2019 Regular Session

BySenators Honeyford, Hunt, Van De Wege, Fortunato, and Pedersen

Prefiled 01/11/19.Read first time 01/14/19.Referred to Committee on State Government, Tribal Relations & Elections.

AN ACT Relating to daylight saving time in Washington state; amending RCW 1.20.051; adding a new section to chapter 43.330 RCW; creating a new section; and providing a contingent effective date.

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 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.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 43.330 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The department is directed to review impacts the state time zone and daylight saving time have on commerce in the state of Washington.

(2) Beginning December 1, 2019, and every two years thereafter, the department must report its findings and recommendations regarding a change in the state time zone to the appropriate committees of the legislature. The report must include:

(a) A summary of changes in the time zones of other political subdivisions that may affect convenience of commerce in Washington state;

(b) The percentage of residents that work outside of Washington state or leave their community for schooling and what state or standard of time is observed in the places where they go for these purposes;

(d) A summary of locations that provide media services to each county in the state of Washington;

(e) A summary of airport, bus, and passenger rail services provided to each community in the state; and

(f) Other major elements of this state's economy and any plans for economic development in the state that may impact the convenience of commerce.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. (1) Section 2 of this act takes 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 section 2 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.