SENATE BILL REPORT

SHB 1196

As Reported by Senate Committee On:

State Government, Tribal Relations & Elections, March 27, 2019

Title: An act relating to observing daylight saving time year round.

Brief Description: Allowing for the year round observation of daylight saving time.

Sponsors: House Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives Riccelli, Steele, Stonier, Fitzgibbon, Ortiz-Self, Tarleton, Doglio, Schmick, Eslick, Lovick, Fey, Shea, Tharinger and Goodman).

Brief History: Passed House: 3/09/19, 89-7.

Committee Activity: State Government, Tribal Relations & Elections: 3/20/19, 3/27/19 [DPA, w/oRec].

Majority Report: Do pass as amended.

Signed by Senators Hunt, Chair; Kuderer, Vice Chair; Zeiger, Ranking Member; Hasegawa, Hawkins and Takko.

Minority Report: That it be referred without recommendation.

Signed by Senator Bailey.

Staff: Melissa Van Gorkom (786-7491)

Background: The current standard time for Washington State is Pacific Standard Time with the observance of daylight savings time. Daylight savings time is observed in Washington from the second Sunday in March of each year until the first Sunday in November, when the state time is advanced by one hour.

Congress, in the Uniform Time Act, grants states the ability to exempt themselves from daylight saving time. In addition, the Uniform Time Act provides two ways in which an area in the United States can be moved from one time zone to another. First, Congress may enact a statute. Second, a state or local government, by formal request of a governmental official or body, may provide detailed information to the United States secretary of Transportation supporting the requesting party's contention the requested change would serve the convenience of commerce. The principal standard for deciding whether to change a time zone is the convenience of commerce, which is defined very broadly to include consideration of all of the impacts upon a community resulting from a change to its uniform standard time. 

Hawaii and parts of Arizona currently opt out of daylight savings time. Other jurisdictions have been authorized through the secretary of transportation to change their standard time over the years. Currently parts of Idaho and Oregon observe Mountain Standard Time rather than Pacific Standard Time.

Summary of Amended Bill: Washington State would remain on pacific daylight time, which is Pacific Standard Time advanced by one hour, starting on the first Sunday in November the year following the effective date of legislation passed by Congress to allow states to observe daylight savings time year-round. Except if the effective date of federal authorization occurs on or after October 1st, but before the first Sunday in November, then pacific daylight time would be effective in the following year.

The Governor must provide notification regarding the effective date of any legislation passed by Congress authorizing states to observe daylight savings time year-round.

EFFECT OF STATE GOVERNMENT, TRIBAL RELATIONS & ELECTIONS COMMITTEE AMENDMENT(S):

• Defines Pacific daylight time as the fifth zone designated by federal law as Pacific Standard Time, 15 U.S.C. Secs. 261 and 263, advanced by one hour.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Creates Committee/Commission/Task Force that includes Legislative members: No.

Effective Date: The bill contains several effective dates. Please refer to the bill.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony on Substitute House Bill: The committee recommended a different version of the bill than what was heard. PRO: Came to this issue from a health angle because when we switch the clocks we see increases in cardiac arrests, strokes, and accidents. It is possible that there could be a reduction in crime by moving to permanent daylight savings. Switching the clocks messes with circadian rhythms and often results in behavioral issues with children so parents would appreciate the change. Washington already observes daylight savings eight months out of the year. The referendum clause was included to provide additional support for this movement but since Congress is already moving in this direction it may not be necessary and saves the state some money since it is clear the public has interest in doing this.

CON: Reasonable arguments can be made to maintain the current system or current standard time. Most people have biological clocks that drift backwards, so we have a tendency to get up later and later, and unless there is bright morning light people have a hard time adjusting. Permanent daylight savings time would make that adjustment harder since sunrise would occur later in the day. In Russia, year-round daylight savings time was started in 2011 but revoked in 2014, during that time there were more symptoms of winter depression, social jet lag, and poor academic performance in children and adolescence. In light of the conflicting evidence on this issue, there should be a rigorous study of the impacts moving forward.

OTHER: While health impact review is to the original bill, the findings would still be applicable to the substitute version of the bill. There is strong evidence that implementing year-round daylight savings time would improve health outcomes specifically on days immediately following the transitions in the spring and fall. The literature on incidents regarding traffic accidents, work related injuries, depression and suicide all had mixed conclusions. Similarly, the impact on health inequity is not well researched.

Persons Testifying: PRO: Representative Marcus Riccelli, Prime Sponsor.

CON: Seth Dawson, Washington State Psychiatric Association. OTHER: Christy Hoff, State Board of Health.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: No one.