST. The Federal law was amended in 1986 to begin DST on the first Sunday in April.

Under legislation enacted in 1986, DST in the U.S. began at 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday of April and ended at 2:00 a.m. on the last Sunday of October.

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 extended DST in the U.S. beginning in 2007, though Congress retained the right to revert to the 1986 law should the change prove unpopular or if energy savings are not significant. Going from 2007 forward, DST in the U.S. begins at 2:00 a.m. on the second Sunday of March and ends at 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday of November.

The Daylight Saving Time Act (Act): California voters passed Proposition 12 in 1949, approving DST in the state, and that the standard time within the state is that which is known, described, and designated by federal law as United States Standard Pacific Time. The act also requires, from 1 a.m. on the last Sunday of April, until 2 a.m. on the last Sunday of October, the standard time within the state to be one hour in advance of United States Standard Pacific Time, which is consistent with the federal law enacted in in 1966 and 1986. However, as stated above, the Energy Policy Act of 2005 extended DST in the U.S. beginning in 2007. Since then, California has begun DST at 2:00 a.m. on the second Sunday of March and ended at 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday of November. Should congress act and enact legislation that would allow a state to adopt DST year round, the change would have to be approved by California voters.

Staff Note: Federal statutes currently do not allow States to implement Permanent (year-round) DST. They may, however, switch to permanent Standard Time as Arizona and Hawaii have done. Should the voters decide to repeal the Act; any subsequent bill that seeks to place California on permanent DST will not become law until the Federal Government grants approval (15 U.S.C. Section 260a).

Prior/Related Legislation: AB 385 (Chu) of 2015. Would have repealed the DST Act and authorized the Legislature by majority vote to amend the law for the application of permanent (year-round) DST, if authorized by federal law. (Failed passage on Senate Floor).

AJR 28 (Obernolte), Chapter 167, Statutes of 2016. Urges the Congress and the President to enact legislation that would allow states to adopt permanent (year-round) DST.

Analysis Prepared by: Kenton Stanhope / G.O. / (916) 319-2531 FN: 0001922

 THIRD READING  

Bill No: AB 807

Author:

:

Vote:

SENATE ENERGY, U. & C. COMMITTEE: 8-1, 7/10/17

AYES: Hueso, Bradford, Cannella, Hill, McGuire, Skinner, Stern, Wiener

NOES: Vidak

SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: 5-2, 9/1/17

AYES: Lara, Beall, Bradford, Hill, Wiener

NOES: Bates, Nielsen

NO VOTE RECORDED: Morrell, Hertzberg

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 62-9, 6/1/17 - See last page for vote

SUBJECT:

SOURCE: Author

DIGEST:

This bill directs the Secretary of State to place an initiative on the ballot to allow voters to decide whether to authorize the Legislature, by a two-thirds vote of the members, to make changes to the state’s observance of daylight savings time consistent with, and to the extent authorized by, federal law.

ANALYSIS:

Existing law:

1. Establishes, under federal law, the standard time of the United States for each of nine zones and advances the standard time of each zone by one hour during the period commencing at 2:00 a.m. on the second Sunday of March of each year and ending at 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday of November of each year. (15 U.S. Code §260 et seq.)
2. Provides that under the California Daylight Saving Time Act, the standard time within the state is that which is known, described, and designated by federal law as United States Standard Pacific Time. Requires, from 1:00 a.m. on the last Sunday of April, until 2:00 a.m. on the last Sunday of October, the standard time within the state be one hour in advance of United States Standard Pacific Time.

This bill:

1. Expresses that the intent of this act is to encourage the Legislature to consider the potential impacts of year-round daylight saving time on communities along the border between California and other states and between California and Mexico.
2. Repeals the Daylight Saving Time Act and requires standard time within the state to be that of the 5^th zone designated by federal law as Pacific Standard Time.
3. Requires the advancement of this time by one hour during the daylight saving time (DST) period, which would be observed commencing at 2:00 a.m. on the second Sunday of March of each year and ending at 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday of November.
4. Authorizes the Legislature to amend these provisions by a two-thirds vote to change the dates and times of the DST period to be consistent with federal law.
5. Authorizes the Legislature to amend these provisions by a two-thirds vote to provide for the application of year-round DST if authorized to do so by federal law.
6. Provides that these provisions would become effective only upon approval by the voters. Provides for submission of this bill to the voters for approval at the next statewide general election.

Background

Daylight savings time v. standard time. DST is often referred to as “summer time” and standard time is often referred to as “winter time.” In California, DST is observed during the time of year when clocks “spring forward,” between the second Sunday of March and first Sunday of November, consistent with federal law. Standard time in California is observed during the time of year when clocks “fall back,” between the first Sunday of November and second Sunday of March.

California and federal DST lack consistency in statute, not observance. California voters, in 1949, established The California Daylight Saving Time Act through the passage of Proposition 12. The proposition established standard time within California as the time which the federal government describes and designates as United States Standard Pacific Time. The initiative also requires that the state advance time one hour during the period from the last Sunday in April until the last Sunday in October. In the mid-1960s, Congress enacted The Uniform Act of 1966 to establish a uniform standard DST within each time zone. The act set DST to begin on the last Sunday of April and to end on the last Sunday of October. This act exempted any state from observing DST if the state passed a law that results in year-round observance of standard time. Two states—Arizona and Hawaii—have done so. Federal law does not, however, give states the option to observe DST year-round. In an effort to save energy, Congress passed The Energy Policy Act in 2005 to extend DST in the U.S. by three weeks in the spring and one week in the fall. This change created a conflict between California’s DST law and the federal law on DST. However, since federal law provides states only two options: 1) observe standard time throughout the year, or 2) observe DST on federally mandated dates, California has observed the dates consistent with the adjusted federal dates.

Energy savings? Claims of energy savings underlie observance of DST during the spring and summer. The argument is simple: by springing the clock forward during the summer when there is more sunlight we can take advantage of natural light and use less energy or fuel. Yet, there is no clear evidence that DST results in energy saving. In fact, some evidence suggests the contrary. In 2008, the National Bureau of Economic Research released a study on the effectiveness of DST. The study sought to provide the first empirical estimates of DST effects on electricity consumption in the United States by focusing on residential electricity demand as far back as the mid-1970s. The bureau’s main finding was that, contrary to the intent of the policy, DST increases residential electricity demand by approximately one percent. According to the study, during DST, there is a tradeoff between the demand for electricity and the demand for heating and cooling. That is, as the demand for electricity is reduced, the demand for heating and cooling is increased. These findings estimate that DST increased cost of electricity to Indiana households by about $9 million per year. The study further speculates that this impact is likely to vary by region, with regions where demand for heating and cooling is greater experiencing a higher increase in electricity use. [Grant, Laura and Kotchen, Matthew. “Does Daylight Saving Time Save Energy? Evidence from a Natural Experiment in Indiana.” October 2008. http://www.nber.org/papers/ w14429.pdf]

Bill seeks year-round DST. The goal of the author of AB 807 is to establish permanent DST year-round in California. In support of this goal, the author cites various studies as to the benefits of having year-round DST. The main benefits cited by the author are the avoidance of public health impacts associated with switching the time by an hour twice a year, including increased heart attacks and strokes, traffic accidents, and workplace injuries as resident adjust to the time differences. Whether public health would be “dramatically improved,” as stated by the author, existing federal law does not allow states to establish year-round DST, but does allow year-round standard time. Nonetheless, the author abandoned a previous attempt to establish year-round standard time due to opposition against such a change, including concerns that standard time would limit daylight activities and other impacts.

Legislature empowered, Act of Congress still needed. Should Congress pass legislation authorizing states to adopt year-round DST, currently, the Legislature lacks the ability to amend state law to observe year-round DST. Since California’s DST law was enacted through an initiative, the state’s voters would have to authorize any change. By requiring an initiative to be placed on the ballot, AB 807 could provide for the vote of the people to replace the existing statutes established by Proposition 12. Should this bill make it to the ballot and be supported by a majority of voters, the new statute would authorize a two-thirds vote of the Legislature to make changes to DST observance that are consistent with, and to the extent authorized by, federal law, including the possibility that Congress would act to allow states to adopt year-round DST.

Related/Prior Legislation

AB 385 (Chu, 2016) would have repealed the DST Act and authorized the Legislature by majority vote to amend the law for the application of permanent (year-round) DST, if authorized by federal law. The bill failed passage on the Senate Floor.

AB 2496 (Chu, 2016) would have declared the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to establish United States Standard Pacific Time as the standard time within the state during the entire year. The bill died at the Assembly Desk.

AJR 28 (Obernolte, Chapter 167, Statutes of 2016) urged Congress and the President to enact legislation that would allow states to adopt permanent (year-round) DST.

SJRX2 1 (Karnette, Chapter 1, Statutes of 2001) memorialized Congress to approve legislation that allows a state to uniformly apply DST year-round.

AJR 56 (Longville, Chapter 127, Statutes of 2000) memorialized the President and Congress to enact legislation to allow states the opportunity to choose year-round daylight saving time, in addition to standard time or the current system of “traditional” DST.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: Fiscal Com.: Local:

According to the Senate Appropriations Committee, one-time costs between $430,000 and $730,000 (General Fund) to the Secretary of State for printing and mailing costs to place the measure on the ballot in the next statewide election.

SUPPORT: (Verified 5/8/18)

Berryessa Business Association

City of Costa Mesa

Save the Light

The Silicon Valley Organization

Two individuals

OPPOSITION: (Verified 5/8/18)

None received

ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT: According to the author:

AB 807 is aimed to dramatically improve public health. Studies have shown that when we switch our clocks, that action alone increases the occurrence rates of heart attacks, strokes, workplace injuries, traffic accidents and crime.

DST year round will provide tremendous public health benefits throughout the State. For commuters, eliminating the need for our clocks switching back and forth, we reduce traffic during the periods in which drivers are adjusting to the time change. For families, there will be more daylight for after-school activities, as well as for those who look to engage in exercise after work.

Other states, such as Arizona and Hawaii do not switch their clocks during the year. California needs to do the same and AB 807 establishes an important pathway to stay on daylight saving time year round.

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 62-9, 6/1/17

AYES: Acosta, Aguiar-Curry, Arambula, Baker, Bigelow, Bocanegra, Bonta, Burke, Caballero, Chau, Chávez, Chiu, Chu, Cooley, Cunningham, Dababneh, Daly, Eggman, Flora, Fong, Frazier, Friedman, Cristina Garcia, Eduardo Garcia, Gipson, Gomez, Gonzalez Fletcher, Gray, Grayson, Harper, Holden, Irwin, Jones-Sawyer, Kalra, Kiley, Lackey, Limón, Low, Mathis, Mayes, McCarty, Medina, Melendez, Nazarian, Obernolte, Quirk, Quirk-Silva, Reyes, Ridley-Thomas, Rodriguez, Rubio, Salas, Santiago, Steinorth, Mark Stone, Thurmond, Ting, Voepel, Waldron, Weber, Wood, Rendon

NOES: Travis Allen, Brough, Calderon, Cervantes, Chen, Gallagher, Levine, Muratsuchi, Patterson

NO VOTE RECORDED: Berman, Bloom, Choi, Cooper, Dahle, Gloria, Maienschein, Mullin, O'Donnell

Prepared by:

5/15/18 9:49:45

**** END ****

SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair

2017 - 2018 Regular Session

AB 807 (Chu) - Daylight saving time

This bill meets the criteria for referral to the Suspense File.

Bill Summary:

AB 807 amends current law related to daylight savings time to allow the state to remain on Daylight Savings year round with a two-third vote in the Legislature and federal government and voter approval.

Fiscal Impact:

One-time costs between $430,000 and $730,000 (General Fund) to the Secretary of State for printing and mailing costs to place the measure on the ballot in the next statewide election.

Background:

The Daylight Saving Time Act. California voters passed Proposition 12 in 1949, which approved DST in the state and designated the United States Standard Pacific Time as the standard time within the state.

The Uniform Time Act of 1966. The Uniform Time Act of 1966 established a standardized system of operating DST throughout the U.S. and its territories. While most states opted for a coordinated DST, states and territories that enacted laws to maintain standard time were exempt from the act. Statute has never allowed states the option to remain on DST year round.  

Estimates of DST effects. A 2008 National Bureau of Economic Research study provided the first empirical estimates on how DST effects electricity consumption. The study found that DST increases residential electricity demand by approximately one percent, and up to four percent in the fall.

Proposed Law:

This bill:

1. Specifies the bill’s intent to encourage the Legislature to consider the potential impacts of year-round daylight saving time on communities along the border between California and other states and between California and Mexico if federal law authorizes the state to provide for the year-round application of daylight saving time.
2. Repeals the DST Act and requires standard time within the state to be that of the 5^th zone designated by federal law as Pacific Standard Time.
3. Requires the advancement of this time by one hour during the DST period, which would be observed commencing at 2:00 a.m. on the second Sunday of March of each year and ending at 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday of November.
4. Authorizes the Legislature to amend these provisions by a two-thirds vote to provide for the application of year-round DST if authorized to do so by federal law.
5. Provides that these provisions would become effective only upon approval by the voters. Provides for submission of this bill to the voters for approval at the next statewide general election.

Related Legislation:

AB 385 (Chu, 2016) would have repealed the DST Act and authorized the Legislature by majority vote to amend the law for the application of permanent (year-round) DST, if authorized by federal law. The bill failed passage on the Senate Floor.

AB 2496 (Chu, 2016) would have declared the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to establish United States Standard Pacific Time as the standard time within the state during the entire year. The bill died at the Assembly Desk.

AJR 28 (Obernolte, Chapter 167, Statutes of 2016) urged Congress and the President to enact legislation that would allow states to adopt permanent (year-round) DST.

AJR 56 (Longville, Chapter 127, Statutes of 2000) memorialized the President and Congress to enact legislation to allow states the opportunity to choose year-round daylight saving time, in addition to standard time or the current system of “traditional” DST.

SJRX2 1 (Karnette, Chapter 1, Statutes of 2001) memorialized Congress to approve legislation that allows a state to uniformly apply DST year-round.

Staff Comments:

How does AB 807 work? This bill places an initiative on the ballot to allow voters to repeal Proposition 12 of 1949, which committed California to follow DST pursuant to Federal guidelines. Upon approval of voters to repeal the Act, the Legislature would have two legislative options:

1. Enact legislation that places California on Permanent (year-round) Standard Time. This option would place California on a permanent time schedule that is currently used between the first Sunday of November and the second Sunday of March, also known as “winter time” and associated with shorter days.
2. Enact legislation that places California on Permanent (year-round) DST. This option would place California on a permanent time schedule that is currently used between the second Sunday of March and the first Sunday of November, also known as “summer time” and associated with longer days.

-- END --

SENATE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY, UTILITIES AND COMMUNICATIONS

Senator Ben Hueso, Chair

2017 - 2018 Regular

Bill No: Hearing Date: 7/10/2017

SUBJECT:

DIGEST: This bill will direct the Secretary of State to place an initiative on the ballot that would allow voters to decide whether to repeal the Daylight Saving Time (DST) Act.

ANALYSIS:

Existing law:

1. Establishes, under federal law, the standard time of the United States for each of nine zones and advances the standard time of each zone by one hour during the period commencing at 2:00 a.m. on the second Sunday of March of each year and ending at 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday of November of each year. (15 U.S. Code §260a)

2) Provides that under the California DST Act, the standard time within the state is that which is known, described, and designated by federal law as United States Standard Pacific Time. (Government Code §6807.2)

3) Requires, from 1:00 a.m. on the last Sunday of April, until 2:00 a.m. on the last Sunday of October, the standard time within the state be one hour in advance of United States Standard Pacific Time. (Government Code §6807.3)

This bill:

1. Repeals the DST Act and requires standard time within the state to be that of the 5^th zone designated by federal law as Pacific Standard Time.
2. Requires the advancement of this time by one hour during the DST period, which would be observed commencing at 2:00 a.m. on the second Sunday of March of each year and ending at 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday of November.
3. Authorizes the Legislature to amend these provisions by a two-thirds vote to provide for the application of year-round DST if authorized to do so by federal law.
4. Provides that these provisions would become effective only upon approval by the voters. Provides for submission of this bill to the voters for approval at the next statewide general election.

Background

Daylight Savings Time—Sporadic History Rooted in Energy Conservation.^[1] DST, as we currently understand it, results from 20^th century energy-conservation efforts. Those efforts were international and sporadic, but later became institutionalized, in this country, through federal and California law.

The first modern DST was established during WWI as an effort to save energy and conserve fuel. In April of 1916, at 11:00 p.m., Germany and Austria advanced the hands of their clocks one hour and kept them that way until the following October. Many other nations—mostly in Europe, but including Tasmania and some Canadian provinces as well—followed suit.

Two years later, the United States, too, established in law DST and created a standard time. That law defined standard time zones and set summer DST to begin on March 31, 1918. The nation observed DST for seven months in 1918 and 1919 but ceased to do so when congress repealed the DST law. Nonetheless, from February 9, 1942, to September 30, 1945, President Franklin Roosevelt instituted year-round DST, or “War Time.”

From 1945 to 1966, there was no federal law regarding DST, leaving it to states and localities to choose whether to observe DST and when. In 1949, California made just such a choice.

California voters, in 1949, established DST in the state through the passage of Proposition 12. Known as The Daylight Savings Time Act, the proposition established standard time within California as the time which the federal government describes and designates as United States Standard Pacific Time. The initiative also required that the state advance time one hour during the period from the last Sunday in April until the last Sunday in September, in effect, creating a California DST. Later, in 1962, California voters approved an amendment to the act that extended California DST until the last Sunday in October. This extension conformed California DST to DSTs as practiced in the rest of the major states.

Feds Standardize Time, Allow Standard Time Year Round But Not DST. By the mid-1960s, observance of DST across the country was inconsistent. In response, Congress enacted The Uniform Act of 1966 to establish a uniform standard DST within each time zone. The act set DST to begin on the last Sunday of April and to end on the last Sunday of October.

Despite a desire for uniformity, The Uniform Act exempted any state from observing DST if the state passed a law that results in year-round observance of standard time. Two states—Arizona and Hawaii—have done so. Federal law does not, however, give states the option to observe DST year-round.

Feds Amend DST Again, This Time to Save Energy. In 2005, Congress passed The Energy Policy Act to extend DST in the U.S. by three weeks in the spring and one week in the fall. As a result, since 2007, DST generally is observed in the U.S. beginning at 2:00 a.m. on the second Sunday of March and ending at 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday of November. Congress justified the change as an attempt to save energy, and it retained the right to revert to the prior DST, should the change prove unpopular or if energy savings did not materialize.

State Law and Federal Law Conflict, But Practice Does Not. As discussed above, federal law establishes the start of DST at 2:00 a.m. on the second Sunday of March and ends it at 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday of November. As described above, California’s DST law conflicts with the federal law on DST. This is because California’s law set DST to begin on the last Sunday of April and to end on the last Sunday in October. This inconsistency exists even though federal law provides states only two options: 1) observe standard time throughout the year,

or 2) observe DST on federally mandated dates.

Despite this inconsistency in law, there is no inconsistency in practice. In keeping with federal law, California observes DST according to the dates prescribed by the federal law, California law notwithstanding.

This legal discrepancy could be remedied by conforming California’s DST law to federal law. However, because California voters approved the observance of DST through the initiative process, the Legislature has no way to change California’s DST law. Such changes would need to be made through a vote of the electors^[2].

Energy Savings Unlikely. Claims of energy savings underlie DST. The argument is simple: by springing the clock forward during the summer when there is more sunlight we can take advantage of natural light and use less energy or fuel. Yet, there is no clear evidence that DST results in energy saving. In fact, recent evidence suggests the contrary.

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 also required the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to evaluate whether extended DST affected energy consumption and submit the findings to Congress. The key findings of the DOE report are as follows:

• The total electricity savings of extended DST were about 1.3 Tera Watt-hour (TWh). This corresponds to 0.5 percent per each day of extended DST or 0.03 percent of electricity consumption over the year.
• The electricity savings translate to a reduction of 17 Trillion Btu over the spring and fall Extended DST periods, or roughly 0.02 percent of total U.S. energy consumption during 2007.
• Electricity savings generally occurred over a three- to five-hour period in the evening with small increases in usage during the early-morning hours.

In 2007, the California Energy Commission released a study in response to the expansion of DST by the Energy Policy Act of 2005. This study, titled “The Effect of Early Daylight Saving Time on California Electricity Consumption: A Statistical Analysis,” revealed that the “extension of DST to March 2007 had little or no effect on energy consumption in California, according to a statistical analysis. The most likely approximation is a 0.2 percent decrease during these three weeks”^[3]

In 2008, the National Bureau of Economic Research released a study on the effectiveness of DST. The study, titled “Does Daylight Saving Time Save Energy? Evidence from a Natural Experiment in Indiana.” sought to provide the first empirical estimates of DST effects on electricity consumption in the United States by focusing on residential electricity demand as far back as the mid-1970s. The bureau’s main finding was that, contrary to the intent of the policy, DST increases residential electricity demand by approximately one percent. According to the study, during DST, there is a tradeoff between the demand for electricity and the demand for heating and cooling. That is, as the demand for electricity is reduced, the demand for heating and cooling is increased. These findings estimate that DST increased cost of electricity to Indiana households by about $9 million per year. The study further speculates that this impact is likely to vary by region, with regions where demand for heating and cooling is greater experiencing a higher increase in electricity use. ^[4]

Bill Seeks DST Year Round, Empowers Legislature. The goal of the author of AB 807 is clear: to establish permanent daylight savings time year-round in California. In support of this goal, the author cites various studies as to the benefits of having year-round DST. The benefits the author cites can mainly be categorized as increased public health. However, federal law does not allow states to establish year-round DST.

The Legislature recently passed AJR 28 (Obernolte, Chapter 167, Statutes of 2016), which urged the Congress and the President to enact legislation that would allow states to adopt permanent (year-round) DST. It is important to note, however, that should Congress pass legislation allowing states to adopt year-round DST, the Legislature would still not have the ability to amend state law to observe year-round DST. This is because California’s DST law was enacted by an initiative, and only a vote of the people can change a law enacted by an initiative. For this reason, AB 807 directs the Secretary of State to place a proposition on statewide ballot to (1) repeal the state’s existing DST law and to replace it with DST timeframes that conform to federal DST timeframes and (2) provide the Legislature the ability, by a two-thirds vote, to establish year-round DST, should federal law change to allow year-round DST.

The author recently amended this bill to remove the Legislature’s ability to “change the dates and times of the daylight saving time period, consistent with federal law” by a two-thirds vote. This creates a problem. Should the federal government decide to revert to DST as it was prior to the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the Legislature would not be able to conform California’s DST time frame to federal DST. Restricting the Legislature’s authority in this way maintains the problem the author seeks to address. With this in mind, the committee may wish to amend this bill as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 6808 is added to the Government Code, to read:

6808

(c) Notwithstanding subdivision (b), the Legislature may amend this section by a two-thirds vote to either change the dates and times of the daylight saving time period, consistent with federal law, or if federal law authorizes the state to provide for the year-round application of daylight saving time, the Legislature may amend this section by a two-thirds vote to provide for that application.

It seems appropriate to empower the Legislature to establish year-round DST in this way. While DST may not save energy, many people just like it. The Legislature is the appropriate body to decide whether California should experience year-round DST, provided the federal government allows California to make such a decision.

In addition, the Legislature, should it be given such authority, would need to consider the implications of DST as it relates to California’s temporal uniformity with other states and countries. California is a border state. It shares borders with three states and the country of Mexico. The constant movement of people and goods across those borders requires coordination. The economies and societies of the border communities are interdependent.

Currently, Arizona does not observe DST. Mexico does observe DST; however, Mexican DST calibrates with the federal U.S. DST. Changes to DST in California have the potential for considerable disruption. For example, when Congress passed the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which amended the dates of DST in the United States, it resulted in a time difference, for a period of a couple of weeks, between communities in the U.S. and communities in Mexico. This had a huge effect on border communities. In order to address this effect, the Congress of Mexico passed a law to allow border communities to adopt a DST pattern consistent with the United States. With this in mind, the author and committee may wish to amend this bill to direct the Legislature to consider the potential effects of observing year-round DST on border communities.

Public Health Concerns. The author contends that this bill will “dramatically improve public health.” He cites various studies as to the effects that switching our clocks has on public health, including:

• Higher rate of heart attacks^[5] and strokes.^[6]
• Higher rate of traffic accidents.^[7]
• Increase in workplace injuries^[8] and decrease in workplace productivity.^[9]

Similarly, opponents of past bills concerning DST note public health harms of year-round DST. The public hearth arguments both pro and con, while interesting and relevant, are outside of the scope of this committee’s jurisdiction.

Prior/Related Legislation

AB 385 (Chu, 2016) would have repealed the DST Act and authorized the Legislature by majority vote to amend the law for the application of permanent (year-round) DST, if authorized by federal law. The bill failed passage on the Senate Floor.

AB 2496 (Chu, 2016) would have declared the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to establish United States Standard Pacific Time as the standard time within the state during the entire year. The bill died at the Assembly Desk.

AJR 28 (Obernolte, Chapter 167, Statutes of 2016) urged Congress and the President to enact legislation that would allow states to adopt permanent (year-round) DST.

AJR 56 (Longville, Chapter 127, Statutes of 2000) memorialized the President and Congress to enact legislation to allow states the opportunity to choose year-round daylight saving time, in addition to standard time or the current system of “traditional” DST.

SJRX2 1 (Karnette, Chapter 1, Statutes of 2001) memorialized Congress to approve legislation that allows a state to uniformly apply DST year-round.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: Fiscal Com.: Local:

SUPPORT:

Berryessa Business Association

Save the Light

Two individuals

OPPOSITION:

None received

ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT: According to the author:

AB 807 is aimed to dramatically improve public health. Studies have shown that when we switch our clocks, that action alone increases the occurrence rates of heart attacks, strokes, workplace injuries, traffic accidents and crime.

DST year round will provide tremendous public health benefits throughout the State. For commuters, eliminating the need for our clocks switching back and forth, we reduce traffic during the periods in which drivers are adjusting to the time change. For families, there will be more daylight for after-school activities, as well as for those who look to engage in exercise after work.

Other states, such as Arizona and Hawaii do not switch their clocks during the year. California needs to do the same and AB 807 establishes an important pathway to stay on daylight saving time year round.

ARGUMENTS IN OPPOSITION: Opponents of this bill may argue that voters and the legislature should have the opportunity to review all available options to them when it comes to changing DST. These options include: year-round standard time, observance of DST as is, and implementation of year-round DST should the federal government allow it. By amending out the possibility of applying year-round standard time, we are limiting potential options that the state may want to take.

-- END --

1. See http://www.webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/e.html. ↑

2. Dotson E. Wilson, Chief Clerk of the Assembly. “Chapter 3 - Elections.” California’s Legislature. 2016. 13 June 2017. < http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pdf/2017/2117_Cal_Leg2016_Sec04.pdf>. ↑

3. California Energy Commission. The Effect of Early Daylight Saving Time on California. May 2007.< http://www.energy.ca.gov/2007publications/CEC-200-2007-004/CEC-200-2007-004.PDF>. ↑

4. Grant, Laura and Kotchen, Matthew. “Does Daylight Saving Time Save Energy? Evidence from a Natural Experiment in Indiana. October 2008.<http://www.nber.org/papers/w14429.pdf >. ↑

5. Janszky, Imre, and Rickard Ljung. "Shifts to and from Daylight Saving Time and Incidence of Myocardial Infarction — NEJM.".13 June 2017. <http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc0807104>. ↑

6. Foerch, Christian, Horst-Werner Korf, Helmuth Steinmetz, and Matthias Sitzer. "Abrupt Shift of the Pattern of Diurnal Variation in Stroke Onset With Daylight Saving Time Transitions." Circulation. American Heart Association, Inc., 13 June 2017. <http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/118/3/284.short>. ↑

7. Coren, Stanley. "Daylight Savings Time and Traffic Accidents — NEJM." New England Journal of Medicine. 13 June 2017. <http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199604043341416>. ↑

8. Barnes, Christopher M., and David T. Wagner. "Changing to Daylight Saving Time Cuts Into Sleep and Increases Workplace Injuries.". American Psychological Association.13 June 2017. <http://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/apl9451317.pdf>. ↑

9. Wagner, David T.; Barnes, Christopher M.; Lim, Vivien K. G.; Ferris, D. Lance. “Lost sleep and cyberloafing: Evidence from the laboratory and a daylight saving time quasi-experiment”.13 June 2017.<http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0027557>. ↑

ASSEMBLY THIRD READING

ATR Bill Id:AB 807

Author:(Chu)

As Amended Ver:April 3, 2017

Majority vote

SUMMARY: Would place a ballot initiative before the voters to repeal the Daylight Saving Time Act (DST Act). Specifically, this bill:

1. Requires the standard time within the state to be that of the 5th zone designated by federal law as Pacific Standard Time (PST).
2. Requires the advancement of this time by one hour during the daylight saving time (DST) period commencing at 2 a.m. on the 2nd Sunday of March of each year and ending at 2 a.m. on the first Sunday of November of each year.
3. Authorizes the Legislature, upon approval of the voters, to change by a 2/3 vote the dates and times of the DST period, consistent with federal law, or to remain on standard time on a year-round basis (Permanent Standard Time).
4. Authorizes the Legislature to amend these provisions by a 2/3 vote to provide for the application of year-round daylight saving time (Permanent DST) when authorized by federal law.
5. Provide for submission of the initiative to repeal DST act for voter approval at the next statewide general election.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Establishes, under federal law, the standard time of the United States for each of nine zones and advances the standard time of each zone by one hour during the period commencing at 2:00 a.m. on the second Sunday of March of each year and ending at 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday of November of each year.
2. Provides that under the DST Act, which was adopted as an initiative measure by the voters at the November 8, 1949, special election, the standard time within the state is that which is known, described, and designated by federal law as United States Standard Pacific Time.
3. Requires, from 1:00 a.m. on the last Sunday of April, until 2:00 a.m. on the last Sunday of October, the standard time within the state to be one hour in advance of United States Standard Pacific Time.

FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown

COMMENTS:

Purpose of the Bill: According to the Author's Office, "AB 807 is aimed to dramatically improve public health. Studies have shown that when we switch our clocks, that action alone increases the chances for heart attacks, workplace injuries, crime and traffic accidents.

"DST was established as an effort to save energy during World Wars I and II. According to a 2008 study conducted by the National Bureau of Economics, there are no actual energy savings under our current system – residential electricity usage increased when comparing lighting and the demand for heating and cooling.

"Daylight saving time year round will provide tremendous public health benefits throughout the State. For commuters, eliminating the need for our clocks switching back and forth, we reduce traffic during the periods in which drivers are adjusting to the time change. For families, there will be more daylight for after-school activities, as well as for those who look to engage in exercise after work.

"Other states, such as Arizona and Hawaii do not switch their clocks during the year. California needs to do the same and AB 807 establishes an important pathway to stay on daylight saving time year round.”

Background: DST has been used in the United States (U.S.) and in many European countries since World War I. At that time, in an effort to conserve fuel needed to produce electric power, Germany and Austria began saving daylight at 11:00 p.m. on April 30, 1916, by advancing the hands of the clock one hour until the following October. Other countries immediately adopted this 1916 action: Belgium, Denmark, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Turkey, and Tasmania. Nova Scotia and Manitoba adopted it as well, with Britain following suit three weeks later, on May 21, 1916. In 1917, Australia and Newfoundland began saving daylight.

An Act to preserve daylight and provide standard time for the United States was enacted on March 19, 1918. It both established standard time zones and set summer DST to begin on March 31, 1918. DST was observed for seven months in 1918 and 1919. After the War ended, the law proved so unpopular (mostly because people rose earlier and went to bed earlier than people do today) that it was repealed in 1919 with a Congressional override of President Wilson's veto. DST became a local option, and was continued in a few states, such as Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and in some cities, such as New York, Philadelphia, and Chicago.

During World War II, President Franklin Roosevelt instituted year-round DST, called "War Time," from February 9, 1942 to September 30, 1945. From 1945 to 1966, there was no federal law regarding DST, so states and localities were free to choose whether or not to observe DST and could choose when it began and ended. This understandably caused confusion, especially for the broadcasting industry, as well as for railways, airlines, and bus companies. Because of the different local customs and laws, radio and TV stations and the transportation companies had to publish new schedules every time a state or town began or ended DST.

In the early 1960s, observance of DST was quite inconsistent, with a hodgepodge of time observances, and no agreement about when to change clocks. The Interstate Commerce Commission, the nation's timekeeper, was immobilized, and the matter remained deadlocked. Many business interests were supportive of standardization, although it became a bitter fight between the indoor and outdoor theater industries. The farmers, however, were opposed to such uniformity. State and local governments were a mixed bag, depending on local conditions.

The Uniform Act (Federal Law): By 1966, some 100 million Americans were observing DST based on their local laws and customs. Congress decided to step in and end the confusion, and to establish one pattern across the country. The Uniform Time Act of 1966 (15 U.S. Code Section 260a), signed into law on April 12, 1966, by President Lyndon Johnson, created DST to begin on the last Sunday of April and to end on the last Sunday of October. Any State that wanted to be exempt from DST could do so by passing a state law – only Arizona and Hawaii have done so. The Federal Law does not, however, give states the option to remain on DST year-round (Permanent DST).

The Uniform Time Act of 1966 established a system of uniform (within each time zone) DST throughout the U.S. and its possessions, exempting only those states in which the legislatures voted to keep the entire state on standard time.

In 1972, Congress revised the law to provide that, if a state was in two or more time zones, the state could exempt the part of the state that was in one time zone while providing that the part of the state in a different time zone would observe DST. The Federal law was amended in 1986 to begin DST on the first Sunday in April.

Under legislation enacted in 1986, DST in the U.S. began at 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday of April and ended at 2:00 a.m. on the last Sunday of October.

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 extended DST in the U.S. beginning in 2007, though Congress retained the right to revert to the 1986 law should the change prove unpopular or if energy savings are not significant. Going from 2007 forward, DST in the U.S. begins at 2:00 a.m. on the second Sunday of March and ends at 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday of November.

The Daylight Saving Time Act (Act): California voters passed Proposition 12 in 1949, approving DST in the state, and that the standard time within the state is that which is known, described, and designated by federal law as United States Standard Pacific Time. The act also requires, from 1 a.m. on the last Sunday of April, until 2 a.m. on the last Sunday of October, the standard time within the state to be one hour in advance of United States Standard Pacific Time, which is consistent with the federal law enacted in in 1966 and 1986. However, as stated above, the Energy Policy Act of 2005 extended DST in the U.S. beginning in 2007. Since then, California has begun DST at 2:00 a.m. on the second Sunday of March and ended at 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday of November. Should congress act and enact legislation that would allow a state to adopt DST year round, the change would have to be approved by California voters.

Bill in Practice: This bill would place an initiative on the ballot to allow voters to repeal Proposition 12 of 1949, which committed California to follow DST pursuant to Federal guidelines – DST begins at 2:00 a.m. on the second Sunday of March and ends at 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday of November. Upon approval of voters to repeal the Act, the Legislature would have two legislative options:

1. Enact legislation that places California on Permanent (year-round) Standard Time. This option would place California on a permanent time schedule that is currently used between the first Sunday of November and the second Sunday of March, also known as "winter time" and associated with shorter days.
2. Enact legislation that places California on Permanent (year-round) DST. This option would place California on a permanent time schedule that is currently used between the second Sunday of March and the first Sunday of November, also known as "summer time" and associated with longer days.

Under this bill, both actions would require a 2/3 vote threshold to pass. In the event the Legislature does not pass either option above, California will remain on its current system of moving the clock forward and back once a year – DST.

Staff Note: Federal statutes currently do not allow States to implement Permanent (year-round) DST. They may, however, switch to permanent Standard Time as Arizona and Hawaii have done. Should the voters decide to repeal the Act; any subsequent bill that seeks to place California on permanent DST will not become law until the Federal Government grants approval (15 United States Code Section 260a).

Prior/Related Legislation: AB 385 (Chu), of 2015. Would have repealed the DST Act and authorized the Legislature by majority vote to amend the law for the application of permanent (year-round) DST, if authorized by federal law. (Failed passage on Senate Floor).

AJR 28 (Obernolte), Chapter 167, Statutes of 2016. Urges the Congress and the President to enact legislation that would allow states to adopt permanent (year-round) DST.

Analysis Prepared by: Kenton Stanhope / G.O. / (916) 319-2531 FN: 0000601

Date of Hearing: May 3, 2017

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 807

Author:(Chu) – As Amended Ver:April 3, 2017

Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: No Reimbursable: No

SUMMARY:

This bill, upon approval from voters, repeals the Daylight Savings Time (DST) Act and authorizes the Legislature, through a two-thirds vote, to modify the dates and times of the daylight savings time period, consistent with federal law, or to have California remain on standard time on a year-round basis.

FISCAL EFFECT:

One-time costs between $430,000 and $730,000 to the Secretary of State for printing and mailing costs to place the measure on the ballot in the next statewide election. (General Fund).

COMMENTS:

1. Background: In 1949, California voters passed Proposition 12, which approved DST in the state and designated the United States Standard Pacific Time as the standard time within the state. Moreover, the federal Uniform Time Act of 1996 established a standardized system of operating DST throughout the U.S. and its territories. While most states opted for a coordinated DST, states and territories that enacted laws to maintain standard time were exempt from the Act. Statute has never allowed states the option to remain on DST year round.  
2. How AB 807 Works. This bill places an initiative on the ballot to allow voters to repeal Proposition 12 of 1949, which committed California to follow DST pursuant to Federal guidelines. Upon approval of voters to repeal the Act, the Legislature would have two legislative options:
3. Enact legislation that places California on Permanent (year-round) Standard Time. This option would place California on a permanent time schedule that is currently used between the first Sunday of November and the second Sunday of March, also known as “winter time” and associated with shorter days.
4. Enact legislation that places California on Permanent (year-round) DST. This option would place California on a permanent time schedule that is currently used between the second Sunday of March and the first Sunday of November, also known as “summer time” and associated with longer days.
5. Recent legislation. AB 385 (Chu), of the 2015-2016 Legislative Session, which would have repealed the DST Act and authorized the Legislature by majority vote to amend the law for the application of permanent (year-round) DST, died in the Senate.

Analysis Prepared by: Luke Reidenbach / APPR. / (916) 319-2081

Date of Hearing: April 19, 2017

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON UTILITIES AND ENERGY

Chris Holden, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 807 (

Author:Chu) – As Amended Ver:April 3, 2017

SUBJECT: Daylight saving time

SUMMARY: Would place a ballot initiative before the voters to repeal the Daylight Saving Time Act (DST Act). Specifically, this bill:

1. Requires the standard time within the state to be that of the 5th zone designated by federal law as Pacific Standard Time (PST).
2. Requires the advancement of this time by one hour during the daylight saving time (DST) period commencing at 2 a.m. on the 2nd Sunday of March of each year and ending at 2 a.m. on the first Sunday of November of each year.
3. Authorizes the Legislature, upon approval of the voters, to change by a majority vote the dates and times of the DST period, consistent with federal law, or to remain on standard time on a year-round basis (Permanent Standard Time).
4. Authorizes the Legislature to amend these provisions by a majority vote to provide for the application of year-round daylight saving time (Permanent DST) when authorized by federal law.
5. Provide for submission of the initiative to repeal DST act for voter approval at the next statewide general election.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Establishes, under federal law, the standard time of the United States for each of nine zones and advances the standard time of each zone by one hour during the period commencing at 2:00 a.m. on the second Sunday of March of each year and ending at 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday of November of each year.

1. Provides that under the DST Act, which was adopted as an initiative measure by the voters at the November 8, 1949, special election, the standard time within the state is that which is known, described, and designated by federal law as United States Standard Pacific Time.
2. Requires, from 1:00 a.m. on the last Sunday of April, until 2:00 a.m. on the last Sunday of October, the standard time within the state to be one hour in advance of United States Standard Pacific Time.

FISCAL EFFECT: This bill is keyed fiscal and will be referred to the Appropriations Committee for its review of the fiscal effect of this bill.

BACKGROUND:

The Assembly Governmental Organization Committee summarized the history of Daylight Saving Time in their analysis as follows: DST has been used in the U.S. and in many European countries since World War I. At that time, in an effort to conserve fuel needed to produce electric power, Germany and Austria began saving daylight at 11:00 p.m. on April 30, 1916, by advancing the hands of the clock one hour until the following October. Other countries immediately adopted this 1916 action: Belgium, Denmark, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Turkey, and Tasmania. Nova Scotia and Manitoba adopted it as well, with Britain following suit three weeks later, on May 21, 1916. In 1917, Australia and Newfoundland began saving daylight.

An Act to preserve daylight and provide standard time for the United States was enacted on March 19, 1918. It both established standard time zones and set summer DST to begin on March 31, 1918. DST was observed for seven months in 1918 and 1919. After the War ended, the law proved so unpopular (mostly because people rose earlier and went to bed earlier than people do today) that it was repealed in 1919 with a Congressional override of President Wilson's veto. DST became a local option, and was continued in a few states, such as Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and in some cities, such as New York, Philadelphia, and Chicago.

During World War II, President Franklin Roosevelt instituted year-round DST, called "War Time," from February 9, 1942 to September 30, 1945. From 1945 to 1966, there was no federal law regarding DST, so states and localities were free to choose whether or not to observe DST and could choose when it began and ended. This understandably caused confusion, especially for the broadcasting industry, as well as for railways, airlines, and bus companies. Because of the different local customs and laws, radio and TV stations and the transportation companies had to publish new schedules every time a state or town began or ended DST.

In the early 1960s, observance of DST was quite inconsistent, with a hodgepodge of time observances, and no agreement about when to change clocks. The Interstate Commerce Commission, the nation's timekeeper, was immobilized, and the matter remained deadlocked. Many business interests were supportive of standardization, although it became a bitter fight between the indoor and outdoor theater industries. The farmers, however, were opposed to such uniformity. State and local governments were a mixed bag, depending on local conditions.

The Uniform Act (Federal Law). By 1966, some 100 million Americans were observing DST based on their local laws and customs. Congress decided to step in and end the confusion, and to establish one pattern across the country. The Uniform Time Act of 1966 (15 U.S. Code Section 260a), signed into law on April 12, 1966, by President Lyndon Johnson, created DST to begin on the last Sunday of April and to end on the last Sunday of October. Any State that wanted to be exempt from DST could do so by passing a state law – only Arizona and Hawaii have done so. The Federal Law does not, however, give states the option to remain on DST year-round (Permanent DST).

The Uniform Time Act of 1966 established a system of uniform (within each time zone) DST throughout the U.S. and its possessions, exempting only those states in which the legislatures voted to keep the entire state on standard time.

In 1972, Congress revised the law to provide that, if a state was in two or more time zones, the state could exempt the part of the state that was in one time zone while providing that the part of the state in a different time zone would observe DST. The Federal law was amended in 1986 to begin DST on the first Sunday in April.

Under legislation enacted in 1986, DST in the U.S. began at 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday of April and ended at 2:00 a.m. on the last Sunday of October.

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 extended DST in the U.S. beginning in 2007, though Congress retained the right to revert to the 1986 law should the change prove unpopular or if energy savings are not significant. Going from 2007 forward, DST in the U.S. begins at 2:00 a.m. on the second Sunday of March and ends at 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday of November.

The Daylight Saving Time Act (Act). California voters passed Proposition 12 in 1949, approving DST in the state, and that the standard time within the state is that which is known, described, and designated by federal law as United States Standard Pacific Time. The act also requires, from 1 a.m. on the last Sunday of April, until 2 a.m. on the last Sunday of October, the standard time within the state to be one hour in advance of United States Standard Pacific Time, which is consistent with the federal law enacted in in 1966 and 1986. However, as stated above, the Energy Policy Act of 2005 extended DST in the U.S. beginning in 2007. Since then, California has begun DST at 2:00 a.m. on the second Sunday of March and ended at 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday of November. Should congress act and enact legislation that would allow a state to adopt DST year round, the change would have to be approved by California voters.

COMMENTS:

1. Author’s Statement. According to the author’s office: “AB 807 is aimed to dramatically improve public health. Studies have shown that when we switch our clocks, that action alone increases the chances for heart attacks, workplace injuries, crime and traffic accidents.

DST was established as an effort to save energy during World Wars I and II. According to a 2008 study conducted by the National Bureau of Economics, there are no actual energy savings under our current system – residential electricity usage increased when comparing lighting and the demand for heating and cooling^[1].

Daylight saving time year round will provide tremendous public health benefits throughout the State. For commuters, eliminating the need for our clocks switching back and forth, we reduce traffic during the periods in which drivers are adjusting to the time change. For families, there will be more daylight for after-school activities, as well as for those who look to engage in exercise after work.

Other states, such as Arizona and Hawaii do not switch their clocks during the year. California needs to do the same and AB 807 establishes an important pathway to stay on daylight saving time year round.

1. DST Effects on Energy Savings. The primary issue for the Utilities and Energy Committee is whether DST affects electricity use. We really do not know. Whatever the answer, you can be assured that it will be different based on climate and geography.

However, there was one study released by the California Energy Commission (CEC) in 2007 at which time the clocks were going to “spring forward” three weeks earlier than normal as a result of a change in federal law. The CEC reported that “[t]here is no clear evidence that electricity will be saved from the earlier start to daylight saving time on March 11, but the 7 p.m. peak load will probably drop on the order of 3% for the remainder of March, lowering capacity requirements.”^[2] This could be significant for the state as we grapple with how to meet the neck of the duck curve which shows a steep increase in demand in the evening hours for the state but a decline in clean generation sources in the late afternoon.

This study is more than ten years old and peak is changing in the state. However, even if there was not an overall savings in electricity, savings at peak is one of the most significant energy issues facing the State. This bill does not immediately trigger a change in DST. It would ask voters to authorize the Legislature to change DST. Should that come to pass however, the Legislature should require the CEC and the Independent System Operator to assess the impact of a change on DST on peak demand.

1. Other DST Electricity Consumption Analyses. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 called for the Department of Energy to evaluate the impact of Extended Daylight Saving Time on energy consumption in the United States and to submit a report to Congress. (15 U.S.C. 260a note) This report presents the results of impacts of Extended Daylight Saving Time on the national energy consumption in the United States. The key findings were:

• The total electricity savings of Extended Daylight Saving Time were about 1.3 Tera Watt-hour (TWh). This corresponds to 0.5 percent per each day of Extended Daylight Saving Time, or 0.03 percent of electricity consumption over the year;
• In terms of national primary energy consumption, the electricity savings translate to a reduction of 17 Trillion Btu (TBtu) over the spring and fall Extended Daylight Saving Time periods, or roughly 0.02 percent of total U.S. energy consumption during 2007 of 101,000 TBtu; and
• During Extended Daylight Saving Time, electricity savings generally occurred over a three- to five-hour period in the evening with small increases in usage during the early-morning hours. On a daily percentage basis, electricity savings were slightly greater during the March (spring) extension of Extended Daylight Saving Time than the November (fall) extension. On a regional basis, some southern portions of the United States exhibited slightly smaller impacts of Extended Daylight Saving Time on energy savings compared to the northern regions, a result possibly due to a small, offsetting increase in household air conditioning usage.^[3]

In 2008 a study was published by the National Bureau of Economic Research, who studied energy use in Indiana. The experiment in the state of Indiana provided the first empirical estimates of DST effects on electricity consumption in the United States since the mid-1970s focusing on residential electricity demand. The main finding, contrary to the policy's intent: DST increases residential electricity demand. An estimate of the overall increase is approximately one percent. DST causes the greatest increase in electricity consumption in the fall, when estimates range between two percent and four percent. The reason is that daylight saving time reduces demand for residential lighting, yet increases demand for heating and especially cooling. So, while the argument still applies to lighting, the more important effect today comes from air conditioners. And in regions where demand for air conditioning is greater and growing, daylight saving time is likely to increase electricity use even more.

1. Prior Legislation.

AB 385 (Chu, 2015-2016). Would have repealed the DST Act and authorized the Legislature by majority vote to amend the law for the application of permanent (year-round) DST, if authorized by federal law. (Failed passage on Senate Floor).

AJR 28 (Obernolte). Urges the Congress and the President to enact legislation that would allow states to adopt permanent (year-round) DST. (Res. Chapter 167, Statutes of 2016)

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

None on file.

Opposition

Save the Light

Analysis Prepared by: Elle Hoxworth / U. & E. /

1. http://www.nber.org/papers/w14429 ↑

2. The Effect of Early Daylight Savings Time on California: http://www.energy.ca.gov/2007publications/CEC-200-2007-001/CEC-200-2007-001.PDF May 2007. ↑

3. Impact of Extended Daylight Saving Time on National Energy Consumption: Report to Congress https://www1.eere.energy.gov/ba/pba/pdfs/epact_sec_110_edst_report_to_congress_2008.pdf ↑

Date of Hearing: March 29, 2017

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION

Adam Gray, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 807 (

Author:Chu) – As Introduced Ver:February 15, 2017

SUBJECT: Daylight saving time

SUMMARY: Would place a ballot initiative before the voters to repeal the Daylight Saving Time Act (DST Act). Specifically, this bill:

1. Requires the standard time within the state to be that of the 5th zone designated by federal law as Pacific Standard Time (PST).
2. Requires the advancement of this time by one hour during the daylight saving time (DST) period commencing at 2 a.m. on the 2nd Sunday of March of each year and ending at 2 a.m. on the first Sunday of November of each year.
3. Authorizes the Legislature, upon approval of the voters, to change by a majority vote the dates and times of the DST period, consistent with federal law, or to remain on standard time on a year-round basis (Permanent Standard Time).
4. Authorizes the Legislature to amend these provisions by a majority vote to provide for the application of year-round daylight saving time (Permanent DST) when authorized by federal law.
5. Provide for submission of the initiative to repeal DST act for voter approval at the next statewide general election.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Establishes, under federal law, the standard time of the United States for each of nine zones and advances the standard time of each zone by one hour during the period commencing at 2:00 a.m. on the second Sunday of March of each year and ending at 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday of November of each year.

1. Provides that under the DST Act, which was adopted as an initiative measure by the voters at the November 8, 1949, special election, the standard time within the state is that which is known, described, and designated by federal law as United States Standard Pacific Time.
2. Requires, from 1:00 a.m. on the last Sunday of April, until 2:00 a.m. on the last Sunday of October, the standard time within the state to be one hour in advance of United States Standard Pacific Time.

FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown

COMMENTS:

Purpose of the Bill: According to the Author’s Office, “AB 807 is aimed to dramatically improve public health. Studies have shown that when we switch our clocks, that action alone increases the chances for heart attacks, workplace injuries, crime and traffic accidents.

DST was established as an effort to save energy during World Wars I and II. According to a 2008 study conducted by the National Bureau of Economics, there are no actual energy savings under our current system – residential electricity usage increased when comparing lighting and the demand for heating and cooling.

Daylight saving time year round will provide tremendous public health benefits throughout the State. For commuters, eliminating the need for our clocks switching back and forth, we reduce traffic during the periods in which drivers are adjusting to the time change. For families, there will be more daylight for after-school activities, as well as for those who look to engage in exercise after work.

Other states, such as Arizona and Hawaii do not switch their clocks during the year. California needs to do the same and AB 807 establishes an important pathway to stay on daylight saving time year round.”

Background: DST has been used in the U.S. and in many European countries since World War I. At that time, in an effort to conserve fuel needed to produce electric power, Germany and Austria began saving daylight at 11:00 p.m. on April 30, 1916, by advancing the hands of the clock one hour until the following October. Other countries immediately adopted this 1916 action: Belgium, Denmark, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Turkey, and Tasmania. Nova Scotia and Manitoba adopted it as well, with Britain following suit three weeks later, on May 21, 1916. In 1917, Australia and Newfoundland began saving daylight.

An Act to preserve daylight and provide standard time for the United States was enacted on March 19, 1918. It both established standard time zones and set summer DST to begin on March 31, 1918. DST was observed for seven months in 1918 and 1919. After the War ended, the law proved so unpopular (mostly because people rose earlier and went to bed earlier than people do today) that it was repealed in 1919 with a Congressional override of President Wilson's veto. DST became a local option, and was continued in a few states, such as Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and in some cities, such as New York, Philadelphia, and Chicago.

During World War II, President Franklin Roosevelt instituted year-round DST, called "War Time," from February 9, 1942 to September 30, 1945. From 1945 to 1966, there was no federal law regarding DST, so states and localities were free to choose whether or not to observe DST and could choose when it began and ended. This understandably caused confusion, especially for the broadcasting industry, as well as for railways, airlines, and bus companies. Because of the different local customs and laws, radio and TV stations and the transportation companies had to publish new schedules every time a state or town began or ended DST.

In the early 1960s, observance of DST was quite inconsistent, with a hodgepodge of time observances, and no agreement about when to change clocks. The Interstate Commerce Commission, the nation's timekeeper, was immobilized, and the matter remained deadlocked. Many business interests were supportive of standardization, although it became a bitter fight between the indoor and outdoor theater industries. The farmers, however, were opposed to such uniformity. State and local governments were a mixed bag, depending on local conditions.

The Uniform Act (Federal Law): By 1966, some 100 million Americans were observing DST based on their local laws and customs. Congress decided to step in and end the confusion, and to establish one pattern across the country. The Uniform Time Act of 1966 (15 U.S. Code Section 260a), signed into law on April 12, 1966, by President Lyndon Johnson, created DST to begin on the last Sunday of April and to end on the last Sunday of October. Any State that wanted to be exempt from DST could do so by passing a state law – only Arizona and Hawaii have done so. The Federal Law does not, however, give states the option to remain on DST year-round (Permanent DST).

The Uniform Time Act of 1966 established a system of uniform (within each time zone) DST throughout the U.S. and its possessions, exempting only those states in which the legislatures voted to keep the entire state on standard time.

In 1972, Congress revised the law to provide that, if a state was in two or more time zones, the state could exempt the part of the state that was in one time zone while providing that the part of the state in a different time zone would observe DST. The Federal law was amended in 1986 to begin DST on the first Sunday in April.

Under legislation enacted in 1986, DST in the U.S. began at 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday of April and ended at 2:00 a.m. on the last Sunday of October.

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 extended DST in the U.S. beginning in 2007, though Congress retained the right to revert to the 1986 law should the change prove unpopular or if energy savings are not significant. Going from 2007 forward, DST in the U.S. begins at 2:00 a.m. on the second Sunday of March and ends at 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday of November.

The Daylight Saving Time Act (Act): California voters passed Proposition 12 in 1949, approving DST in the state, and that the standard time within the state is that which is known, described, and designated by federal law as United States Standard Pacific Time. The act also requires, from 1 a.m. on the last Sunday of April, until 2 a.m. on the last Sunday of October, the standard time within the state to be one hour in advance of United States Standard Pacific Time, which is consistent with the federal law enacted in in 1966 and 1986. However, as stated above, the Energy Policy Act of 2005 extended DST in the U.S. beginning in 2007. Since then, California has begun DST at 2:00 a.m. on the second Sunday of March and ended at 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday of November. Should congress act and enact legislation that would allow a state to adopt DST year round, the change would have to be approved by California voters.

Bill in Practice: AB 807 would place an initiative on the ballot to allow voters to repeal Proposition 12 of 1949, which committed California to follow DST pursuant to Federal guidelines – DST begins at 2:00 a.m. on the second Sunday of March and ends at 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday of November. Upon approval of voters to repeal the Act, the Legislature would have two legislative options:

1) Enact legislation that places California on Permanent (year-round) Standard Time. This option would place California on a permanent time schedule that is currently used between the first Sunday of November and the second Sunday of March, also known as “winter time” and associated with shorter days.

2) Enact legislation that places California on Permanent (year-round) DST. This option would place California on a permanent time schedule that is currently used between the second Sunday of March and the first Sunday of November, also known as “summer time” and associated with longer days.

Under AB 807, both actions would require a majority vote threshold to pass. In the event the Legislature does not pass either option above, California will remain on its current system of moving the clock forward and back once a year – DST.

Staff Note: Federal statutes currently do not allow States to implement Permanent (year-round) DST. They may, however, switch to permanent Standard Time as Arizona and Hawaii have done. Should the voters decide to repeal the Act; any subsequent bill that seeks to place California on permanent DST will not become law until the Federal Government grants approval (15 U.S. Code § 260a).

Policy Considerations:

As stated above, should voters approve the repeal of the DST Act, AB 807 would allow future legislatures – by simple majority – to enact legislation to move California to Permanent (year-long) DST or Permanent (year-long) Standard Time. A majority vote threshold could potentially lead to multiple changes to the process by which California adjusts time, leading to great confusion. The Committee may wish to consider whether it is more appropriate to raise the vote threshold to 2/3, making it more difficult for future legislatures to make haphazard changes to the process by which California adjusts time.

2. Should this bill pass and voters approve the repeal of the DST Act, the Author’s stated intent is to introduce and pass legislation that moves California to Permanent (year-round) DST. The Committee may wish to consider whether it is more appropriate to ask the voters directly whether they would prefer to repeal the DST Act and move to Permanent DST.

Suggested Amendment: Increase the vote threshold to 2/3 for any subsequent legislation that seeks to move California to Permanent (year-round) DST or Permanent (year-round) Standard Time. (See below)

Section 6808(c) Notwithstanding subdivision (b), the Legislature may amend this section by a majority two-thirds vote to either change the dates and times of the daylight saving time period, consistent with federal law, or to remain on standard time on a year-round basis. In addition, if federal law authorizes the state to provide for the year-round application of daylight saving time, the Legislature may amend this section by a majority two-thirds vote to provide for that application.

Prior/Related Legislation: AB 385 (Chu), 2015-2016 Legislative Session. Would have repealed the DST Act and authorized the Legislature by majority vote to amend the law for the application of permanent (year-round) DST, if authorized by federal law. (Failed passage on Senate Floor).

AJR 28 (Obernolte), Res. Chapter 167, Statutes of 2016. Urges the Congress and the President to enact legislation that would allow states to adopt permanent (year-round) DST.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

None on File

Opposition

None on File

Analysis Prepared by: Kenton Stanhope / G.O. / (916) 319-2531