H 538

  BILL AS INTRODUCED  H.538
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1H.538
2  Introduced by Representative Harrison of Chittenden
3  Referred to Committee on
4  Date:
5  Subject: General provisions; standard time
6  Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to place
7  Vermont on U.S. Eastern Standard Time on a year-round basis.
8     An act relating to the establishment of year-round U.S. Eastern Standard
9     Time
10  It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:
11  Sec. 1. FINDINGS
12     The General Assembly finds:
13(1) Standard time approximates natural solar time.
14(2) Changing clocks twice a year is personally disruptive and neither a
15  healthy nor safe activity.
16(3) Many biologists, endocrinology immunologists, psychologists, and
17 scientists in other disciplines; child advocates; and teachers believe that standard
18 time provides the best conditions for individual learning, mental and physical
19 well-being, personal safety, and productivity.
                                                                      VT LEG #385600 v.1
 BILL AS INTRODUCED  H.538
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1 Sec. 2. 1 V.S.A. § 431 is amended to read:
2 § 431. STANDARD TIME; DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME
3    (a) The standard time within the State of Vermont shall be based on the
4 mean astronomical time of 75° of longitude west from Greenwich, known and
5 designated as “U.S. Eastern Standard Time,.” except as provided in 15 U.S.C.
6 § 260a, when standard time shall be advanced one hour. The period of time so
7 advanced may be called “daylight saving time.”
8    (b) The Governor is authorized to shorten or lengthen the period specified
9 in subsection (a) of this section by proclamation, if necessary to make the time
10 accord with the time in effect in any of the states whose boundaries adjoin
11 Vermont. This proclamation shall be issued at least 10 days before it takes
12 effect. [Repealed.]
13 Sec. 3. TRANSITION TO YEAR-ROUND U.S. EASTERN STANDARD
14TIME
15    The transition to the observance of year-round U.S. Eastern Standard Time
16 shall occur on January 1 in the year following the enactment of year-round
17 U.S. Eastern Standard Time in the states of Massachusetts, New Hampshire,
18 and New York in accordance with 15 U.S.C. § 260a.
                                                                   VT LEG #385600 v.1
BILL AS INTRODUCED  H.538
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1 Sec. 4. EFFECTIVE DATES AND TRANSITION
2    This section and Secs. 1 (findings) and 3 (transition to year-round U.S.
3 Eastern Standard Time) shall take effect on July 1, 2026, and Sec. 2 (standard
4 time) shall take effect in accordance with the provisions set forth in Sec. 3.
                                                                   VT LEG #385600 v.1