Vermont H 538: An act relating to the establishment of year-round U.S. Eastern Standard Time

Bill Text

BILL AS INTRODUCED H.538
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VT LEG #385600 v.1
H.538 1
Introduced by Representative Harrison of Chittenden 2
Referred to Committee on 3
Date: 4
Subject: General provisions; standard time 5
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to place 6
Vermont on U.S. Eastern Standard Time on a year-round basis. 7
An act relating to the establishment of year-round U.S. Eastern Standard 8
Time 9
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 10
Sec. 1. FINDINGS 11
The General Assembly finds: 12
(1) Standard time approximates natural solar time. 13
(2) Changing clocks twice a year is personally disruptive and neither a 14
healthy nor safe activity. 15
(3) Many biologists, endocrinology immunologists, psychologists, and 16
scientists in other disciplines; child advocates; and teachers believe that standard 17
time provides the best conditions for individual learning, mental and physical 18
well-being, personal safety, and productivity. 19

BILL AS INTRODUCED H.538
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VT LEG #385600 v.1
Sec. 2. 1 V.S.A. § 431 is amended to read: 1
§ 431. STANDARD TIME; DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME 2
(a) The standard time within the State of Vermont shall be based on the 3
mean astronomical time of 75° of longitude west from Greenwich, known and 4
designated as “U.S. Eastern Standard Time,.” except as provided in 15 U.S.C. 5
§ 260a, when standard time shall be advanced one hour. The period of time so 6
advanced may be called “daylight saving time.” 7
(b) The Governor is authorized to shorten or lengthen the period specified 8
in subsection (a) of this section by proclamation, if necessary to make the time 9
accord with the time in effect in any of the states whose boundaries adjoin 10
Vermont. This proclamation shall be issued at least 10 days before it takes 11
effect. [Repealed.] 12
Sec. 3. TRANSITION TO YEAR-ROUND U.S. EASTERN STANDARD 13
TIME 14
The transition to the observance of year-round U.S. Eastern Standard Time 15
shall occur on January 1 in the year following the enactment of year-round 16
U.S. Eastern Standard Time in the states of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, 17
and New York in accordance with 15 U.S.C. § 260a. 18

BILL AS INTRODUCED H.538
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VT LEG #385600 v.1
Sec. 4. EFFECTIVE DATES AND TRANSITION 1
This section and Secs. 1 (findings) and 3 (transition to year-round U.S. 2
Eastern Standard Time) shall take effect on July 1, 2026, and Sec. 2 (standard 3
time) shall take effect in accordance with the provisions set forth in Sec. 3. 4