ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5139

2019 Regular Session

BySenate State Government, Tribal Relations & Elections (originally sponsored by Senators Honeyford, Hunt, Van De Wege, Fortunato, and Pedersen)

READ FIRST TIME 02/22/19.

AN ACT Relating to daylight saving time in Washington state; amending RCW 1.20.051, 35A.21.190, and 35A.21.190; adding a new section to chapter 1.20 RCW; creating a new section; repealing RCW 1.20.051 and 1.20.050; providing a contingent effective date; and providing for submission of this act to a vote of the people.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that the state of Washington would benefit from the consistency and predictability of observing a standard time throughout the calendar year. Research has shown that changing to and from daylight saving time twice per year has negative impacts on public health, increases traffic accidents and crime, disrupts agriculture scheduling, and hinders economic growth. Scientific studies have connected a number of health consequences with the act of switching between standard time and daylight saving time, including greater risks of heart attacks, more frequent workplace injuries, and increased suicide rates in the days immediately following the switch. In addition, there have been other political subdivisions within the United States that are petitioning congress for year-round daylight saving time or changed their time zone over the years to create more consistency across the United States for convenience of commerce. Therefore, the legislature intends to observe daylight saving time year-round if authorized by the United States congress; and also review the potential impact the time zone has on communities along the border between Washington and other states to determine whether the state should seek authorization through the United States department of transportation to change Washington state to mountain standard time year-round if year-round daylight saving time is not authorized by congress.

Sec. 2. RCW 1.20.051 and 2018 c 22 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

((At two o'clock antemeridian Pacific Standard Time of the second Sunday in March each year the time of the state of Washington shall be advanced one hour, and at two o'clock antemeridian Pacific Standard Time of the first Sunday in November in each year the time of the state of Washington shall, by the retarding of one hour, be returned to Pacific Standard Time.))(1) The standard time for the state of Washington is the zone designated by the United States department of transportation for the state of Washington under the uniform time act, 15 U.S.C. Secs. 261 and 263, as determined by reference to coordinated universal time.

(2) The standard time within the state shall advance by one hour commencing at two o'clock antemeridian on the second Sunday in March each year and ending at two o'clock antemeridian on the first Sunday in November each year.

(3) If the United States congress amends 15 U.S.C. Sec. 260a to authorize states to observe daylight saving time year-round, it is the intent of the legislature that daylight saving time be the year-round standard time of the entire state and all of its political subdivisions.

Sec. 3. RCW 35A.21.190 and 1967 ex.s. c 119 s 35A.21.190 are each amended to read as follows:

No code city shall adopt any provision for the observance of daylight saving time other than as authorized by RCW ((1.20.050 and)) 1.20.051.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. A new section is added to chapter 1.20 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The standard time for the state is permanent daylight saving time year-round.

(2) Permanent daylight saving time within the state is that of the fifth zone designated by federal law as Pacific Standard Time, 15 U.S.C. Secs. 261 and 263, advanced by one hour.

Sec. 5. RCW 35A.21.190 and 2019 c . . . s 3 (section 3 of this act) are each amended to read as follows:

No code city shall adopt any provision for the observance of daylight saving time other than as authorized by ((RCW 1.20.051))section 4 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. RCW 1.20.051 (Daylight saving time) and 2019 c . . . s 2 (section 2 of this act), 2018 c 22 s 2, 1963 c 14 s 1, & 1961 c 3 s 1 (Initiative Measure No. 210, approved November 8, 1960) are each repealed.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. RCW 1.20.050 (Standard time—Daylight saving time) and 1953 c 2 s 1 are each repealed.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. (1) Sections 4 through 6 of this act take effect on the second Sunday in March in the year following the effective date of legislation passed by United States congress amending 15 U.S.C. Secs. 260a to authorize states to observe daylight saving time year-round.

(2) The department of commerce must provide notice of the effective date of sections 4 through 6 of this act to affected parties, the chief clerk of the house of representatives, the secretary of the senate, the office of the code reviser, and others as deemed appropriate by the department.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. The secretary of state shall submit this act to the people for their adoption and ratification, or rejection, at the next general election to be held in this state, in accordance with Article II, section 1 of the state Constitution and the laws adopted to facilitate its operation.